The word prompt from maria at citySonnet: Dark Orange
Tag: dragonfly
This is September 2018
Well I have had a big September. So much is happening probably because it is Spring, although the temperatures haven’t changed much as Winter was warm. There are the birds that come here, flowers are blooming and the tadpoles are hatching. I have written some posts this month and have included some of those photos but not all as this is a large post.
Yes, get a cuppa, wine, beer and some snacks and off we go
There has been a bit of teasing by the clouds. Promising rain but either not delivering or just a few drops. I have had some good falls but no run-off to put water into the dams. The water tanks are full which is good. 59mls has kept the garden happy as well as supplementary watering from the dwindling dam.
I have put the flowers in early this post. Walking among the Mangroves stalking a White-faced Heron, I came across some Hibiscus flowers. There wasn’t a Hibiscus bush nearby so maybe had left a trail to find their way out.
My besties Gymea Lily has flowered. This flower is about two meters plus in the air.
Here is the whole photo. The plant is the strappy leaved one.
This year has been a fabulous year for Grevilleas. The first flowering of this Grevillea in my garden.
So many succulents are flowering too. This succulent is in a hanging pot on my verandah.
I have these flowers in my garden but not in mass like a garden in Grafton.
My Begonias are flowering well this year too.
The Iris that is a reminder of my mate who passed on last September. This was one of his plants.
The hanging Pelagoniums are a constant flower on my verandah.
I love this flower display on a stall at the Farmers Market in Lismore.
Flame Trees are spectacular when they flower. My poor struggling tree has started to flower even though it hasn’t had enough water.
I have garden borders of Dietes. They look great when they are in flower but they are spreading to places I don’t want them to go. Pity the Wallabies don’t eat them.
Bromiliads are flowering too. Some flowers are so wonderful aren’t they?
Banksias are a sight when they flower
Back to the Farmers Market. I spotted this bloke carrying a large dog. I have no idea why as the dog has a lead.
The Beetroot looked lovely
The old truck of the vegetable farmer is a great vantage point to see when people drop food.
Ah…look, an unattended fishers bucket.
Damn……I was spotted
I love Gulls as they fly along the shore
The wooden walk bridge over the estuary so you can walk to the beach.
The White-faced Heron stalking crabs in the Mangroves
Out to sea I spotted something breaking the water. I was hoping for a Whale and got a Dolphin.
In the mist a ghost ship appeared
The power company has been inspecting the power poles by helicopter. I think the pole at the front of my place will get replaced as they circled around for a while looking at the pole.
I guess the party is over. Found this on the track to the beach.,
The butterflies are starting to appear as well. The Line-blue Butterfly was rather shy.
The old swimming pool is a great place for the dragonflies. A bit of action is going on watched by a Bleating Tree Frog Tadpole.
There is quite a number of tadpoles who like to snack on the algae.
Thee are calves in a lot of the paddocks. Who could resist a little white calf?
The property next door is a miniature goat farm. On a walk a while ago I saw they had some little kids so next walk I took my camera. When I was at the fence I couldn’t see all of the little goats. And then I saw these two.
Another young animal. This foal was camera shy but I managed to get one photo.
Why fly when you can get a lift.
The Yellow-faced Honeyeaters have found an easy way of getting nesting material. When I have been walking on my place, I often come across nests that have fallen from the trees. Not only has the Yellow-faced Honeyeater been gathering material but the White-throated Treecreeper from last months post is also getting in on the act.
They were quite quick to get some nesting material and get back again. I found this lovely little nest in a Paperbark just outside of the sun room. They used some air fern to help bind the nest.
Remember the post about the Welcome Swallows. Well the babies are starting to learn to fly but still like to get back in the nest for a feeding.
Spring also heralds Magpie swooping season. Not many people don’t get a swoop or two. Even a Wedge-tailed Eagle was getting the Magpie treatment.
A farm near my besties has Sulpher-crested Cockatoos. I hope they don’t come to her place. They are quite destructive and squawk quite loudly when they get into a bunch.
Little Friarbirds are timid but enjoy the nectar of the Honey Gem Grevillea in my garden.
King Parrots have set up their breeding pairs. This couple have taken up residence in the garden.
I had to include the Satin Bowerbird. Such a spectacular bird to have in the garden.
Here is the Great Cormorant who caught a fish from the Clarence River in Grafton. Scroll back a few posts and see the story if you like.
The Intermediate Egret has to have the longest neck I have ever seen.
I think the horse may be in for a surprise!
A small flock of Galahs are hanging around the farms near my besties. They sometimes come to her place to get a drink of water.
The Figbird didn’t know I was under the tree.
