Cee’s Midweek Madness Challenge July: Close up or Macro
Looking at me as I look at them
Tag: grey-shrike thrush
Getting a bit close
This is June 2019
About time I hear you say. Yes I am a bit late with last months wrap up. I didn’t take as many photos early on and then I seemed to find lots to photograph. This months photos have a couple I have used in other photo challenges but I decided to keep this post a bit shorter by not including the those photos.
So sit back and have a scroll through my June
Let’s start in Inverell, a town about 200kms from my place. We decided to have a mini holiday and ventured west. My goodness the drought has really hit hard out there. Didn’t see the usual paddocks with sheep and cattle in them. Many farmers have de-stocked and just holding onto their core breeding stock for when the drought breaks.
We stayed at a fabulous B’n’B, Blair Athol a Manor house from the early 1900’s. It is a great place to stay
We did venture around the countryside. It was quite sad. I think this granite outcrop says it all.
I found a Pied Cormorant just after a bit of a dip in the water. I love how Cormorants do this. Makes me smile every time.
Back home I was surprised to see ducks on my house dam as the water level is quite low. Three Pacific Black Ducks cruise the dam.
Sometimes when I am about in the garden doing a bit of bird spotting I get a feeling I am being watched as well. This Grey-shrike Thrush was making sure I was being good.
Another Winter visitor to the garden are Golden Whistlers
Of course a monthly wrap wouldn’t be the same without the resident Eastern Yellow Robin who found a post to sit on while surveying the garden for a snack.
Little Striated Thornbills are flying about the garden in the afternoons
The Rose Robins are still around as well
The Agave looked lovely in the afternoon light
This is called Witches Broom it is on a small Eucalypt. 
The variety of plants that are growing on a palm in the garden is wonderful. At the front is an Elk Horn, behind it on the right is a Birds nest Fern. They are surrounded by Hares Foot Fern and to the left rear is Fishbone Fern. All of these plants have decided to grow among the palm’s trunk.
Nearby, a Jacaranda has a lovely growth of moss that cascades to the ground.
My mate Geoffs Iris has flowered. Always will bring back a memory.
All around the place Lichen has sprung up as there has been showers of rain over the last part of the month enough to keep the garden happy and for some plants to emerge.
I love finding water drops. My besties place has had much more rain than here.
These are the seed pods from an Eucalypt tree I found in Inverell.
I haven’t taken many photos of the Red-necked Wallabies that hang around my place. I caught this bloke with a mouth full of grass.
Late one afternoon at my besties, she called out to come over to where she was in the garden. She found a little Bandi Bandi going across a log heading for a safe place to spend the night.
There appears to be lots of Wanderer Butterflies about at the moment. Found this one flying around the lane-ways of Lismore.
Meanwhile there are Wanderers in my besties garden feeding on Echinacea flowers.
One day we decided to head to the coast for lunch at the Ballina Beach Surf Club. Afterwards, after watching whales from the window while eating, we wandered up to the headland and watched the Humpback Whales cruising past. I bit of blow usually let me know where they were.
I love it when they gave a wave.
Managed to get some tail shots.
but could never be focused on the right place when a Humpback breached
Now for a bit of weird. Walking down a lane in Lismore we always look to see if this window has changed. I think the hand and flag on the right have been added.
A stack of chairs in a window.
One morning, the mist was settled in the valleys. I used to tell the kids that the mountains have captured the clouds.
A bit of my playing around with photos. A Magpie on a steel post
OK the sun is down so time for me to go.
I hope you have enjoyed a bit of a look at my June. The feature photo is a butterfly among the Zinnias in my besties garden.
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Nature
This is November 2018
My last post Time #6 was post number 1,000. I was hoping this one would be number 1,000 but it has taken a lot of time getting it together.
November was where Spring really came to life. Rain in the previous months led to life appearing, flowers brightened, the little native flowers, some only 10mm in diameter sprung up in the paddocks and in the bush. Birds who come to my place over Spring and Summer appeared, in some instances with their chicks.
This is another long post as I couldn’t cut back and also have had a couple of double ups. I have a some things left out as they deserve their own post.
