Fandango’s One Word Challenge: Cage

Well hello and welcome to my world in April. What started out as an uninspired photography month suddenly came alive at the end. I was thinking that I would have to tell you that a quick flick and scroll was all that was needed earlier in April. I have included a number of photos of the same subject as I couldn’t pick the one that satisfied my desire to give you something that was a wow or hmmmm that’s interesting.
A lack of rain at the beginning of the month probably assisted my malaise and desire to get out and about. With a lack of rain also brings about a lack of insects, birds and the garden suffered. I did a bit of travelling around so there is some things I found from other parts of New South Wales.
I have put some of the April finds in other blogs. Some are repeated here but I have excluded others to make your checking out a bit less time consuming. So I do recommend a good cuppa or drink of choice as a lot of you are either sitting up late or just having breakfast. This is what makes blogging so good that you may be in any part of this world and I can show you a bit of mine. Enough blah blah blah, let’s get going if you are ready.
May as well start at sunrise
One foggy morning while at a friends place in Springwood, the sounds of a helicopter broke the morning silence.
We are going to stay in Springwood for a while. We went to the Norman Lindsay Gallery and studio. The grounds were full of sculptures including these ones. Norman Lindsay wrote a book called the Magic Pudding in 1918 The story is about a pudding no matter how often it is eaten, always reforms in order to be eaten again. This is Albert, the Magic Pudding.
Bunyip Bluegum, the Koala, and Benjamin Brandysnap plus Sam Sawnoff and other animals and people who own the pudding have to defend the pudding from being stolen by Pudding Thieves who want it for them selves
Part of one of the sculpture/fountains
My friends garden is quite spectacular. There were some butterflies like the Blue Triangle Butterfly who is a bit ragged resting on a Zinnia.
It did rain a bit while we were there putting water droplets on the Pelargonium
An Eastern Spinebill enjoyed the Grevilleas
So did the New Holland Honeyeater. A very striking bird.
Had to include a side view
I really like this capture so in it came.
The cooler weather of the mountains hadn’t quite began so the fungi were still about
I like Hydrangeas. This was a small flower head but has delicate colours.
Now for a bit of the flowers at my place as the sporadic rain over the past couple weeks bought out some Autumn flowers, like this Camellia
This red Hibiscus is from a cutting of my childhood home, one of my Mothers favourites.
All around the garden Impatiens self seed and they pop up in many places
Over at my besties place the Zinnias are a riot of colour
The Echinacea had it’s petals eaten by a grasshopper probably but the centre caught my eye.
A post with flowers would be the same without Pentas flowers and a Blue-banded Bee
Bees aren’t the only pollinator. A beautiful iridescent fly helps a Zinnia along
At The Channon Markets (a Which Way a while ago) a stall had Pitcher plants
in all manner of colour and shape
While on the way home from the markets, we stopped off at Rocky Creek Dam (a Silent Sunday post and the Featured Image taken with my phone) where the water lillies looked fabulous
I loved their reflections
While we are around the water, A Broad-palmed Rocket Frog likes to hang around the pot plants on my front verandah
I am not sure what this small flower is. It was growing on the small dune at the beach.
My besties Red Eucalypt is starting to flower possibly a Corymbia ficifolia.
While at the beach last weekend, yes a almost Summers day in Autumn around 28C, I came across some Small Grass Yellow Butterflies
While we are at the beach, here are some views. We climbed among the dunes to get to Broadwater Beach. In the distance, looking south, is Chinamans Beach where we often go.
The north view. The disappointing thing is the wheel tracks made by (*insert appropriate word) people who drive their stupid four wheel drive oversized pieces of junk along this beach. As you enter the walking track, there is a sign that tells you that there are protected birds who nest on the sand plus the other creatures who live in the sand, crabs plus other microscopic beings and that us walkers don’t disturb the ecology but these dickheads barge their way along the sand. Look how deep those wheel tracks are!!! Sorry please enjoy the view.
