rainbow lorikeet – bushboys world

This is December 2018

Published on January 2, 2019January 16, 2019 by bushboy41 Comments

First of all, thanks to everyone who has been part of my life this year. I have enjoyed sharing my part of this world with you. Your comments and feedback has been quite overwhelming at times. I take photos because I enjoy the results I achieve. I have a basic Canon PowerShot SX60HS which takes great macros, amazing telephotos and does everything I could ask, except focus where I want sometimes. Even then the capture can be a photo that goes into my Arty Ones folder. Some of those are posted in a recent photo challenge – Abstract.

On to December. This month was taken up in part with Becky’s great square format photo challenge #timesquare The featured image is one of the photos from Beckys challenge. Sometime last year I made a suggestion for the challenge which I cannot remember.

I have tried to cut down the number of photos but again it may be a bit of long read, so a drink, perhaps a snack may be in order. All settled back and ready. Join me in looking at This is December 2018
Sunrise is always a good place to start

The wind blew the grass seed heads

One morning, the tiny Line-blue Butterflies were all over the grass area while we were having breakfast. They loved the clover flowers.

A Blue-banded Bee made a morning ritual of visiting the Chinese Lantern flowers. I never was ready to get that photo.

A delicate flowering plant we were told was called Herb Robert. A lovely flower and bud.

A Mistletoe Bird was a visitor for a few days

After the demise of the terracotta bird bath, a tempory replacement was found. A Rainbow Lorikeet looks unsure.

Since the hatching of the Brown Honeyeaters, they have stayed around the garden. This is one of their favourite sitting places in the morning.

Luckily one of the Grevilleas is flowering for them.

I love it when you can see our Moon during the day.

Many people call Dandelions weeds. The flowers add a great splash of colour in the garden.

The Bees love the flowers too. Look at how much pollen has been gathered into the bees pollen sacs.

I think it is wonderful.

A Pumpkin display at the markets. So many varieties to choose from.

This van belongs to one of the market stall holders at The Channon markets. I would love this van.

Now Summer is here and it is hot and dry, the birds have to share the bird bath.

Coming in for a landing

“I made it safely….so what are you looking at?”

The Brown Honeyeaters. An adult and one of the young ones. Always look up to your elders.

This is my bird bath the Magpie Lark (or better known as Pee Wee) is telling everyone.

A spot of grub hunting has paid off.

The Cape Chestnut Tree at The Channon Market was in full bloom.

Now for a couple of native flowers I found at my daughters place. I looked in my books to try and identify so I could tell you their names, but wasn’t successful. I will have to ask an ecologist who said I could send him photos and he would try to tell me their names. Isn’t this one pretty?

Like the above flower, most native flowers are quite small. The one above was about 10 to 15mm from petal tip to petal tip. This little flower is about 5mms

Another tiny flower with an amazing structure

Such a delicate ball of even smaller flowers. Each ball is around 10-15mm in diameter.

The Stingless Native Bees just love the native flowers. The flower seems huge compared to the bee
The start of Summer. The Frangipanni flowers around the garden are stating to emerge.

I love the soft pink and yellow of this Frangipanni flower which has a heavenly fragrance.

The pinks and yellows of this one are much more stronger.

The Pink Frangipanni is stunning.

This Poinciana tree I see on the way home was the best I have seen.

The tiny flowers of one of the Tea Trees I have in my garden is waiting for the bees.
This year, my Agapanthus flowers were the best flowering ever. All through the garden was spots of white and blue
One of the blues.

The tree Begonia decided to have another flowering this December.

I have a number of Datura Erecta plants around the garden. The berries looked lovely one morning. I think they may be poisonous as nothing seem to eat them.

If anyone would, it would be a Fig Bird, seen here keeping an eye on me as I walked about.