So I recommend getting your drink of choice, perhaps a snack and if you are lucky, someone to bring refills. 😀
I have tried to arrange the photos in some sort of grouping. OK off we go………
Some days saw the storm clouds appear bring some destruction but also welcoming rain
The water plants on the dams are pleased that the water levels are up
The Bromiliads in the garden are sending their flower spikes up.
or just colouring while the flower appears in the watery centre
One of my favourite flowers, the Cats Whiskers flowered after the rain.
Day lilies flowered some with multiple buds
The Dietes, which are all through the garden, showed the borders with their white and purple flowers. If you look on the left side of the flower, you can see a little native bee.
The pink Pentas were planted two years ago and this year the flowers were prolific.
I thought these were the last of the Pandoreas but when I walked past today, more have appeared
I have a miniature Native Frangipanni in a pot at the front of the house. The warm breeze send a delightful scent into the house. The flowers start as white flowers and gradually turn yellow
Also in the garden is quite a big Native Frangipanni. It is constantly flowering through November. You can see the various stages of flowering from the white and yellow buds, white flowers and then the yellow flowers on their way out.
The Gardenias are looking good this year
Had to show the buds too
This Pentas is great for attracting insects
The original red Hibiscus that my Mother bought from her garden when the gardens were first planted many years ago. This was one of my Mums favourites
This is the bush still in the part of the place where gardens and the old house once were
Another Hibiscus that had a good flowering too.
The Grevilleas took a while to flower compared to other gardens around the area.
This Grevillea flower hangs downwards
The second year for the Ivanhoe Grevillea and the first flower
Two Grevilleas in the front garden that always have birds squabbling over the flowers
I love the pastel colours of this Grevillea
The Bottlebrush flowers add splashes of red throughout the garden
The Balsam flowers appear in many places in the garden. The just pop up
A Bottlebrush just starting to flower
One of my favourite small trees is Jacksonia. They add touches of yellow through the bush
Another small tree in an old part of the garden. The last few years it has taken to flower for months
A large tree in the garden, a Silky Oak, which is also one of the biggest Grevilleas
The Eucalypts are flowering following a prolonged dry spell. Some are flowering now and I haven’t seen them flower at this time of year before
A ground cover flower that I thought had gone but has reappeared. I had an orange version as well. I wonder if that one will come back?
The Duranta flowers are another flower with soft pastel colours
I planted this native in a rockery. The Red-necked Wallabies love it. The constant trimming looks like a benefit as it is covered with flowers this November
The flowers appear on soft stalks and the spots seem to darken too
The Hippeastrums looked wonderful this November. The wheelbarrow gardens looked a treat. There is a post about them earlier this month
The red Hippeastrums seemed very red this year
A tiny native flower about 10mm in diameter
You can see how small this native flower is by the grass and size of the leaves
I love clover flowers
A Calathea I have in a pot flowered this year with tiny flowers with delicate colour
This Native flower is called a Smooth Parrot Pea
Even the patch of Spider Plants flowered
With the flowers growing well the flower sellers at the market were selling bunches and most market days, sold out before the end.
Saw this car and just had to get a photo. It is a ute as well as a tad rusty
The clouds one day were quite spectacular
What a tiny Grasshopper on the Brunsfelsia flower
The Caper White Butterflies are migrating. This one is the first to arrive at my place
The Stingfless native Bees are loving collecting pollen from the orange Hippeastrum
A Crab Spider showed me his scary end when I disturbed its rest. Not a very big spider either
Meet Gus, my axolotl. He is always happy looking
A Noisy Friarbird snacking on a Honey Gem Grevillea
Noisy Friarbirds always have something to say
A female Figbird contemplates her next meal
Always singing around the house and in the forest, a Grey_shrike Thrush was looking through the window
Aren’t the Masked Lapwings strange looking. They are also called Plovers
but their eggs are quite pretty. They lay their eggs anywhere. These were on a walkway to the beach.
