I wonder where May went. I seem to have spent a bit of time at home doing a bit of gardening, trying to get on with shed projects and doing things at my besties place. We went for drives every weekend to various places enjoying the wonderful Autumn weather we have here on the North Coast. Every day was in the low to mid 20’sC and mostly sunny.

Your May song to listen to as you scroll having a look at what my May was like in photos. There is another song break further along as well.

It’s Autumn and some trees are starting to colour, mainly exotic trees such as this Maple in the sunset

Nature likes to reclaim its place. A fig making itself at home among the brick work.

One day the little fig might grow to be like this wonderful specimen growing in Grafton, Aren’t the roots shapes wonderful?

The Fig tree had a face

Speaking of shapes, this fence and hedge in Grafton have always made me wonder about the skill of the hedger.

While on the walkabout in Grafton I went around the back of a church and found the old bell which used to be in the bell tower on the ground. I love the mossy green and patina.

The moss on another church in Grafton gave the bricks a bit of character.

As did the moss and lichen on the church roof

I love the green colour on this old trunk

A bit of fun I found in a town called Mallanganee on the way to Tenterfield

A bit about the following photos in song

The old building is a museum to George Woolnough and the world of a saddler. Unfortunately it was shut when I was there.

Peter Allens shoes and maracas in the window

You may have read about the mouse plague in Australia. I don’t have a lot but catch between one and seven a night. I made this one to put in the pantry when I am away as I don’t want to come home to mice in the other traps. It works OK and have caught a few. This was the test run photo.

I managed to catch one in the shed. they go up the “ramp” to the peanut butter, the swing top tidy flips them into the water in the bottom.

Enough of the gruesome. The Lilli Pilli trees have flowered and the fruits are setting.

Some flowering Eucalypts are having their last go before Winter

The Nodding Violets have been flowering non stop all year.

This is the Grevillea that is a rescue plant which flowered for the first time this year. I posted a close up of the flower for Cee’s FOTD a week or so ago.

One day trip was to Shannon Creek Dam. There is a short, 1.5km, walk where the senses were suddenly assailed by a sweet honey smell. A few small trees covered in tiny white flowers were amazing to see.

I did a bit of a drive around the lower Clarence Valley mainly to find a few birds and other things for the various photo challenges. In a town, Maclean, I came across some gardens with some lovely Autumn flowers like this Tibouchina Perhaps it is purple enough for Judes Life in Colour

I was going to put this one in as well but I didn’t think it purple enough

The Banksias have almost finished flowering for the year. Here is the one on the right almost gone and the one under the yellow flower has opened its little mouth like seed pods.

There are many Australian flowers that are tubular with long protruding styles arranged in cylindrical spikes like the Banksia above and this Bottlebrush which the Eastern Spinebills find quite delicious. (Photographed from my verandah)

One morning, the Bar-shouldered Doves had a meeting at the water bowl to discuss what to do for the day.

The pigeons practiced social distancing on the church roof in Grafton.

I was quite pleased to discover that the Magpie Geese hadn’t left the small wetland in Grafton to migrate north for the Winter

Just off the Highway near Grafton I saw a Black Swan. I stopped the car and walked back only to be given the stink-eye. He wasn’t pleased to see me as I was to see him.

The Brown Honeyeater was looking about for a snack

In Tenterfield about five Eastern Rosellas landed in the pine trees in the afternoon. Perhaps they roost there at night. I was being ignored by this one.

The Yellow-faced Honeyeaters were the dominant birds in the garden chasing the other Honeyeaters out until the Blue-faced Honeyeaters turned up a few days ago.

I went to a Landcare site in Tyndale. I was at the official opening of the site with the other organisations who sponsored or supplied labour about twelve years ago and wanted to see how the work had progressed. Unfortunately the ground was quite boggy so I didn’t get to walk around but did hear a White-headed Pigeon in the tree above me.

At Lawrence I stopped at a wetland where there were a few birds resting except the White-faced Heron who was wandering about looking for dinner.

One afternoon on my way home, I made a detour through Waterview Heights and was surprised to see the small dam still had a large flock of Plumed Whistling Ducks, many of whom were sleeping but a few were on guard duty

Most of the month the songs of the Golden Whistlers could be heard. A curious female Golden Whistler watched as I was in the garden.

Another installment of “Why I can’t have nice things” The King Parrots don’t mind coming onto the verandah and having a snack on the plants in the hanging pots.

Nearly every morning an Eastern Yellow Robin lands in the tree in the garden and inspects the garden for something to eat. This photograph is from my office while sitting in the chair at the computer.

Usually in May lovely little Rose Robins visit my garden. This year I could hear them but didn’t see them except this young one or a female who sat long enough for me to grab a quick photo.

I guess you are a bit weary, so lets head off into the sunset.

This photo was taken about thirty minutes after the one above. Another Purple for Jude?

I almost forgot about the Blood Moon. Managed to get a few OK photos though.

Thanks for getting to the end. Did you have a favourite photo? See you next month.

Also for Su’s The Changing Seasons May 2021
Cee’s FOTD
Life in Colour May: Purple