Tag: butterflies

How are you going so far this year? I am still not allowed to drive so I haven’t had many photo excursions and at times didn’t really feel like taking photos. Do you have times like that too?

It is time to be in the garden and enjoy the warm days. A few days at my place the temperature was in the low 30’s which isn’t Spring weather, more like Summer. The rains that have been promised haven’t eventuated so I am using the dwindling dam water to keep the garden going as best I can. I have been doing a few projects both here at my place and at my besties.

The header photo is looking from my verandah into that part of the garden where the Grevilleas are having a great flowering this Spring.

Instead of having my usual song at the end, I decided to have it up front so you can have a listen while you scroll. So grab a cup of tea or coffee, perhaps a snack or if in the evening join me in a glass of your choice as it’s aperitivo time here. Enjoy

One project around the place was to do a rejuvenation of part of the shed. This will be the potting shed and have a lot of the gardening equipment and tools.

One of the bonuses of living on the north coast of NSW is being able to get down to the coast and watch the whales migrate.

Back at home for a few insects to start the photo journey of my September. The Pittosporum had so many flowers this year it was a treasure trove for the tiny Native Stingless Bees.

The Wide_brand Grass-dart butterfly was hard to catch as they didn’t sit still very long.

Southern Silver Ochre butterflies spent more time

The Black Jezebels came flying through regularly in September. The thing you notice is a white butterfly flitting among the flowers with its erratic flight. the next photo helps to explain.

This is the inside wings of the Black Jezebel. When they fly they give a sort of strobe effect designed to confuse any predators along with an erratic flight.

Another of the Jezebels, Southern Jezebels are always a delight to have in the garden. The Honey Gem Grevillea flowers were quite an attraction.

The Honey Gem and other grevilleas had an amazing flowering with a bit of rain in late August enough to get things happening in the garden in September. The Blue-faced Honeyeaters were the bullies of the garden chasing most of the birds, especially the noisy Friarbirds, away from the flowers.

But as you see the Noisy Friarbirds still were able to sneak in for a feed

Another of the Friarbird, Little Friarbirds, were constant visitors as well

I have been putting a bit of food out fro the birds every now and then but not every day so they don’t become dependent on food from me. The Female King Parrot really looked good with her breeding plumage.

The males were quite resplendent too. Remember Tiny, well he is still around the garden most days.

Leaden Flycatchers hung around the old swimming pool always on the lookout for a snack to come along.

I love their inquisitive looks so I had to include a second photo.

The Female Rufus Whistler also has an inquisitive look around the garden

The songs of the Rufus Whistlers have resounded in the bush all September. They are all around the surrounding forest occasionally coming into the garden. This male Rufus Whistler was singing in the garden early one morning.

One afternoon coming home from town, we were driving through South Grafton when a large flock of Yellow-tailed Black Cockatoos came screeching into the trees in peoples backyards.

The Satin Bowerbird found where I dropped a few bread crumbs on the verandah. Satin Bowerbirds are quite nervous and will take off at the slightest movement. I often get a few photos through the door while sitting at my desk if I am sneaky enough.

At my besties the little Red-backed Wren come through her garden in the afternoons looking for a bit to eat among the flowers and garden beds.

We were sitting on her verandah having a cup of tea when we saw a large bird fly into the lower part of the garden. When I got to the other end of the verandah I saw a White-faced Heron walking along with a large stick. I watch where he flew into a nearby tree but he nest was too well hidden.

The tiny Scarlet Honeyeaters prefer red Grevillea flowers

If you need a break, here’s a bit of sky with a wispy cloud face or what can you see?

Yes it is Spring in Australia so no Spring post couldn’t go past without a few lots of flower photos, First up, a Daisy with an insect trying to hide. All of the following photos are from my besties garden except when I mention it’s from mine.

The Dianthus are a pretty shade of pink in the garden.

The white Gerbera really stands out

There are quite a few different Gazanias. I love this pink one

or perhaps I like this one more

The Cornflowers looked a treat

This Hibiscus was a new planting and I didn’t expect to see a flower this year on a small bush. the deep red is stunning

The violas are self seeding and springing up everywhere in the garden, even in the paths.

This is the red Hibiscus that came from my family home and is one of a couple that are in my garden.

My besties Lions Tails. Such an unusual plant.

It has been a great year for Grevilleas. Here is a selection from my place. Not too sure what this one is. I thought it was a Robyn Gordon but that doesn’t have yellow tips

This is a Robyn Gordon I am sure

The Ever strong Honey Gem, a great food source for birds as well as insects

After the fire at my place, there has been a lot of different species of Lomandra appearing. This is part of the flower stalk of a Lomandra mulitflora

A small native flower – a Gorse Bitter Pea. There are a lot of pea plants and many look similar

This pea flower is a Heathy Parrot Pea. Bunches of flowers on a long stalk. Most of these flowers are about 10mm or about half an inch as are many of the pea plant flowers.

The Paperbarks didn’t flower as well as I thought they would as most of the other native flowers like the Bottlebrush and Grevillea have. The flower is similar to a bottle brush flower only yellow instead of red.

I found this flowering plant on a walk along the trails of Evans Head. The aim was to photograph the native coastal plants flowers but by the time I was able to get there many had finished flowering. At least I saw the whales.

This Australian native flower is one of my all time favourites and is always a treat to find in the bush. I just love Flannel Flowers.

I finally found someone who laughs at my jokes.

Well it’s sunset so I better get going and you should too. Drop me a line if you found a favourite photo

One of the things about this September was that our Moon had risen before the sun had set. I love a Moon and a blue sky don’t you?

Also for Su’s Changing Seasons, September 2020