Peaceful Doves are always around the house
Royal Spoonbills were another of my quests to photograph
The ferry cable is as good as anywhere to hang out to dry
On a visit to a small degraded wetland I was amazed to see the amount of birds there. The flock of Hardhead Ducks was rather large
On another wetland, where the Royal Spoonbills were, some Pink-eared Ducks also were paddling around
Eurasian Coots paddled about looking for food
I was surprised to see a Crested Tern so far from the coast. A Purple Swamp Hen strode around the edge of the water
Aren’t Australasian Grebe chicks cute
A pacific Black Duck was closely followed by a young one
When you go calling on your girlfriend always take flowers
The Superb Fairy Wrens hopped around us at the lookout
Well the sun is going down so it’s time for me to go. Thanks for hanging around with me. I hope you enjoyed my November
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This is October 2018
OK folks strap yourself in for this ride. You will need stamina, food, drinks and a possible toilet break as I have been unrelenting in snapping away with all manner of things. I was going to break the photos down into subject groups in separate posts, but I thought “What the heck, you can scroll through at your own pace.”
What better way to start the day (or post) than with a sunrise from my besties new place
Let’s start with things. I don’t know what to call this bunch of photos as they are different. Enough talk. Off we go!
I found these gelatinous blobs on the beach, hundreds of them. Perhaps baby jelly fish?
When you see a land form that resembles something else
The planes have been showing themselves a bit in October.
Just love these rock cliff, the colours and again, can you see a face?
The moss gave the tree a bit of a dress with a vine for dramatic effect.
More moss. This time at the waters edge at the beach
The rock pool took on an ethereal mood
Just the shelf at my besties place
When I put on this lamp, I just had to take the photo. Another shelf at my besties
October saw the rain come. This dam, I use the water around the house and garden, was about one-eighth full. Seeing the water flow into the dam cured my blues.
The waterhole on my place never is dry but came very close this year. Seeing it full again made me happy. I think the birds and animals are pleased as well
Waterfalls make such a soothing sound don’t you think? Even little waterfalls that help fill the waterhole.
Of course a bit of rain and sunshine brings out the fungi
Fungi of all shapes and colours. Some big….
…some small
and some are edible
I love Grass Trees. These are at a place called Naughtons Gap. They are bigger than some of the Grass Trees on my place.
A wonderful discovery was a whole street in Grafton lined with Bottle Trees. This will be investigated as to why and how and perhaps a bushboy post about the history of the Bottle Trees in Grafton may evolve.
The early morning dew and spiders webs. I can’t resist
Sitting having a cup of tea with my bestie when a large Skink wandered about the garden. Wonderful markings aren’t they?
Would you believe that this tree is called a Cheese Tree?
Just an ant having a swim. He did get out eventually.
The flower and a bee. The flower is on what is called a broad leaf weed which is supposed to be undesirable in a lawn. Look at the bees pollen sacks. I don’t think the bee would be as happy if the “weed” wasn’t there. Think before you mow please.
Just a feather
and another
The Forest Kingfishers have arrived. The male looked about for anything that moved in the grass or the garden.
The colours on his back are lovely.
This photo shows a bit more of the iridescence
Galahs are funny birds. This bloke is sitting on the stock trough on next doors place at my besties
It’s a bit of a way down to get a drink.
Another arrival in Spring are the Grey Shrike Thrush. They are in the trees around the garden and sing in the morning and in the afternoons. What a delight to have in my garden.
The Pied Currawong didn’t mind a bit of rain.
Doesn’t he look great. The black with the red of the Flame Tree
The Fig Bird was spotted eating Mulberries
So was his mate
A Coucal Pheasant came for a visit and sat high in the Gum Tree.
Later on, I think he was checking me out through the undergrowth.
Another October visitor, a Brown Honeyeater
He soon found the bird bath
The Blue-faced Honeyeaters have arrived in numbers to feast on the Honey Gem Grevillea
The female Blue-faced Honeyeaters also drop in for a snack
Remember the post about the Post where the Noisy Friar Bird was chased away by the Spangled Drongo. Here Rainbow Lorikeets get a serve from the Friar Bird. A bit of a peck to the head.
The Rainbow Lorikeets were a bit bemused by all the carry on.
A female Satin Bowerbird enjoyed the nectar in the Yamba Sunshine Grevillea.
