Javan Pond Heron Flaps in

From the ABC website ...

Javan Pond Heron has Twitchers in a Flap
Last Update: Friday, March 16, 2007. 10:36am ACST
By Anna Daniels
A winged creature from Indonesia has bird-lovers in a flap! The Javan Pond-Heron blew in from Indonesia with Cyclone George and has now taken up residency in Darwin’s northern suburbs.
News of his arrival spread quickly with ‘twitchers’ from all corners of Australia flying in to catch a glimpse.
Sheryl Keates, from the Northern Territory Field Naturalists Club, was one of the first spotters on the scene.
“Many people have come to see this bird. People have been from Brisbane, Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide, Perth, Broome-you name it they’ve been here and they’re still coming,” she said.
For non-twitchers, those who don’t share the passion for bird-watching, the fuss over the feathers may seem perplexing but the Javan Pond-Heron has inadvertently created a mini-tourism boom.
“People coming up here spend money on accommodation, hire cars and food.”
Sheryl’s phone has been ringing hot since news of the heron’s arrival took flight and her enthusiasm for sharing the find is still sky high.
“It’s wonderful to be able to show people a new bird. Just the delight they get from seeing it. But I am going away in a couple of days so I’ll have a bit of a break from all this and someone else will have to take over.”
From http://www.abc.net.au/darwin/stories/s1873431.htm

So, earlier this morning we grabbed a camera and headed out to the end of Trower Rd in an attempt to track down this weary little feathered beast. We found a fair bit of wet grass and a seriously washed out drain; and had just about given up when, on our way back to the car, out flew the damp little critter, looking considerably flylagged and a bit shabby, definitely the worst for wear after his long journey. Sitting up high in a wet euchalypt he was probably wondering why he had decided to do his big overseas trip.

Tour Down Under Day 2

Stage 2 - January 18: Mannum to Hahndorf, 150km
Belgians dominate Stage Two of 2007 Tour Down Under

Belgian riders Steven Caethoven, 25, and his Chocolade Jacques team mate Pieter Ghyllebert, 24, stole the march on local hero Stuart O'Grady (Team CSC) today to post a one-two finish across the line at the end of the 150km second stage of the 2007 Tour Down Under from Mannum, through the Adelaide Hills to historic Hahndorf.

Caethoven stopped the clock at 3h36m29s with Ghyllebert and O'Grady one second behind him after the field put on a stunning display for the 85,000 fans who flocked to the circuit and delivered welcome news to his Belgian based fans shivering at home in the European winter.
The Chocolade Jacques team had been in the thick of the attacking action from the gun and their aggression paid off when they ended up with four riders in the lead group of twelve that contested the final sprint.

"Pieter Ghyllebert he launched me and behind me there was a gap ... I don't know why but it was easy for me," said Caethoven of the 15th win of his four year professional career . "We got the King of the Mountain jersey yesterday (Sergey Pauwels) and today we got a stage win so the pressure's off a little bit now.
"It's just fantastic so early in the season, it's a very big win and very important, it gives me a lot of confidence, said the Flemish cyclist who lives not far from Ghent. "Of course, it was four against one, but Stuart (O'Grady) was very strong and we had to give everything to beat him... he was very, very, very strong today
"There were constant attacks and in fact we had three little groups and they all came together - we had four guys, (at least) one in each group," said Caethoven.

O'Grady, who was named the Century 21 Most Aggressive Rider of the stage, was a key player today especially towards the end of the race when he launched an attack which saw him joined by Victorian Hilton Clarke (Navigators Insurance) and Spaniard Eduardo Gonzalo (Agritubel). The trio had been with a leading group of 15 but couldn't hold off the Chocolade Jacques counter attack which swept them up 400 metres from home. Despite the effort O'Grady still found the speed to get in the placings which was some consolation for the South Australian and two time winner of the event.
"You can break it down any way you want, but at the end of the day, I was in an 'offensive' mood from the start, I was a bit disappointed after yesterday and wanted to put a bit of pain on the bunch and try to put the leaders under a bit of pressure," said O'Grady. "I did almost everything right, it was just unfortunate to fall upon four guys from the same team in the finish after such a hard day.
"That's racing, it's the beauty of having numbers at the finish...four in one group - when I saw that, I knew you've got everything cut out against you, you have to be ultra-aggressive," he said. "I was kind-of hoping I'd be able to pull something from out of the hat and jump back in and beat them in the sprint.
"Actually, I'm pretty happy, it was a long-hard day and the form is probably better than I expected, actually," said O'Grady who has team mate Lars Bak sitting in third overall, seven seconds off the lead. "We're not here to finish third and eighth overall, we're here to try to win the race, we're going to do everything we can."

