This was May

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?”fluffy bantam_grafton show_may 2017

“I find the bun at the back is what the fashionable ducks are wearing this season.”
duck fluffy head_grafton show_named_may 2017

This is the Champion Pair of the Show – I think they are Wyandottes –  a classy pair
champion pair_grafton show_named_may 2017

Even the excitement of the Show doesn’t stop the need to lay an egg.
hen egg_grafton show_named_may 2017

“Are you talking to me?” “Are you talking to me?”
rooster looking_grafton show_may 2017

“Is lunch coming or what?”
duck looking_grafton show_named_may 2017

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.

currawong_named_binna burra_may 2017

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.
lewins honeyeater_named_home_may 2017

Another visitor to the garden at this time of year is the lovely little Rose Robin.
rose robin_named_home_may 2017

The Zygote Cactus have wonderful blooms this year

zygote cactus flower_named_home_may 2017

Some of my besties Pansys
pansy02_named_binna burra_may 2017

I love this dark purple variety.
pansy01_named_binna burra_may 2017

Just sitting in a wheelbarrow garden looking fabulous.flower_named_binna burra_may 2017

Some flowers look lovely at the end of Autumn don’t they?
flower pink_named_binna burra_may 2017
Sitting in a cafe in Brunswick Heads I spotted the Native Stingless Bees in the garden bed on the street.stinglessw native bee_named_brunswick heads

The spiders web have a certain magic in the morning light.
spiders web_named_binna burra_may 2017

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?
emporer gum moth_named_binna burra_may 2017

You know when Winter approaches when the insects wear their fur coats.
emporer gum moth01_named_binna burra_may 2017

The evening walk had wonderful lighting. I love this old fence with the air ferns and other plant life growing.

old fence_named_binna burra_may 2017

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.
grass seeds_named_binna burra_may 2017

The Moon is almost setting the same time as the sun.
moonrise_named_binna burra_may 2017

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.
sunset_named_binna burra_may 2017

Hello May

Hello May. May has come and gone. We went back to Macleay Island again and I have another new bird that I have photographed. I do get excited when I find something new.

This collection of photos has some birds, mainly that I have put here before, that I have found in a comical situation. OK situations that I find comical and hope you do too.

There is also a photo of a moth just to warn those people who have a phobia about moths. I should have put that warning in the last blog too. There aren’t any spiders or snakes this time.

This poor old Blue Tiger Butterfly was sitting on a leaf catching a bit of sunshine, probably the last sunshine he had. See the hole in the right wing? And the rest of the wings are a bit shabby and colour bleached.

blue tiger butterfly_binna burra_named_may 2016

Here is the moth. An Emperor Gum Moth, one of the largest moths that are around here. Its wingspan is around 150mm. I thought it was a Micro Bat when it flew past me.

emperor gum moth_named_home_may 2016

This year the Cordyline Rubras flowers were spectacular. I have never seen so many flower spikes. There were lots of bees buzzing around. Can you spot one?

cordeline flowers01_binna burra_named_may 2016

Here is a close up of a flower spike.

cordeline flower_binna burra_named_may 2016

On the ferry going to Macleay Island, one of the Morton Bay islands, the ferry was followed by a White-bellied Sea Eagle for a long part of the journey. At one stage it swooped off to the other side of the ferry but didn’t catch anything.

white bellied seaeagle_macleay island_named_may 2016

The Curlews are back. I am not sure what they were on but I have not seen such a wide eyed expression.

beach stone curlews01_macleay island_named_may 2016

Here is the photograph first for me. The Pale-headed Rosella. They were having a lovely time in the Grevillea on the property next door to where we stayed on the island.

pale headed rosella01_macleay island_crop_named_may 2016

They have lovely markings don’t they? The red splosh under the tail is eye catching.

pale headed rosella_macleay island_crop_named_may 2016

Back home, the Yellow-faced Honeyeaters have claimed the sparse flowered Honey Gem Grevillea. The dry weather has reduced the number of flowers of what is usually a shrub laden with flowers. This is what it looked like a while ago

yellow faced honeyeaters_home_named_may 2016

The Yellow-faced Honeyeater are very bossy in the garden at the moment. Taking up vantage points around the garden to chase of anyone who thinks they might get at the flowers. The Eastern Spinebills are the one who seem to be picked on the most.

yellow faced honeyeater_home_named_crop_may 2016

The Blue-faced Honeyeater has a black chin. I hadn’t noticed how extensive it was before. I have gone through the previous photos and none have shown the honeyeaters chin before.

blue faced honeyeater_home_named_may 2016

Hi on the tree, the Eastern Rosella was just hanging out. It seemed to see me with the camera and just posed for quite a while.

eastern rosella02_binna burra_named_may 2016

Look at me, don’t I look splendid?

eastern rosella01_binna burra_named_may 2016

After a while it was a case of “See my butt!!” and away it flew.

eastern rosella_rump_binna burra_named_may 2016

I love getting photos of Eastern Whipbirds. They never sit still long enough to get good photos. I took this photo as it was just about to take off.

eastern whipbird_binna burra_named_april 2016

The bird bath is always a place to get some birds. The White-throated Honeyeaters swapped from the small hanging pot to the bigger bird bath.

white throated honeyeaters02_birdbath_home_named_may 2016

Although it doesn’t look like the water was to this ones liking. Don’t honeyeaters have long tongues?

white throated honeyeaters01_birdbath_home_named_may 2016

I love it at this time of year. There is always someone new in the garden. The little Rose Robins are so cute.

rose robin01_crop_named_home_may 2106

Driving home one afternoon, I spied a Wedged Tailed Eagle feasting on a bit of road kill. Despite getting into my best sneaky mode, the eagle flew into a nearby tree to wait for me to go so it could continue dinner.

wedged tailed eagle_jackadgery_named_may 2016

Well it’s night time and the moon is beaming down. Goodnight.

moon_home_crop_named_may 2016