But like everyone else, the Honey Gem Grevillea is the best place to get a meal.
Yellow-faced Honeyeaters seem to have a constant scowl on their faces.
I think this Yellow-faced Honeyeater spotted me and my camera
The gravity defying White-throated Treecreeper taken from the comfort of the chair in my office
They are lovely as they hop up and down the trees looking for something to eat.
Another photo from my office chair. I call this one, “I can see what you are doing” is what the King Parrot is saying.
A young King Parrot morphing into a male
Getting a good Eastern Rosella photo quest continues
Out for a drive, we spotted a smallish bird run across the road and into a paddock. A new bird has been seen, an Australasian Pipit.
On another adventure drive, we spotted flashes of green zooming across the road. A flock of Rainbow Bee Eaters were hanging about. This is a breeding pair
Aren’t the males colours amazing?
You may wonder why we are back at a couple of young King Parrots. I thought it was lovely to have them sitting on a hanging pot under the verandah, until I spotted what they were doing
Yes, these “lovely” young birds had eaten half of the succulents in the pot. All around the pot, the succulent trailed over the edge. Can you see the bit trailing over the edge now. This hanging pot is no longer hanging where pesky King Parrots can get at it.
Water drops and new growth
I love the colour of this Succulent. Was tempted to pinch a leaf or two
I love the colours in this photo of a Hanging Violet with red in the background
A lovely Native Geranium growing in the “lawn” Another reason not to mow
Pansies, pansies, pansies
and more Pansies
This year the Silky Oaks flowering was spectacular
A flower of a Succulent
The Budlea flower spike wonderful and smells delightful
Some of the Roses looked a treat this year
A pink Bottlebrush flower
The native water lillies on my dam. Water Snowflake
The rain knocked a lot of the flowers off the Flame Tree. The little cups filled with water
Some native flowers that grow on my place. This yellow beauty is Dogwood
I think this native flower is a Hairy Guinea Flower
I have been encouraging a lot of Egg and Bacon plant to grow on one part of my property. It’s spikey habit is good for protecting small birds when it is in a fairly dense thicket
Plus the flowers are lovely. You can see the sharp points in the leaves
A small pink Grevillea.
My besties flower beds are looking great
and yet more flowers
This flower has caused great excitement for me. This is the first time I have seen a Hakea Florulenta on my property.
Aren’t the tiny flowers delightful?
The early morning fog gives a sense of wonder to start the day
Of course when it rains, you also find rainbows. This one had a faint double above.
Well, the sun is setting and you have reached the end. Well done for sticking around to get to the end and thanks for having a look at my October 2018
Did you have a favourite photo?
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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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This is September: The birds
G’day,
September, the first month of Spring but still no rain. The last drop of rain I have had was 6mls on the 6th July. Good news is there was 21mls over the last weekend. The dry Winter and September didn’t stop the Grevillieas from flowering. I didn’t include many Grevilleas in this or the next blog. You can see them here from a previous blog. But I digress. This part of This is September is just the birds. The next blog is everything else as I looked at the number of photos and there are too many for one blog. I didn’t want your cuppa to get cold scrolling through or fall asleep before the end.
Ready……..lets get going.
The first lot are birds who are not very good at hiding, although some were just sheltering from the heat of the day probably.
The Australian Raven gave the game away by incessantly calling.
The Noisy Friarbird was in the Sweet Pittosporum
The Little Friarbird was hiding behind the Mago
The Striated Thornbill was hiding in the Hibiscus
Can you spot the White-throated Treecreeper?
The Figbird was trying to be inconspicuous
Little Friarbirds don’t hide very well do they?
I love seeing the Variegated Fairy Wrens hopping through the garden. They usually come in small flocks looking among the bushes and flowers for insects or heading to the birdbath.
The females are hard to see aren’t they?
Whereas the males really stand out
They are so cute when they sit together
As the weather has been very warm, almost Summer temperatures, the bird bath was the place to be. The Little Friarbird came for a drink.