The seas were quite big. This rocky part of the headland at Boulder Beach is about 4-5 meters high.
Can you see it now!!!
One of my favourite photos is Pelicans on the light poles. The bridge has four sets of lights and every one has Pelicans. The best spot is on the light itself where a boss male sits. Further towards the bendy end is a juvenile Pelican.
Upstream of the bridge, a couple of Pied Oystercatchers sat on the sand bar.
A Silver Gull was keeping an eye on the picnickers in the park in case a chip dropped onto the ground
A White-faced Heron came to Chinamans Beach looking for a seafood dinner
I loved finding the Sooty Oystercatchers at the beach. A post with more photos of Sooty Oystercatchers here in case you missed it.
I am not sure if it was the same White-faced Heron at Boulder Beach too.
The White-faced Heron and Sooty Oystercatcher didn’t get along and avoided each other.
The cliff face at Boulder Beach has what could be Ironstone in it. It certainly looked rusty
Now for a bit of reflection. Still with me?
Speaking of rust, one of my favourite things to photograph. This old door had some wonderful rusty bits
Isn’t the sliding lock marvellous?
While at the Farmers Market, I wondered why there seemed to be more cars than usual. There was the Annual Lismore Poultry Show on. Of course because I love chooks I had to go and have a walk around. Here are some of the chooks I found, some of the more unusual ones to say the least. I don’t know all of the breeds as some I have never seen before like this one who looks like it just got out of bed.
A fabulous hat
Lace Wyandottes are one of my favourite chooks, ever so pretty.
I don’t think I have ever seen such a fat chook and purple to boot!!!
Some feathers seem to have a life of their own
So alien
A rooster who kept an eye on what was going on
Speaking a Roosters. Prehistoric is the only word that comes to mind. I couldn’t get the whole chook in the photo
Ducks always make me smile
One morning at my besties there was a cacophony of Yellow-tailed Black Cockatoos. The flock was around twenty who all were squawking as they flew about.
They all stopped in a tree on the hill a bit of a way away. The quality of the photos isn’t that good as it was early morning and the photos are hand held but I had to capture their antics in the trees.
I thought this one was going to do forward rolls.
OK it’s almost night time, our Moon is on the rise among the clouds
The Night Spider has spun it’s web near the light to catch an insects who come to the light.
The centre of the web is a bit ratty
Our Moon is looking lovely and shining a bright light so you can see your way home
I gotta go…..see you later I hope
January. A month of hardly any rain, only 6mm over 2 days at my place, whereas the average is around 120mm and it rains most days. It was also freakingly hot. Days in succession of over 38C to a top of 42C here. There were some magic moments, a bit of travelling and the return of the butterflies. I spent a lot of my time watering my garden and plants in shade house. The dam became low so I was thinking of water rations to the plants. I became the bad parent having to decide which plants would get water and those who I hoped would survive.
Among all of this I did manage to get out and about and take quite a number of photos. Looking through the folders, I decided that I would have to do special posts that encompassed some of my days out and about, as I have a lot of things I want to show you this month. It has taken me a long time to decide on what I want to put into this post.
Yep……it’s another huge lot of photos. So once again, get a cup of tea or coffee (I have a coffee while writing this) perhaps a snack (I have already eaten my biscuits). For those reading in the evening, a glass of wine will help sustain while scrolling through this mammoth month. I shall try to keep the captions short.
Ready. All sitting comfy. Lets go
I best start off with a bit of morning and sunrise through the trees. I don’t get to see the full splendor of sunrise living in the bush or in a forest for those non-Australians
I liked this morning photo as it has a sliver of our Moon. Can you see it?
This is what our Moon looked like up close
Seeing a full moon in the morning was fabulous. A great start to the day.
While visiting my daughter in Toowoomba, we spent time walking about the streets looking at street art (a post of those wonderful art works to come) and strolling though the many gardens and parks.
