Koala Clings On, Endures Irene

You may agree this is not the best picture of Bundaleer. The lighting is awkward... the picture not crisp. But consider the larger conditions.

The wind outdoors was howling. Hurricane Irene was snapping trees in half like baby carrots. Rivers were raging. And power outages had brought the mood of camping right into the home.

So who can blame tiny Bundaleer for clinging to a bonsai tree during the hurricane's height? He needed reassurance that not everything was going to blow away!

However, while the rest of the east coast was yearning for electricity, Bundaleer warmly welcomed the dim lighting. This is much better for sleeping, he thought!

But still, Bundy wondered how his favorite places were faring near the water... What about the boats, the ospreys and all the little animals he hadn't met yet?

It was this last particular cloud of worry that made it hard for even Bundaleer to fall asleep on the night of Hurricane Irene...

Bundy Savors Local Beauty Before Irene Hits

It was not this week's East Coast earthquake that rattled the nerves of our friend, Bundaleer. No, he climbed atop the nearest tree immediately, and enjoyed the gentle rolling ride!

But hurricanes and trees are not the best of friends. And this is why our friend Bundaleer now finds himself a little bit nervous. And so...

...yesterday Bundy and his support crew drove to nearby Greenwich Point to observe the seaside park at its summer peak.

Bundaleer could not fathom that within 24 hours, the plentiful green leaves could turn brown, and elegant boats might be strewn across the beach.

Holding a compass, Bundaleer tried to figure out which direction was southeast. Forecasters had predicted winds might come most fiercely from that direction...

Bundaleer was puzzled why so many nice boats were still afloat in the water. Irene would be here in 24 hours! Didn't the boat owners want to protect their nice boats? Poor boats!

And then there was the huge osprey nest located on the inlet. (Can you see it? Double-click to enlarge the picture!) Oh no, thought Bundaleer! It might get blown to smithereens! Where will the ospreys take shelter?

Bundaleer frowned, which koalas do not like to do, and pondered all of this as he gazed at a sandbar's silhouette. It was possible that the sandbar might not even be there after Irene. Bundaleer felt sad...

But still, the small koala with a big heart was glad he had come to the park. Life is supposed to be full of peaks and valleys, Bundaleer reassured himself, and today had been a pretty peak!

Bundaleer vowed to hold tightly onto these beautiful images in his mind, even when the winds were sure to be howling soon enough outside his window.

I saw the green, I loved the green, the green will come back next year... he kept repeating to himself gently.

This is Bundaleer reporting live from Greenwich Point, on Long Island Sound, in Connecticut.