Bottoms up
Looking about before having another drink
A Spangled Drongo seemed to have a gargle
While a White-throated Treecreeper jumped in and splashed about
Sometimes you can emerge from the birdbath looking a bit bedraggled like this White-throated Honeyeater
Eastern Whipbirds love the birdbath
Almost ready for another dip
Lewins Honeyeaters like the mosaics of this birdbath
Of course there are birds who live in the water. Darters enjoy a swim
While other birds prefer to be in the trees. Blue-faced Honeyeaters enjoy lunch
Figbirds wonder what other birds are doing
Yellow-faced Honeyeaters like sitting on sticks
A regular Spring visitor is the Rufous Whistler who sing their little hearts out during the day
The Square-tailed Kites have come back to their nest from last year to raise more chicks
Other birds don’t mind a stroll about. A Grey-shrike Thrush hopped about the leaf litter
On their regular patrol around the garden, the Wonga Pigeons stopped for a drink.
A Common Bronzewing takes a walk along the road
I like the first signs of Spring when the Rufous Whistler and the Spangled Drongos arrive at my place. Did you have a favourite bird?
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This is July
At last I am able to sit down and write this blog. I have a chest infection which made my concentration levels drop and a lack of interest in doing anything. Looking at the screen made my eyes sore as well. July was interesting as the days became more like Summer than Winter. There hasn’t been much rain so the garden is suffering. Most of the flowers are from elsewhere, some of the birds are from around here and there is a bit of what is that photo. There is a bit of excitement but that will come later. There are quite a number of photos so perhaps a cup of tea or coffee or whatever you drink while sitting have a look at my July.
This is the view from Raspberry Lookout in the Gibraltar Ranges, about 70kms from my place, which is somewhere to the left of the photo a few gullies over.
I thought I’d start with the bugs I found. A moth isn’t really a bug but an insect but this beauty had to go in somewhere.
We found a caterpillar munching a plant. Look at how much it has eaten for such a small sized caterpillar.
The winter flowering stone fruits are alive with bees.
I was enjoying a cuppa on the verandah when this bloke came buzzing around. I like the confusion of fly and shadow.
At the Raspberry Lookout I found a log. Not just an ordinary log but one that had a lichen that made it look so green.
Can you see the face on this old tree stump. The big cut mark on the left is where the timber cutters used to put a board to stand on to cut the tree down with an axe. The “graffiti” isn’t all that old though.
My bestie found this fantastic leaf.
One day the clouds just decided to look rather special. Something to do with a hot day, cold upper air or whatever.
“What are you looking at?”
I call this photo “The Electric Fish”. I would love to tell you how I took the photo but have no idea. The leaves and flowers were in the bottom of the bowl and the spots on the surface are fish food.
Late one evening when going for a walk, I saw the red and green leaves glowing in the afternoon sun.
A neighbours place glowed in that afternoon sun. This plant is called Firesticks.
I have never looked at a Dandelion flower. Isn’t it beautiful.
In a garden in Grafton the rest of the garden was bare and a few of the flowers were doing their last gasp but this Gazania stood out among the rest.
A fragrant Rose. I love Roses.
The Grevillea flower shone in the early morning sun.
Some birds come back every year to spend Winter here or perhaps just drop in for a snack and rest on their migratory route to further warming climes. The Blue-faced Honeyeaters stay around and nest. The mornings and evenings are filled with their calls.
The Silvereyes flock through, some keep going but some hang around for a while eating and building their strength for the next part of their journey.
The Figbirds are after the fruiting trees in the rainforest gullies. This Figbird seemed to have an interest in a Eucalypt nut.
The Lewins Honeyeater found a tasty morsel in the bark of the tree.
It doesn’t look like it was that appealing does it?
A White-throated Honeyeater, a bowl and a garden bench. There are a number of places where birds can get a drink in my garden.
Going to my besties one day, I came across a flock of Brolgas in a farmers field beside the highway. This is only the second time I have seen Brolgas and to see around twenty was wonderful.
Some birds will do anything not to have their photo taken. The Eurasian Coot did a great dive.
Have you ever been so angry that you just had to shout at a tree?
