One bird encounter I will never forget was heading into a national park with a friend in the hope of seeing a Noisy Pitta. We walked quietly through the forest, watching the ground as they gently hop and forage through leaf litter, turning over fallen leaves in search of insects and small invertebrates. Then, completely unexpectedly, it appeared right in front of us. We were so excited!

What makes that moment remarkable is the journey the Noisy Pitta has taken from Papua New Guinea to eastern Australia to breed, travelling long distances to return to the same forested habitats year after year.

The Noisy Pitta is so beautiful. Its plumage is a vivid mix of emerald green, turquoise blue, black and warm rust tones, with a bold black mask and flashes of colour, seeing it so clearly and being able to sit and watch it for sometime was very special.

My golden ticket would take me straight back to Antarctica. It is a place that feels dreamlike and yet deeply grounding. The most isolated place on Earth, and yet filled with people who are warm, generous and deeply committed to understanding and protecting it. Working there alongside seabird ecologist Dr Louise Emmerson gave me a rare insight into both the science and the lived reality of Antarctica.

I spent time within a colony of around ten thousand Adélie penguins and they completely stole my heart. Just yesterday, looking back at a photograph I took of a curious pair who approached me, I felt a genuine ache to see them again.

Living at Casey Research Station reminded me of the value in resources and responsibility to care for this planet. Water, power and heat were carefully managed, and nothing was wasted. Returning to Antarctica would be about reconnecting with the place, people and birds.

For me, birds are simply part of daily life. They are wherever I happen to be, at any point in the day. We are lucky that many birds have adapted to towns and cities, so rarely a day goes by without an encounter.

Even brief moments are lovely. I often find myself pausing to take in their beauty, and character. Just today, a pair of Crested Pigeons were resting on a sandstone rock in my garden. Watching them there brought me a simple, unexpected happiness.

Bird watching grounds me. It draws my attention back to the present moment. I think connection with nature does not require distance or wilderness. It is available in small, everyday moments, if we are willing to notice.