Spring brings the Blue-faced Honeyeaters back to my place.
My arty Pelican photo
The best arrival has been the Grey Shrike Thrush. Their lovely song fills the garden in the morning and afternoon. They too are nesting. I have them “knocking” on the windows in search for spiders webs and any insect who happens to be around the windows. It’s a constant tap tap tap most of the day.
Thanks for taking the time to wade through my rather large This is September post. If you would like to know more or have a comment, please leave me a note in the comments.
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Orange
It may seem I have an obsession with colours over the past month. The Tuesday word prompt from Ragtag Daily Prompt: Orange
There are many an orange fungi
I love the burst of colour when the Orange Hippeastrums appear in my garden.
The Orange Trumpet flower looks lovely as it is draped over the old shed.
The favourite Grevillea, Honey Gem, of the birds, insects and me.
Another star of the garden
The Leopard Lily adds a splash of colour to my garden.
I can’t remember where I found this or what the name of flower is, just a great bit of orange.
I said there was more orange fungi. These tiny ones pop up through the grass around the garden after some good rain.
The Dragonfly has a hint of orange
Just had to include a bird. The Rainbow Lorikeet has such a vivid orange chest.
A small Orange Palm Dart Butterfly
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Orange
The word prompt from Nancy’s A Photo a Week Challenge is Orange
Of course we go to nature for our orange. I found a selection that I think work better in a slideshow. What do you think?
With an orange sunset and clouds to say goodnight
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This is March 2018
Here we are at what I saw in March. There has been a couple of photo challenges I have done in March so some of those photos aren’t in this lot. It is another big photo post. There are a few photos of snakes, spiders and other insects but try to have a peek through your fingers when they come along. Nature is full of wondrous colours and shapes.
Of course there are flowers and birds plus my March obsession of spiders webs. So I do recommend getting your favourite drink and perhaps a snack as you settle in and have a look at my month of March.
OK, I’ll get the insects out of the way first for all those who have told me of their dislike of bugs. You will be rewarded with seeing some lovely little creatures from my world.
I’ll ease you into the insect section with a lovely Wanderer Butterfly
Remember My Quest to photograph a Blue Triangle Butterfly. Well now it seems they are waiting for me. This Blue Triangle was on the road when we went for a walk.
There were a lot of Easten Common Brown Butterflies around this year.
A long range photo of a lovely bug with orange feelers. Some close ups are coming next.
When you are a small insect you really have to hang on if there is a breeze about.
I look fearsome but I’m not.
A small Fly with red eyes came to sit with us while we had a drink on the deck. Spiders next
Remember the spiders web from my March Squares. Lots of people were glad the spider wasn’t in the web. Well here he is, all 5 or 6mm of him. Better watch out if you are a mossie.
Some spiders hang up side down on their web.
First prize in the messiest web. I love the droplets on the web from the morning mist.
As part of my obsession, I have been playing with my photo editor. Do you like this one?
A bit of respite now. A Lemon Migrant Butterfly on Lantana
While on a day trip, we stopped at an art gallery which wasn’t all that great. Outside life was far more interesting. I found a Praying Mantis eating a Bee in the flower bed.
This poor little bloke couldn’t get his wings folded
Photographing some grass seeds I was photo-bombed by a Dragonfly
I don’t think it was this lovely red Dragonfly. I love the shadow
My favourite Australian Native Bees are the Blue-banded Bees which are in other posts this month. This Australian Native Bee has the best named of all. Let me introduce you to the Teddy Bear Bee. Do you know of a cuter bee name?
When we look out of the kitchen window at my besties place, neatly framed in the arch, waiting for his breakfast too is PJ the horse. He knows where to stand to get attention doesn’t he?
The grass seed photo I talked about earlier.
An Australian Native flower that grows at my place. This one was on the side of the road.
My besties Roses are lovely this year. The camera couldn’t capture the wonderful red colour though
A great year for Bromiliad flowering too.
This plant is called Ink Weed. Apparently you can make ink from the plant. Not sure which part but they did in the early days of the colony.
I have often shown the Blue Ginger flowers up close, sometimes with a Blue-banded Bee in them. This is one patch of them in my besties garden.
I love Cats Whiskers flowers. They are just opening in March.
Aren’t the colours of the garden striking?
Remember the many posts about the Dancing Lady Hibiscus. Here is a shot of the many flowers that came out this year taken from the verandah where we sometimes have breakfast, the most flowers we have ever seen. The Hibiscus bush trails up the Poinciana tree trunks. How many Dancing Ladies can you count?
A tiny Eco-system in a tree trunk on the side of the road.
The fence post was covered on one side with these fungi.