I was glad to see that Yarn Bombing was still happening and Council was leaving them in place.
I just had to get a photo of this carrot that was on top of the vege display at the local Farmers Market
The distant hills have sentinel like Grass Trees over looking the valley. Grass Trees grow at around 25mm (1 inch) a year. Some of these are probably 2+ meters tall so ancient wonders on the other side of the valley from my besties place.
Now for the flowers.
The many colours and shapes of (I think) a Gazania
Despite the heat, a red Frangipanni buds and flowers appeared.
The photo doesn’t capture the wonderful red colour.
The flower of a Eucalypt, not sure which one, with a bee. There was lots of bees around in January too.
Just a wonderful flower.
Bougainvilleas flowered well in the heat and dry.
I have many photos of Native Frangipannis but have never seen a seed pod before
The Dahlias in my daughters garden
I saw a flower and while I was looking, some kids came along and said “Look brain flowers”. Yep Brain Flowers or Cockscomb or a Celosia flower.
Also came in red.
More bees and flowers
This one was getting stuck into the pollen at my besties
A Wattle Line-blue Butterfly enjoying a Brain flower. Did you spot the butterfly earlier?
An Orange Ochre stopped to enjoy the afternoon sun
A Cabbage White Butterfly flitted about the garden
and stopped to have a snack
The Dragonflies are all flying around the garden and over the dam. These two stopped for some “relaxation” on a branch on the ground.
Should I have told my visitors that Dragonflies are having sex on their car aerial?
A golden moment with a smiling Dragonfly
The Lesser Wanderers came to feed on the flowers that popped up in the grass.
Wings open to get a bit of sun before take-off.
The Meadow Argus Butterfly seemed to stop anywhere. You can see how dry it has been. The grasses are dead.
With wings open it helps to know what butterfly I have photographed
On the flowers, the Meadow Argus looks lovely.
Another photo of the flowers and butterfly
A Native Australian Bee, a Carpenter Bee flying among the Ponytail Palm flowers with some beetles and ants. Carpenter Bees quite often make their nest in Grass Trees.
Among the dried grasses, the Dandelions still had time to flower (see This is December 2018) and set seed
The branches of a Bunya Pine – Art Direction, my daughter, Photo, me
High in the trees at my besties, late one afternoon, a flock of Yellow-tailed Black Cockatoos came to roost for the night. Not the best photo as the light was failing and the birds kept moving.
The raucous sounds of the Sulpher-crested Cockatoos sounded all over the park as we strolled about.
As the weather was hot and dry, the bird bath had to be topped up regularly. The Lewins Honeyeater made enough noise to let us know that there wasn’t much water in the bird bath.
Once the bird bath was filled, the Noisy Miners queued up to get a drink and a bath.
The Silvereyes stopped by to get into the water while a Striated Thornbill waited his turn.
I was spied by an Eastern Rosella who dropped by for a drink
Getting a drink helped show the lovely back feathers pattern.
The Superb Fairy Wrens make a lovely couple.
“Hey babe, check this fancy bit of flying”
“Get out of the way, you’re in my shot”
Do you mind, I’m trying to take a bath here
The King Parrot having a look at what I am doing in my office
Just strolling through the park. Move along, there’s nothing to see here!
The Tortoises sunning on a rock while another is swimming over.
What a face
It has been so hot that I have left nearly all of the windows and doors open. That seemed to be an invitation for a Lesser Long-eared Micro-bat to take up residence in my pantry.
This is one of the reasons I keep some doors closed at night. Brush-tailed Possums like to range about the garden at night. Given half a chance they will wander inside creating chaos.
The Koalas have been active as it’s mating season. I have heard their loud calls at my place. At my besties place we can see this male who has taken up residence occasionally in the trees. Usually asleep, around 18 hours a day, the big feller was not very happy at me walking around taking photos even if he was about 10 meters above me.