The stage results had little impact on the overall rankings with all the main contenders safely ensconced in the main field which rode home 17m19s behind the stage winner. Tasmanian Karl Menzies (UniSA - Australia) is still wearing the leader's ochre jersey and is one second ahead of Swiss rider Martin Elmiger (AG2R-Preovoyance) in second.
"It wasn't too bad - they (UniSA Australia team) had to work pretty hard for 10 or 20km when there was a break with a GC rider (threat to my lead) in it at the start," said Menzies. "But then they had a whole lot of time off, they rested up after the climb and they only rode tempo at the end.
"They're world-class riders, they're strong boys," he said. "I wish they could push me all the way up Willunga (Stage 4 climb) that's the only thing. They won't be able to help me too much there but awesome team as they showed today. Awesome team and we can only see what happens."

The race was again aggressive from the start with an early attack at 15 kilometres which saw 20 riders go off the front but with second placed overall Elmiger in the group there was no way it would succeed.

At the first 'SA Lotteries' intermediate sprint at Tungkillo (25.7km) 1997 world champion, Laurent Brochard (FRA - Bouyges Telecom) attacked to claim the maximum bonus seconds and points with Tasmanian Wes Sulzberger (AUS - SouthAustralia.com-AIS) second and CSC debutant Matt Goss (AUS) third. Five other riders joined them soon after and they worked together to gain a lead of almost one minute by the 28km mark.

The group held the advantage to the second intermediate sprint at Mt Torrens (44km) where Sulzberger claimed the honours ahead of Brochard with Giampaolo Cheula (ITA - Barloworld) third.

Gotta get a good view for the camera

The Circus led by the ochre jersey arrives at

the King of the Mountain at Fox Creek Rd

The King of the Mountain

The race came back together by the 53km mark but as they approached the 'A Brilliant Blend' King of the Mountain at Lenswood the action hotted up. Over the top it was Frenchman Samuel Dumoulin (AG2R-Prevoyance) picking up the maximum points ahead off Navigators rider Sergey Lagutin (UZB) and his team mate Hilton Clarke (AUS). The pressure applied on the climb left the race in bits and in the wake of the climb seven riders had formed a leading group with 14 others in pursuit.

The two groups came together at 85 kilometres to form a 21 strong attack.
The Share the Road Young Rider’s jersey and Oppy heads into Ambleside Rd

The race headed through Hahndorf for the first of three 20 kilometre circuits with six less riders in the lead group and by the time they crossed at the bell with one circuit to go the attacks were coming thick and fast before twelve riders regrouped to contest the final sprint.

The Hahndorf crowd welcomes the winner ............................. and the girls check out the guys in tight lycra

In the other classifications Luke Roberts (AUS-CSC) is tied on ten points for the 'SA Lotteries' Sprint Classification with three other riders but is higher ranked overall and takes over the lead.

Belgian Serge Pauwels (Chocolade Jaques) is tied on 16 points with Frenchman Samuel Dumoulin (AG2R-Prevoyance) but is ahead overall so holds onto the leader's jersey in the 'A Brilliant Blend' King of the Mountain rankings. SouthAustralia.com-AIS rider Simon Clarke from Victoria still leads the 'Share the Road' Best Young Rider and his team has taken over the lead in the Bartercard Teams Classification.

Partly sourced from Tour Down Under http://www.tourdownunder.com.au/

Tour Down Under Day 1

Stage 1 - January 17: Mawson Lakes to Tanunda, 152km
Menzies powers home to race lead in Tour Down Under

Australian Karl Menzies scored his biggest career result so far when he powered home at the end of the 155.5km stage one from Mawson Lakes to Tanunda to claim the early lead in the 2007 Tour Down Under.

72,000 fans lined the race route through South Australia's picturesque Barossa Valley wine growing region to witness the action and support the international field of 111 riders.

At the left you see the big downhill at around the 90km mark near Little Para River.

The riders approach Stockwell Rd at Stockwell ... followed by the entourage.