The King Parrots are starting to want some food as a couple of people who fed them in the street have since moved on. I give them a small amount of wild bird mix occasionally. Actually I hadn’t been home for a couple of days and this bloke came to the verandah and whistled to get my attention

A migratory visitor to my place are Leaden Flycatchers, This female was scouting the verandah for a snack. Yes a photo taken while I was inside at my desk.

One afternoon as I drove through the front gates, a Forest Kingfisher swooped in front of me and sat in the tree, almost like a welcome home.
The Australian Air force is saying goodbye to the fleet of Orions. One of the planes is going to an Air Museum at Evans Head. It flew into Lismore. This was taken from my besties backyard.

The old swimming pool, which is now a frog pond of sorts, is host to so many water insects and frogs. One of the frog species in the pool is the Perons Tree Frog. I think this may be one just emerging from tadpole to frog.

I am unsure who these beastly looking gang are. Hopefully are dragonflies.

Christmas is always a wonderful time in December. I wasn’t in a Christmas mood this year. My bestie had some decorations at her place. An op-shop angel and some lights looked great.

An Australian Lilli Pilli tree in the corner with some little lights mad the room look bright.

The Full Moon, just before Christmas Day was big and bright.

One of the photo challenges was Abstract – see the opening words – I didn’t include this Moon photo as I thought it was rather special and needed to be in my monthly wrap-up post.

I didn’t have my tripod so just had to have a go hand held. At least one turned out OK lol

Summer arrives and the plants start to thrive so along come the Grasshoppers to have a snack. This one likes Basil….or used to.

Another little Grasshopper from my daughters place. Her garden hasn’t been attacked yet.

The Ponytail Palm has so many flowers, the bees don’t know where to begin. I walked outside and the buzzing was quite loud I looked up and the flower spikes were full of bees.

The Blue-banded bee I couldn’t get in the Chinese Lantern Flower didn’t escape my attention as it buzzed about the Basil flowers.

The Hover Fly loved the garden too

The Palm Trees, the water and the ripples

Late afternoon looking from my besties verandah across the paddocks

The December sun is almost set.

Goodbye December and 2018.

Thanks for being a part of my world. I hope to see you again in 2019.

Orange

Published on September 13, 2018 by bushboy12 Comments

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

This is June 2018

Published on July 5, 2018July 26, 2018 by bushboy13 Comments

Welcome to my world in June. Not an abundance of photos this time but I do recommend getting comfortable. June was the month where my bestie sold her 103 year old farmhouse in a Rain-forest, where a lot of bird bath and bird photos came from, and moved into her new place which is similar to my climate. It is a newish house but has a bird bath and a great bird attracting garden. So far we have identified 38 birds, some are in this post. As you can see I have been a bit busy helping move house.

The house is still in a rural setting.
cow_clothes line_named_caniaba_june 2018

This is my first attempt at photographing Dandelion seed heads.
dandelion seed head_named_caniaba_june 2018

One afternoon the sky became fierce looking. Quite an angry face looking out isn’t it?
cloud_named_caniaba_june 2018

The early morning at my place walking through the Blady Grass. It was very dry in the previous months. Green shoots struggled to grow among the dry brown grass.
blady grass_named_home_june 2018

This native plant is growing in the middle of a paddock. The Autumn saw the stalk covered in white flowers. I hope the seeds have spread and not harvested by ants.
seed pods_plant_named_home_june 2018
June is the month for the Lismore, a town nearby, Lantern Parade. I didn’t get many good parade photos. There were a number of Orchid lanterns hanging in the trees in the park where the show and fireworks took place. lantern_named_lismore_june 2018
The fireworks were quite spectacular. fireworks_named_lismore_june 2018

While my bestie was moving house, I was given some, OK a lot, of plants to look after. The Kalenchoe loved being in my sun room and has put on a wonderful display of flowers.
kalenchoe flower_named_home_hune 2018
Winter has also brought some other visitors into the house. I usually have native rodents come into the warmth. I have a trap to catch them and then they get taken back into the bush. This time I have had a House Mouse or two in the pantry. This little fat one, I suspect to be a pregnant female, was relocated up the road. mouse_named_home_june 2018
This is the big section of birds for the month of June