Well it’s almost time to say goodbye. A wave from one of the many Geckos who live behind the pictures on the walls.
The sun is setting. Aren’t the colours just wonderful?
The oranges made for a spectacular sunset
I was quite pleased to get a photo of our Moon with the coloured rings. It is a hand held photo. Most time I would use a tripod but didn’t have one handy.
Well it looks like it is getting late so goodnight.
Thanks for stopping by and I hope you have enjoyed a scroll through bushboys world for January 2019. Did you have a favourite photo?
Todays photo a day challenge from CitySonnet: Starts With The Letter D
Join in Cee’s Fun Foto Challenge with all the other photographers who have lots of K’s in their photos.
A King Parrot often drops in to see what’s happening on the verandah
Rainbow Lorikeets are here in numbers to feast on the nectar of the eucalypt blossoms
Musk Lorikeets only drop in every now and then
The Grey Goshawk frightens the chooks
This Australian Kestrel was hunting for lizards in a car park
A Fan-tailed Cuckoo kept an eye on me
Had to include a Chook
and some Chickens
and of course Brendan the Brush Turkey
The little Forest Kingfisher is a brilliant flash of blue as he darts through the forest
Yellow-tailed Black Cockatoos love pine cones and eat them like an ice cream cone
These Plumed Whistling Ducks were paddling about in a puddle in a football field
Dis someone say Duck
Ever so late doing my “this is what I found in May.”
So many things have needed doing and my time has been spent doing the many Photo Challenges, which I seem to be obsessed with as they give the opportunity to showcase your photos and techniques and at the same time see what other bloggers from around the world are doing. I love showing my part of this world or some photos of my travels. I hope you have enjoyed these Photo Challenges as much as I have.
OK……….on to my May. May is show time in my town. What I love (as many of you know) are chooks so I always go to the poultry pavilion when I go to the Grafton Show. Here are my favourites from the show.
“Do you like my new hair do?”
“I find the bun at the back is what the fashionable ducks are wearing this season.”
This is the Champion Pair of the Show – I think they are Wyandottes –Â a classy pair
Even the excitement of the Show doesn’t stop the need to lay an egg.
“Are you talking to me?” “Are you talking to me?”
“Is lunch coming or what?”
One of the Photo Challenges I did was Frames and the Currawong was the first image. This Currawong found the water well in the Poinsettia tree and was enjoying a drink.
The Lewins Honeyeater has been a constant visitor in May to the verandah looking for insects and gathering spiders webs for the nest. I think I was spotted as he looked in the door from the Zygote Cactus.
Another visitor to the garden at this time of year is the lovely little Rose Robin.
The Zygote Cactus have wonderful blooms this year
Some of my besties Pansys
I love this dark purple variety.
Just sitting in a wheelbarrow garden looking fabulous.
Some flowers look lovely at the end of Autumn don’t they?
Sitting in a cafe in Brunswick Heads I spotted the Native Stingless Bees in the garden bed on the street.
The spiders web have a certain magic in the morning light.
One night, there was a banging on the window. We went outside to see what was making all that racket. We found an Emperor Gum Moth sitting on the window sill. Aren’t the antennae wonderful?
You know when Winter approaches when the insects wear their fur coats.
The evening walk had wonderful lighting. I love this old fence with the air ferns and other plant life growing.
The grass seed heads looked spectacular in the late afternoon light. I didn’t do any photo manipulation this is what they actually looked like.
The Moon is almost setting the same time as the sun.
The Sun is setting so I better say good evening and hope you have enjoyed a little bit of May in my part of Australia.
My entries for this weeks Photo Challenge
I am sure there will be photos of Elephants in this photo challenge. Here is mine, found in a secondhand shop.
Flying and almost flying
Face washing. Don’t you hate when your Mum just has to wash your face!
Flower. The Moon Flower blooms at night so it was special to be there when the flower came out
Here is some of my elephant collection https://bushboy.blog/2015/02/21/elephants/
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