A lone fungus on the side of the hill.
I love this shot from under the Poinciana tree at the small fungi high up.
The Common Garden Skink, I call a Copper Headed Skink, doing its best not to look at the camera before it scurried away.
Apart from flowers, fungi, birds, the Poinciana also has a non-venomous Green Tree Snake who lives in the hollows. These Pythons are harmless
Beautiful little snake. Aren’t the colours and markings lovely?
I wondered why the chook was hesitant about coming out of her yard. When she did she would run across the yard to a sheltered spot. She never came into the front garden. Then I spied why. The Square-tailed Kites have built a nest in a eucalypt in the front yard
The Black Kites are everywhere near the Lismore Waste Center
On a drive to Caniaba, while waiting for some dairy cows to cross the road, I saw two Wedged-tailed Eagles wheeling about high in the sky.
The Little Wattlebird enjoyed singing and searching for food in the Poinciana tree
He saw me with my camera while up side down looking for grubs.
The tiny Buff-rumped Thornbill defied gravity looking for a snack in the Poinciana tree too
A Golden Whistler was in fine voice in the Poinciana tree.
Another singer in the garden is the Varied Triller
A flock of Silvereyes called in to have a feed
A Black-faced Cuckoo Shrike strained to see if it was food or just the wind blowing leaves about
On a recent walk, I spied a young Black-faced Cuckoo Shrike harassing its parent for food
“Where is everyone?” the Pied Cormorant seemed to say as it looked around before diving for fish once more in the Brunswick River.
Meanwhile on the beach at Brunswick Heads, a Welcome Swallow found a convenient stick to perch
Remember the Bromiliad Flower? The Lewins Honeyeater has been sticking his head into the flower to get a snack. The flower also rewarded him but giving him a pollen crown.
I love Wonga Pigeons. This pair were sitting in the garden preening and looking about.
The Grey Fantail looked like he was walking on stilts.
A great moment in March was seeing the Green Catbird feeding her young. Seconds later another young one came along which disturbed the scene and soon all three had flown off.
I can’t do a post with birds and not included Bobbin, the cute resident Northern Yellow Robin. I recently discovered that I have been calling the Yellow Robins around here and at my besties, Eastern Yellow Robins. There are two distinct races of Yellow Robins. So from now on Bobbin and his friends are Northern Yellow Robins.
Thanks for getting this far. I even made a second coffee to keep me going to the end.
The afternoon colour and trees looked so lovely
The Full Moon earlier in March looked great with the clouds drifting by.
I like to put the captions before the photo. What do you do? Do you prefer the captions before or after a photo? Let me know what you think?
Did you have a favourite photo from March?
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Traces of the Past – My Past
This is a photo challenge set by Paula at Lost in Translation. Most wonderful photos you can access via Paulas blog (here) will show you many examples of the world as it was way back when. Sometimes you may see some archeological relics or some post modern photos of last centuries wars.
This post is all about me and my Canon TLb SLR camera (Wikipedia link). I was taking photos with an Agfamatic point and shoot camera (Wikipedia link) when a bloke I worked with who took photos said I needed a better camera as the photos I showed him were great (he reckoned). He said go to a second-hand camera shop he knew and get a camera.
I found these photos today while I was looking for something else. These photos are from the early 1970’s in 35mm colour film, processed in a photo lab after I dropped the film canister off at the Chemist shop and collected my photos about a week later. So much excitement to actually see what I captured.
Here is my Traces of the Past. I hope you like my early photos.
I had a Tamron 200mm telephoto lens I slotted onto my camera. My first dragonfly photo taken while sitting near a rock-pool in a National Park near Sydney
Driving with a mate from Sydney to Wangaratta, I said stop I saw an eagle sitting on a hillside. Yes I was into nature way back then too. Imagine my surprise when the Wedged-tailed Eagle spotted me and took off, a rabbit dangling from its claws.
I lived in a share house and one cold winters night a couple of housemates decided to burn some rubbish in the backyard. I don’t remember what they burnt but the colours were amazing. The shapes made, a bird a face, a dog…….what can you see?
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This is February
Oh dear, another month of photos that is too big. I think I should do a week at a time. I haven’t included the photos from the other posts, just a couple I think. It was a weird month. The days were the usual February hot to very hot days with the rain finally appearing at the end of February.
Perhaps, as usual, a cup of tea or a drink of choice, get comfy and I hope you get to the end without nodding off.
