Category: animals

Well May was the absolute turn around in weather. From a very warm Autumn to Winter conditions arriving in the last month of Autumn. My daughter and her partner came out and we went bush and cut a good trailer load of firewood. Luckily found a couple of good logs, one was blocking the track and the other was one that had fallen after the fires in December 2019. There are a lot of tree that are down so I might have a good selection this winter.

That was the first May that I can remember putting the flannelette sheets on the bed and lighting the fire. The days are in the mid to low 20’sC but the nights are into the low single figures. Last night was 3C and today was 25C. May is also the time for some birds to drop in to have a feed and look around. More of that later.

I went to the State Landcare Gathering in Coffs Harbour, a beach town down the coast from here. It was a good gathering and I enjoyed seeing a lot of people from around the state I only get to see at conferences like this.

This song is a bit long so maybe listen to a bit while you have a look at my May

As I mentioned, I went to Coffs Harbour for the State Landcare Gathering. I was hoping to get some sunrise over the sea photos. Defeated by cloud each morning

Nearby was a little creek that offered some photo opportunities.

I saw a couple of ducks feeding and having a paddle. Until I looked at the photo I didn’t notice the Eastern Water Dragon. Did you?

Back home. An Eastern Yellow Robin contemplates a bath. It has been quite cold at night but the days warm.

Looks like he went in

A wonderful song that has been ringing out lately in the high canopy has been from the Golden Whistlers. They are here on and off but are here in May.

Silver-eyes have been dropping in as the flocks move north

A regular May visitor is the Rose Robin. Isn’t that blush of pink delightful on the male

The female Rose Robin checking out the verandah for snacks. She only has a light dusting of pink.

Another drop in was a Brown Pigeon. They sporadically call in to give the garden the once over

I never know when Crimson Rosellas will turn up. They don’t squawk and carry on as most of the other parrots do. Mostly I hear their quiet chatter among themselves

One morning I looked out of the kitchen window and saw this Grey-crowned Babbler. It looked like a young one and was by itself, which is very unusual, as Babblers are family birds. I can only guess is that it is a male and they have said it’s time to leave the nest. He hopped about for a while out front, flicking over leaves and probing Bandicoot snuffle holes. I saw him again yesterday and he almost hopped onto the verandah.

The little Red-backed Fairy Wrens are always hopping around the garden eating insects and seeds. This is a female called a Jenny wren

Another Jenny wren. This time a Variegated Fairy Wren enjoying a nectar drink from a Honey Gem Grevillea

The Yellow-faced Honeyeaters are one of dominant garden birds. They are small but will have a go at most other honeyeaters to protect their patch. They also are one of the alarm birds. They have a “look out there’s something about” call that is distinctive. I know it well as they do it when I walk off the verandah. This one is enjoying the morning sun.

One of the “victims” is the Brown Honeyeater who is smaller than a Yellow-faced and has to zip in and grab a drink before they get noticed

The Eastern Whipbird is notoriously shy. They come into the garden a couple of times a week for a feed and let off a few whips which is so great to hear.

The ever present Laughing Kookaburra. They are not shy and will sit on a branch for ages keeping a look out for anything that moves – lizards, skinks, frogs, grasshoppers or basically most things. They will even grab a snake. Once in its bill, the Kookaburra just smashes it against the branch until it doesn’t move any more

As always, Tiny the King Parrot is keeping an eye on me

It is so hard to capture the actual colour of this Bottlebrush. The Bottlebrush trees have a had a second flowering, maybe it was the warm wet April tricked them into thinking it is Spring

The Camellia had a great flowering this year although I didn’t see the flowers until after a lot had already gone

I love this plant. It was called “The Pink Thing” from a good friend ages a go. Last year was the year the bushes took off and this year they are full of these tubular bell shaped flowers

One of my passions is growing Begonia Rex, any of numerous usually rhizomatous hybrid begonias from an East Indian plant. They have rough-textured leaves patterned in silver and bronze and purple and so many other colours.
I grew this plant from a leaf a few years ago. It outgrew its pot so I re-potted it to a lovely but heavy pot and put it on the verandah, where it is thriving. I love the little buds.

Most of the Begonias are grown for their lovely patterned leaves and the flowers are small delicate bonuses. These are different flowers to all the other plants I have.

As I said, Begonias are grown for their leaves. My hand is under there with fingers spread.

The Hibiscus are having a great flowering too. All of the Miniature Red Hibiscus bushes have been covered in flowers since Spring last year.

This pink variety has never had so many flowers

The white Hydrangea is still in it’s pot on the verandah. It will go into the ground maybe this Spring or this time next year depends on how well it grows over Winter

This is the second flower and there’s new new leaves budding up so it looks like it will be happy to stay on the verandah for winter

I planted a number of Gazanias and was surprised when I found a white one

I just love the colour of this Salvia

Last Macro Monday I posted a close-up view of these yellow roses in the Cathedrals garden. Even in the shade, they just stood out

Here is a Gazania parade. Don’t the colours and stripes remind you of a circus tent?

The pink/mauve/purple petals are held on with little shiny buttons

A couple of days ago a plain but vivid yellow Gazania appeared

The tiny Stingless Native Bees enjoy the nectar and pollen that the Gazania flower gives

I went for a drive to see what’s been happening in the neighbourhood. I haven’t stopped at the old wagon for a while. It’s slowly falling apart. My Grandfather would be aghast. He was a Wheelwright.

Late one afternoon I was walking around and I saw a Red-necked Wallaby so I stood still to see where she was going. After a minute a little Joey appeared from the front garden. By the look of it, she has another Joey in her pouch. They sat and looked around then headed off.

The Moon was quite fabulous through the month. I love the crater bumps around the edge

One afternoon sunset, the Moon was bathed in soft pinks and blue

It’s time to get going. As usual, did you have a favourite photo?

About The Changing Seasons

The Changing Seasons is a monthly project where bloggers around the world share their thoughts and feelings about the month just gone. We all approach this slightly differently, though generally with an emphasis on the photos we’ve taken during the month.

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