The little Silvereyes have really taken to the hanging pot bird bath and drinking place.
silvereyes_hanging pot_named_home_june 2018

The other bigger birds prefer to use this bird bath. A female or juvenile Satin Bowerbird was chatting to someone nearby.
satin bowerbird_female_bird bath_named_home_june 2018

A Yellow-faced Honeyeater takes a drink.
yellow faced honeyater_named_home_june 2018

A Yellow-faced Honeyeater at my besties has claimed this branch of a tree.
yellow faced honeyeater_named_caniaba_june 2018

There has been quite a number of Yellow-rumped Thornbills around my garden
yellow rumped thornbill_named_home_june 2018

A very cute looking Jackie Winter enjoyed the morning sun on the fence.
jackie winter_named_home_june 2018
While we were walking along a road, we came across a small flock of Variegated Fairy Wrens darting in the grass beside the road. A young one made an appearance on a nearby tree. vareigated fairy wren_young_named_caniaba_june 2018

Of course I couldn’t let a post go past without my favourite, an Eastern Yellow Robin. Sadly we had to leave Bobbin behind so maybe this one at my place will be the the new substitute. I haven’t found the right name yet. Any suggestions?
northern yellow robin_named_home_june 2018

One afternoon a small flock of Red-browed Firetails came looking for grass seeds in the front garden.
red browed finches_named_home_june 2018

A young Lewins Honeyeater found a great lookout atop a red flowering Eucalypt.
lewins honeyeater_red gum flowers_named_caniaba_june 2018

The Rainbow Lorikeets came for the Eucalypt flowers too.
rainbow lorikeet_named_caniaba_june 2018

A Rufous Whistler singing an early morning song
rufous whistler_named_caniaba_june 2018

It was lovely to have a welcome to the new place with a number of Welcome Swallows who zoom around the verandahs and sit on the fence to do their laundry.
welcome swallow_named_caniaba_june 2018

Another bloke who likes to sit on the fence to survey the lawn for insects is the Restless Flycatcher. They make the most amazing sound. I tried to make a video but it wasn’t the best sound quality.
restless flycatcher_named_caniaba_june 2018

An Eastern Rosella wanted to see what we were doing in the new garden.
eastern rosella_named_caniaba_june 2018

At my place, a number of Noisy Miners were carrying on. They didn’t like the Kookaburra being too close to their nests.
kookaburra_noisey minors_named_home_june 2018

I thought it was going to be a cold night after finding a Kookaburra family cosying up for the night in the late evening.
kookaburras_named_lilydale_june 2018

A Pacific Black Duck showing a flash of turquoise as it paddled on the creek.
pacific black duck_named_caniaba_june 2018

A young Straw-necked Ibis didn’t want me to take its photo as it strolled in a nearby paddock.
Ibis_named_caniaba_june 2018

This bloke didn’t seem to mind though.
straw necked ibis_named_lismore_june 2018

The Sacred Ibis look wonderful as they wheel about in the sky
ibis_flying_named_lismore_june 2018

A Common Tern was fishing down by the estuary. Gliding along and then suddemly plumetting into the water. I didn’t see it catch a fish though.
common tern_flying_named_ballina_june 2018

The Moon and a plane.
plane_moon_day_named_caniaba_june 2018

Well the sun is almost setting. Thanks for joining me in This is June
sunset_named_caniaba_june 2018

Hope to see you next month

One day in the Pink Euodia

Published on August 22, 2017 by bushboy14 Comments

I just had to do another blog for Franks Tuesday Photo Challenge: Pink

The Pink Euodia, an Australian native tree in my garden, attracts birds when the beautiful flowers are blooming.