While we await the leaders, Marilyn prepares Devonshire Tea at Stockwell Rd near Siegersdorf Rd Angaston, ... and Peter enjoyed it!


The Race Director arrives at the southern end of Stockwell Rd, so the leaders won't be long.

The leaders arrive at Stockwell Rd followed by the next group about 20 minutes later.

Menzies was part of an 18 strong group that formed 16 kilometres into the stage but played his tactical cards to perfection in the final 30 kilometres to put himself with the leaders approaching the final sprint. The powerfully built 183cm Tasmanian, riding with the UniSA-Australia team, reacted quickly to counter an attack from Predictor-Lotto debutant, Australia's Matt Lloyd, 800 metres from the finish. Menzies blew past Lloyd and hit the front with 300 metres remaining. He won in a time of 3h50m51s ahead of fast finishing Swiss rider Martin Elmiger (AG2R-Prevoyance). Denmark's Lars Bak (Team CSC) crossed three seconds later to claim third.

Menzies' win comes hot on the heels of his third place finish in the men's road race at the Australian Championships last Sunday.
"This is as big as it gets for me - this is the best result by a long way," said Menzies. "That was everything I had on Sunday at the Nationals and I was beaten by two stronger guys on the day but you know another day, another race and I had the best legs today.
"We thought it might go down early, so we all had to be up there," he said of the early breakaway. "The group went and that was it for the day and then the attacking started with 30km to go and five of us left in theend, we all worked all the way to the line."
Menzies holds a narrow one second lead overall from Elmiger with Bak a further six seconds off the lead. Lloyd is sitting in fourth at nine seconds.
"I was a bit upset that I made the move because it means I've gotta make it up that Willunga Hill (Saturday's stage) so a bit of presure but I'll have a think about that later," joked Menzies. "I was just happy to win a stage and I could probably go home now if I wanted to (laughs). But I'll try and get to the end and we'll just wait to see what happens."
In the 'SA Lotteries' Sprint Classification Gene Bates (SouthAustralia.com-AIS) is tied on six points with Luke Roberts (CSC) but crossed the line ahead of his rival at the finish to lead that classification. Belgian Serge Pauwels (Chocolade Jaques) leads the 'A Brilliant Blend' King of the Mountain rankings. SouthAustralia.com-AIS rider Simon Clarke has an almost unassailable lead in the 'Share the Road' Best Young Rider as the only U23 rider in the lead break and Juan Miguel Mercado (Agritubel) was named the 'Century 21' Most Aggressive Rider of the day. The CSC team holds the lead in the Bartercard Teams Classification.

Stage 1 started under sunny skies with the promise of a steamy day in the saddle for the stellar field of riders who wasted no time getting the racing underway. South Australian, Brett Aitken (UniSA-Australia) launched an early attack at the six kilometre mark and he was joined soon after by fellow South Australian, Gene Bates (SouthAustralia.com-AIS) and New Zealand's Gordon McCauley but the break failed to stick.

However at the 16 kilometre mark an attack was launched that proved to be the decisive one and by the first SA Lotteries intermediate sprint of the day at One Tree Hill (26.5km) 18 riders had established a lead of more than two minutes. South Australian Luke Roberts (CSC) claimed the sprint points ahead of Bates and Spaniard Juan Miguel Mercado (Agritubel).

With a lead group containing a rider from each team of the race, (CSC, SouthAustralia.com-
AIS, Predictor-Lotto and Bouygues Telecom had two representatives each in the group), there was no incentive for the rest of the field to chase it down and by the time the leaders reached the 'A Brilliant Blend' King of the Mountain at Humbug Scrub the gap had increased to more than five minutes with only New Zealand's Clinton Avery giving chase.
The second intermediate sprint at Williamstown (59.9km) saw Bates first across the line ahead of Roberts with Elmiger third. Avery remained a lone figure 6m14s behind the leaders with the gap to the main field at almost 12 minutes.

The leaders passed through Tanunda to begin the first loop through the Barossa Valley intact but when they approached Seppeltsfield for the final loop the attacks began and by the time the front of the race turned back onto the Barossa Valley Highway at Nuriootpa for the final run into the finish the five riders who would fight out the placings were well clear.
Stuart O'Grady (CSC) led the main field home 26m15s after Menzies with Avery placing 19th at 24m35s after a very lonely day on the road.

Partly sourced from Tour Down Under website: http://www.tourdownunder.com.au/