I hadn’t noticed the rich orange around the eye of a White-throated Tree Creeper before. Since the blog was published, Carol Probets who often lets me know what’s what informed me that this is a Red-browed Tree Creeper. See Carols blog at Lyreades
The Welcome Swallow was ignoring me as he sat on the old bridge watching the workings building the new one.
The Spotted Pardalote had a ritual of checking out the verandah every morning for snacks.
The Grey Shrike-Thrush have set up home at my besties.
Adorable looking birds aren’t they?
The Grey Fantail was a bit puffed up in the cool afternoon breeze.
Another regular Winter visitor to my place are the Noisy Friarbirds. Their calls resound through the forest all day long. These two were having an in depth conversation.
Every now and then a large flock of Yellow-tailed Black Cockatoos descend on the pine trees to feed and then take off to find a place to roost.
The lovely little Rose Robins are occasional visitors. So cute as the bounce in the garden looking for snacks.
This is excitement number one. First time I have seen a Grey Goshawk. It was high in the trees at my besties place.
Excitement number two. The first time I have seen a Fan-tailed Cuckoo. It was so happy to sit on a post and pose for a minute or two at my besties place.
This was the sunset in some of the photos mentioned before. So it must be time to go.
Thank you for stopping by. Drop me a note if you found something that interested you.
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Spring brings life
Spring has begun and is almost over so I better get going and post some of my world in spring so far. There has been a lot happening, too many photos to sort through and making time to write, sort, edit and get it out!!!!
My old friend a few properties down the street is no longer able to care for himself and has gone into a care facility. His garden has been a source of inspiration and his help has made my garden a better place. He was always coming with bulbs, seeds or cuttings some of which have survived the dry periods and some just reappear much to my amazement.
This Iris was one of the first things I saw as I visited him before he left. A stunning splash of purple.
Of course it attracted the native stingless bees
The Grevilleas begin to bud at the start of spring. They don’t look as spectacular as the flowers but have a certain furry interest……
….and then they bloom into the most fantastic flower displaying many hues and colours.
The Honey Gem attracts so many birds to my garden but when you look closely you find some of the smaller creatures in my garden.
Throughout the bush around my place, the yellows and oranges of the Jacksonias splash colour into the bush.
I love the tiny native flowers that appear throughout the bush. This tiny yellow flower is about 10mm in diameter.
Another tiny native that has the most hairy leaves.
I am amazed that the lichen has regenerated from what looked like a dead blob in the grass. A small amount of rain bought it to life.
This is part of my “front lawn” I don’t have much grass and what is here is native grasses. I rarely cut the grass as there are so many tiny flowers that either grow at ground level or are on small stalks. This moss has gone to seed or is it the flowers?
Come spring everyone wakes up. Some like to prowl around the garden and “back yard” looking for things to eat. This bloke was looking for my chooks eggs!!!
One day coming home from town, there was a raucous noise and the sky suddenly was dotted with a huge flock of Yellow-tailed Black Cockatoos. This year there has seemed to be lots of them around. Sometimes in large flock or in just a few, screeching as they wheel about the sky.
I spent ages by the side of the road watching the Yellow-tailed Black Cockatoos argue of the best perch and change trees to find something to eat. Their aerobatics are superb don’t you think?
I am the boss of this tree and can see for kilometers.
Ahh….there is nothing as good as a pine cone.
Heralding in the morning, Kookaburras fill the air with their call. I love the bit of blue on their wings.
The beautiful call of the Grey Shrike Thrush is such a pleasant change from the usual suspects, Friarbirds, Blue-faced Honeyeaters and Ravens.
At my besties, the Emerald doves pop in for a quick drink from the bird bath. THe shimmer of green is eye-catching as they move through the bush.
A rare visitor to my road were these Crimson Rosellas. The bloke up the road put out feed for his horses and a flock of Rosellas dropped in for lunch.
Their colours are very striking. The red can be seen from a distance s they jumped about among the horses.
On a walk up the road, I found a Blue-faced Honeyeaters nest. As I was watching it became change over time.
A keen eye was kept on me before he settled onto the nest.
The best part was the Rainbow Bee Eaters as they swooped around. I played around with my photo program to see if I could get a different effect.
Thanks for hanging out with me for a while.
bushboys world 