Here is a Rainbow Lorikeet enjoying the flowers
170822_blog challenge_pink_pink euodia_rainbow lorikeet

The delightful Scarlet Honeyeater loves the pink blossoms
170822_blog challenge_pink_pink euodia_scarlet honeyeater

The birds of June

Published on June 30, 2017August 17, 2017 by bushboy21 Comments

It may be Winter, but here, it is the time when birds drop in on their way north to build their strength for the next part of their journey, or stay for the winter in the warm days on the North Coast. The nights can get cold but the days are usually in the low 20’s C with the warmth of sunshine and the number of plants that flower in late Autumn and Winter makes it a good place to stop off. This is not a complete record of birds as there have been birds who I haven’t managed to get in my lens plus there has been some who have just been to fast for me to photograph. Yes I have quite a number of photos of empty branches!!!

This first gallery of photos are the birds from my place.

The White-throated Honeyeaters arrive in the morning and in the afternoon with their chirp chirp chirp as they set about diving into the birdbath or pool to have their bath.

The Yellow-faced Honeyeaters arrive from down south, some stay while others in the flock fly further north.

The Blue-faced Honeyeaters come and go all year depending on what food is available. The Honey Gem Grevillea has finally started to flower after a long dry hot Summer. Look at the pollen dust on his head.

The little Eastern Spinebills are here with the distinctive clicking of their wings as they zip around the garden and their calls echoing in the gullies.

You can judge their size by comparing with the Blue-faced Honeyeater and Grevillea flower above. They really stretch to reach the blossoms at times.

Their plumage is quite pretty don’t you think?

I don’t include many photos of the female Golden Whistler but this one is so cute. They are around the place all year round with their repetitive call which can sound like a squeaky wheel, at times up to twenty single notes.

They also like to land on the side of trees and have a look around.

As do the White-throated Treecreepers who just hop up and down the trees looking for insects under the bark. They have a similar call to the Yellow Robins but not as persistent.

They also like to defy gravity as the give the trees a very thorough checking over.

The tiny Red-backed Fairy Wrens like to explore the lower parts of the forest eating grass seeds and insects foraging among the grass stalks. The Jenny Wren has good camouflage.

The Silvereyes are migrants who stop for a few weeks to gather their strength for their next leg of their journey north.

They are another of the tiny birds around here.

The Red-browed Firetails are another constant visitor to the bush as they move about in small flocks looking for grass seeds. This is a young one as the red brow isn’t as prominent as the adults.

The tiny Striated Thornbills are always around the garden and in the gullies around the house.

They love the birdbath.

Someone who I haven’t seen for quite a while has turned up this month and has been around the garden early in the morning and in the gullies during the day. The Spotted Pardalote digs a tunnel in the side of the gully to make it’s nest. They are so pretty aren’t they?

I think this one saw me as I snuck along the verandah for a better photo.

They can be quite vocal too.

The sounds of Kookaburras signal the start and end of every day. There are about three families that live in the bush around the house and sometimes the cacophony of up to five or six Kookaburras can be quite deafening.

After I took this photo I noticed that there was another two sitting nearby in separate trees. All of a sudden they all flew off into the forest disappearing among the trees.

This next gallery are from my besties place.

The Lewins Honeyeater is the boss of my besties garden. They swoop on most other birds that dares to come into the garden. The Lewins at my place aren’t as bossy.

Can you spot the Varied Triller?

The Grey Fantails are always doing their acrobatic flying around the place catching insects on the wing. A very serious looking bird.

The Golden Whistler is always around the garden and nearby rainforest singing its lovely song.

My besties place is surrounded by rainforest so she has more doves and pigeons than I do at my place. The White-headed Pigeon has a deep sounding whoomp whoomp call. They also fly about in large flocks.

The Brown Pigeon didn’t want its photo taken.

There is always up to ten bar-shouldered Doves foraging on the ground in the garden looking for pecans that have fallen from the tree.

The Whipbirds also enjoy foraging among the leaves for pecans.