This time I am starting off with insects so those who have an aversion to spiders, moths or flies get your scrolling finger ready to zip past some fantastic photos lol
I found a tiny hairy caterpillar who looked so unusual. Yes I did get a bit close with the lens and the centre section did get a bit squashed by the lens
I surprised a small spider. She ran out to defend her egg nest
Even a hornet has to have a drink on a hot day
One of the more unusual grasshoppers I have at my place
These flies like to bite. The bit of the proboscis that is hanging down has a spike sheathed inside. The other dagger like thing is the antennae. The angle makes them look fierce.
You can see why the fly is angry all the time and wants to bite. A bit of baldness can make anyone cross.
With all the places in the garden to hatch out, these cicadas chose the same leaf
The Line Blue Butterflies had a monopoly in some parts of the garden. This tiny one found a quiet place to sit for a while
A moth, we call a tiger moth, really loved the scent of the Murraya flowers
Looking at a Crow Eggfly Butterfly who was looking at me
This Dragonfly has been in a mud puddle I think
Such a dainty tiny Dragonfly
The fig tree has so many figs which the birds love
Isn’t this Wood Fungus lovely
An old fashioned Hibiscus flower. This is one of the smallest Hibiscus flowers in the garden.
The Leopard Lillies liked the hot weather
So did the Ginger flowers
The Lilli Pilli bush doesn’t flower that much but when it does isn’t it spectacular?
Onto Animals which includes a couple of Python photos so snake phobes get ready to whizz past some really beautiful photos
As it was hot, the Carpet Python came out from the roof space and stretched along the rafter. It must have been quite warm so close to the corrugated iron
When the weather was a bit cooler, the Python managed to knot up into a smallish ball. This is about 2 meters of snake all rolled up
When it was a too hot, the Python decided that Charlies little pond was a cool place to be. Charlie didn’t care and swam about the snake while the snake ignored Charlie thankfully.
Charlie also had another unwelcome visitor. How ugly are Cane Toads?
Enough of ugly, here is some cute. Early one morning, a couple of Yellow-footed Antechinus were hopping around the verandah
When I went into the shed, I disturbed some Lesser Long-eared Bats. Aren’t their little feet lovely?
We are now in the bird zone so those who have been rushing past the previous photos can relax now
A great way to spend part of a hot day is in one of the many bird baths scattered around the place. A Grey Fantail contemplating a plunge
A Variegated Fairy Wren checking out the mosaic bird bath
The little Thornbill jumped straight in, splashing about
A Red-browed Firetail Finch just dunked under to cool off
A Jenny Wren looked on from the safety of the bushes
A Spangled Drongo was looking for some grubs in the Poinciana tree after his dip in the bird bath
The Eastern Yellow Robin took his usual lookout on the garden chair to scan the garden for dinner
We wondered who was making a mess on the car doors early in the morning. I finally was able to catch the culprit – a Green Catbird
This White-headed Pigeon was on lookout at the bird bath while its young one had a drink of water
One morning there was a terrible sound in the garden. There were Ravens calling and flying about. I finally spotted a Channel-billed Cuckoo young who was being raised by the Ravens
The birds were all calling out, making a real noise in the garden. I finally spotted the culprit who set them off. A Pacific Baza was sitting in a tree. Nearby another two were calling as well. They bought their young one to check out the garden.
When I go outside I always look up as often a Wedged-tailed Eagle or two will be wheeling about looking for an unsuspecting snack
I think I was lucky to have everything just right to capture this spiders web. The Primrose flowers add a splash of colour
The door latch from the Cathedral in Grafton. It doesn’t look very worn so I don’t think it is the original but looked quite good enough to photograph
I loved the lighting in the loungeroom one night
Thanks for your staying power. Enjoy a sunset
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This is January
January has been a month of hot weather a bit of rain but most of all the butterflies are around. The hot days have made the birds a bit scarce. Now the Summer flowers are out they’ll return. The rain over the past 5 days has seen a lot more smaller birds in the garden.
Ok lets get going. Another huge lot of photos so maybe your favourite drink you enjoy while looking at blogs may be in order again.
Perhaps some flowers and plants to get going. Isn’t the bark on this Australian Native Fig Tree wonderful
The Red Tower Ginger flowers are looking after the garden
More red flowers are emerging
The Blue Ginger buds are ready to burst
I did find a bit of wood fungi in the forest
I have never seem Macaranga flowers before. I am still not sure if they are flowers or buds
The flower buds are high in the canopy. When they open they are tubular white flowers which drop to the garden floor.
A mixture of weeds. A Camphor Laurel leaf on a Cobblers Peg plant
The Cunji are growing so well on the banks of the spring
The spring is a lovely place to be on a hot day.
I discovered this Australian Native plant when I was mowing the front of my place. It is almost two meters tall, covered in white flowers which ants love.