While high in the trees the Figbirds look for seeds as well as pecans. This female Figbird found the seeds of an Umbrella Tree.

The male Figbird was more interested in pecans.

The Green Catbird is also interested in pecans. Not long after this photo was taken, so was the pecan.

Another recipient of the fallen pecans is the large Brush Turkey. His strong beak breaks open the pecans and often leaves small pieces behind for the other birds to eat. This one we call Brendan who has taken over the garden and has a mound nest almost one meter tall in the front garden. One day I’ll try to get a photo of Brendan and his mound.

The most exciting discovery was finding a Regent Bowerbird just on the edge of the garden late one afternoon. I only managed to get a couple of bad photos but had to share in my excitement.

We went to Byron Bay one day to shop as we haven’t been for ages and Winter is a good time as the number of tourists is halved at least. The Golden Pendas are in flower and the Rainbow Lorikeets were having a great time screeching at each other.

And of course there are always chooks foraging around both our gardens.

That is a snapshot of some of the birds around here in June. My June photo round-up probably won’t have any birds this year. Hopefully I’ll get to that by next week.

Thursdays Special: Vernal

Published on May 11, 2017June 7, 2017 by bushboy19 Comments

What a great photo challenge from Lost in Translation. Vernal is an inspirational adjective bringing thoughts of Spring – it’s colours and promise of life. It is the middle of Autumn here in Australia, so my selection of photos are from last years spring. Hoping it brings joy to you and your Spring.

The blossoms of the nectarine tree in the early morning

nectarine tree_named_home_july 2016

Of course what would blossoms be without bees

bee_nectarine blossoms_named_home_july 2016

The little native Blue-banded Bee loves to scrunch to get the nectare

blue-banded-bee_blue-ginger_named_home_dec-2016

and of course there are butterflies everywhere in my garden

caper-white-butterfly05_named_home_oct-2016

butterfly01_pentas_named_binna burra_march 2016

butterfly_named_lismore_dec 2015

The birds come for the flowers too

Yellow-tufted Honeyeater

yellow-tufted honeyeater_named_home_may 2015

Eastern Spinebill

eastern spinebill_named_home_may 2015

Scaly-breasted Lorikeet

scaly-breasted lorikeet_named_home_feb 2015

Musk Lorikeet

musk lorikeet02_named_home_feb 2015

Rainbow Lorikeet

rainbow lorikeet01_named_home_feb 2015

Scarlet Honeyeater

scarlett honeyeater01_named_home_feb 2015

jupiter najnajnoviji

Tuesdays Photo Challenge: RBG

Published on April 26, 2017June 7, 2017 by bushboy20 Comments

What a photo challenge!!!! How many photos have Red, Green and Blue colours? I am sure I can find some as I enjoy taking photos of birds and many Australian birds are quite colourful.

But first the jumping castle at the markets certainly has the colours.

bangalow-market_named_bangalow_jan-2017

The Chinese Lantern flower with a background of leaves and sky.

chinese-lantern_named_home_sept-2016

A Blue-faced Honeyeater and the Bottlebrush flower

blue faced honeyeater_named_home_aug 2016

A Rainbow Lorikeet among the Bottlebrush blossoms

rainbow lorikeet01_named_home_aug 2016

The Orchard Butterfly enjoys my garden.

orchard butterfly01_home_named_march 2016

The Musk Lorikeet about to take off.

musk lorikeet02_named_home_feb 2015

The lovely Eastern Rosella striking a pose.

eastern rosella02_binna burra_named_feb 2014

The feathers of a rooster who used to strut about my place. (More about the rooster here)

Look here to see other photos in the Tuesday Photo Challenge RGB https://dutchgoesthephoto.net/2017/04/25/tuesday-photo-challenge-rgb/

This is my August

Published on August 31, 2016 by bushboy5 Comments

August. The final days of winter and the early spring flowers begin to emerge. The weather has been so nice, typical north coast days of mid twenties with cool nights. The nights are cool at my place especially as the cold breezes blow down the Gibraltar Ranges bringing quite chilly evenings and mornings. Didn’t get below zero degrees at the house this winter but there were frosts in the lower part of my property.

As usual, we have been driving around just checking out our world, discovering new things and rediscovering stuff. On one such drive-about, we came across some little Brown Quails warming in the afternoon sun by the side of a back road near Billen Cliffs

Quail are such funny looking birds but have a certain amount of cuteness that makes you smile when you find them bustling about.

The sun was almost set when a cacophony started heading toward us as we stopped at my besties house. The Yellow-tailed Black Cockatoos had come from the pine forest and up to the gums around the house to roost for the night. There were around twenty to thirty birds squawking in the trees. It was getting dark and I was surprised that I managed to get a photo.

At my place, there has been activity among the trees as some of the eucalypts, Tallowwoods and Bloodwoods, are flowering. Most of the birds are here nearly all year round. The Yellow-faced Honeyeaters can be heard chip chip chipping away during the day.

It seems like I have a photo of an Eastern Yellow Robin in most of my blogs but they are such a lovely little bird. This time here is a rear view for a change.

The Grey Fantails are so busy swooping around the garden.

I was sitting in the study when a bird flew up and down the verandah. It didn’t sit still for very long (I have another entrant in “this is where the bird was a second ago” photos). The Spotted Pardalote sat still long enough for a photo through the glass door.

The King Parrots always drop by and have a look through the door to see what I am doing!!!

My besties bird bath has been the source of so many bird photos. The little Striated Thornbill looks like it saw me as it landed on the bird bath.

One drive took us to Ballina where a late lunch of fish and chips by the estuary near where we have a swim in summer. The tide was out and there were a number of waders way out sifting the sand for their lunch. This Masked Lapwing patrolled the area of sand in front of us, wandering up and down. It was funny to see it on the sand and not walking around the grass in the park.

The White-faced Heron was always finding something to eat as it wandered with purpose on the sands.

In a nearby tree, a Little Cormorant gave me a suspicious look, but still sat looking over the estuary.

The butterflies are just starting to be a regular sight in the garden. Don’t you think that the Orange Streaked Ringlet looks rather angry? I liked the colours as it sat on one of the garden ornaments.

One morning the sun filtered through the trees and highlighted some spider webs in the garden. I just had to stop washing up and grab my camera.

I don’t normally have such luck with spider web photos but these two really made my day.

One afternoon driving home along the Gwydir Highway, I spotted something out of the corner of my eye as I went over the Tindal Bridge. I was sure it was Wedged-tailed Eagles but they were sitting on the ground not far from the edge of the road. See my last blog on the Wedged-tailed Eagles if you haven’t already seen it. When they took to the sky it was a magnificent sight.

At my place, the Red-necked Wallabies are always hanging around. This morning, the young Joey was being brave, until they sensed I was watching from the kitchen window. Some days they Joeys have a great time hopping about. A while ago this Joey was having a great time.

“Is he still there Mum?”

“Oh dear. I better hide so he won’t see me!”

The Joey finally decided to sit in the warming morning sun to contemplate the day ahead.

The Bottlebrush had so many flowers this year, it was a magnet for the birds. The Friarbirds had taken over the garden and spent a lot of time chasing the other birds from the Grevilleas and this Bottlebrush. The bees in the Bottlebrush made the garden buzz

Guess who came in for a snack?

The Rainbow Lorikeets certainly add a splash of colour to the garden.

The Friarbirds look so prehistoric don’t they?

The little Yellow-faced Honeyeaters were also chased about by the Friarbirds.

The Blue-faced Honeyeaters didn’t care either way when the Friarbirds carried on. At the Honey Gem Grevillea, their don’t care attitude was evident in The Battle for the Grevillea

Well the sun is going down……….