Some bits and pieces
Holding the cattle yards together
The trawler setting off in the afternoon to fish through the night
The rusty seat on the old tractor
Reptiles I have found
The Geckos live in my house. This is the Gecko who lives in the hallway.
You never know who is sleeping on the verandah rafters.
Such pretty markings
Time for some birds
I didn’t know this bird as it flew about me. I have taken photos of Jacky Winter birds before. This is a young bird
The Lewins Honeyeaters are always on the look out for the grubs in the Poinciana tree
Late afternoon and the Pelicans are ready to sleep
The Gulls are ready to annoy them.
The lovely Eastern Yellow Robin happy to be in the garden.
Found these native snails in the garden having a snooze.
The Cricket was happy to be taken outside
What would Summer be like without Dragonflies
I love their wing patterns
A grub in the Paperbark tree making track and holes all over the tree
There was a migration of moths. We called this one a Fox Moth
The outside wings of the Meadow Argus are quite muted
Inside is a different story
The Wanderers are slowly coming back
Common Crows are everywhere at the moment
A Common Ringlet about to take off
There are so many butterflies with the word Common in front of their name. The Common Eggfly is a name that doesn’t do this butterfly justice.
Remember The Quest to photograph a Blue Triangle Butterfly. Well now I have two Blue Triangles. Aren’t their faces great
The Moon is up and about in the clouds
The Sun is almost setting
So it is time for me to finish off. Hope you have enjoyed my January.
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Creature
The Daily Post word prompt: Creature
Some creatures like to eat leaves
Some are quite fierce
Others float on the breeze
some like to look weird
Others look at you too
But creatures are creatures no matter what they do
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This is December
This is just the one big photo blog. I hope you have time to scroll through. It started rather small at the start of December and just seemed to grow as stuff happened. I have included some of the skies that may have been in Beckys Square Sky photo challenge or missed out. I really enjoyed Beckys #SquareSky challenge. Perhaps you may need a pot of tea to get to the end!
Lets go. I love skinks and how they just move about on brick walls.
Come Summer and the Dragonflies are flitting about the garden.
I couldn’t find this Dragonfly at first when it disappeared into the garden.
Summer in Australia with the deafening cacophony of cicadas. When the tree you were in many years ago has gone, make do with anything to get out of your shell.
Brown Ringlets have wonderful “eyes” on their wings.
I was visited by an Assassin Bug who did a bit of fluff cleaning for me.
Mud Daubers make wonderful clay pots to raise their young. They lay an egg in the clay pot, they go about gathering spiders which they comatose for the grub to eat when it hatches.
I have been watching this one build a cone shape on the architrave of the office door.
Some mornings the chicken wire fence has lots of spider webs in the mesh.
What a fabulous green the grasshopper has which contrasts with the yellow of the Deities flower.
I love the Line Blue Butterflys antennae
The Bromiliad flower with a bonus spider shell.
The Stingless Native Bees loved the Day Lily flower.
After the rain, the Crocus flowered much to the delight of the Stingless Native Bees
They certainly have a laconic way of flying don’y they?
The red Dahlia is one of my favourite flowers.
The Tree Begonias supplied a splash of red in the garden too.
It was a great year for the Agapanthus flowers.
A tiny native flower with a fluffy centre.
Another lovely flower I was given from my friend Geoff.
A very pretty Rose in a friends garden.
I think this flower is an Egg and Bacon plant flower.
The Hibiscus flowers welcomed the rain in December.
A field of Daisys on the side of the road.
The Curry Bush had a great flowering last year as well
The storm season arrived a bit late last year but when it came, it was spectacular.
This sky was incredible
And again
I love capturing the suns rays.
The palm leaf had shiny spots of water which glistened in the sunlight.
People must have thought I was mad walking around trying to get the sun in the right spot.
This sunset was amazing. The colours changed every minute.
It’s hard getting a sunrise photo when you live in a forest.
The Spangled Drongo was wondering what I was doing interrupting bath time.
It isn’t often I see a Peaceful Dove at the bird bath.
When White Ibis flocks glide overhead it is just magnificent.
A female Figbird or a young Figbird just getting his red mask.
One day he will look like his dad.
Check out the pants on the Channel-bill Cuckoo
They have a very serious looking bill don’t they?
Rainbow Lorikeets are quite raucous as they nibble about on the Lemon Scented Tea Tree.
I am so glad the Forest Kingfisher has returned this Summer to forage around the house.
An activities box outside of a Cafe in Toowoomba.
The Moon was just wonderful with the coloured rings on a cloudy night.
If pupils were white it could look like an eye.
Some people have said this photo has a Japanese feel about it. What do you think?
Thanks for dropping by