…….and the Moon is on the rise. Thanks for reading

As I wander about

Published on September 7, 2015September 7, 2015 by bushboy9 Comments

It’s been ages since I have had time to get things sorted, to take time for things and actually sit down to set out to write a bit. I have been taking photos of all manner of stuff – as you will see. It is difficult to have a clear pathway of thoughts, to put ideas down and try to make sense so that you can follow where I have been and what I have seen. Many a time I just take off to see what I can discover and see something that I find interesting, colourful or part of our world that some people would just walk by everyday and not think of the beauty. Perhaps I look at the world in a different way, to imagine in my head what I see, grab my camera and let the lens take me where I think it should go. Enough of a jumble of thoughts – as The Beatles sang

“Thoughts meander like a restless wind
Inside a letter box
They tumble blindly as they make their way
Across the universe”

So lets go across the universe or through a small part of my world. Starting at the beginning. Early one misty morning, some rogue cattle were walking along the road when we was taking a walk.

Further down the road, the spiders webs were all through patches of grass. Small cup shaped webs dotted the side of the road in their hundreds.

As it is still rather cool here I am still out in the bush every couple of weeks to cut some firewood. One morning I noticed the White-winged Choughs doing their daily march along the clearing with their incessent chatter as they kicked over sticks and rocks looking for their breakfast. They had an almost straight line as they marched up the hill.

Sometimes you can look up and see a Spangled Drongo fly past the moon, even in the late afternoon.

I though the Bellwood Cormorant Hotel was rather fab but the double decker Osprey nest near Chinderah has a far better vantage point.

While we were having lunch in the Tweed Heads industrial/shopping complex, we watched as a bird swooped across the car park, grab what we think was a lizard and go back to the roof top and eat away. After I took the photo (OK I took heaps of photos), I discovered it was an Australian or Nankeen Kestral. What a pretty bird don’t you think?

Speaking of pretty, the Emerald Doves are out and about in numbers at the moment. This bird was not all that content having me stalk it to try and get a good photo.

It stuck its bum in the air as if to say “Go on….take a photo of my best side!!!”

This little bird was sitting in the tree singing its little lungs out.

Having a cuppa on the verandah one morning, one of the local King Parrots decided to pop over and see if we had any snacks.

The Bar-shouldered Dove didn’t seem to mind the Brush Turkeys leaf raking exercise. The turkey was flicking leaves so high into the air! The turkey’s litter mound is about 5 meters away from where it was methodically raking leaves.

One morning I found a Rainbow Lorikeet sitting on the ladder in the old swimming pool looking rather grumpy.

OK….now this is where things take a different direction for a while. One day we decided to walk across the Clarence River on the walkway under the Grafton Bridge. The structure has been graffitied over the years and the layers of paint with a bit of rust made lovely colours and patterns.

I like the rust colours.

This green almost looked like moss.

One of the hundred of thousand rivets holding te bridge together. Small but significent.

The walkway along the bridge also had two tunnels at either end which have always been “decorated”. Sometimes some of the graffiti has to be added to doesn’t it?

Othertimes the message is what everyone needs to hear.

One of my favourite cafes in Grafton is the Tilted Teaspoon. Skye has a wonderful sense of decoration with ever changing bits and pieces gleaned from Op-Shops and garage sales.

The water below the bridge has shapes that change as the water ripples from passing water craft. This one is rather spooky.

Speaking of spooky, what is the blue flash that appeared in my besties loungeroom?

I love the “eye lashes” on the bullet hole in the road sign.

Enough of the different stuff and back to colour and nature. The red flower of the eucalypt just seems to burst in a riot of colour.

One of the first flowers that I started to photograph many years ago were the Azalias of the next door neighbours. They had so many varieties that cascaded over the front suburban fence. The colours were superb. My besties Azalias have been a wonderful splash of colour around her garden. The deep pink flowers are lovely. One of the surprises when taking photos is the unexpected bits that are in and around the flowers.

This flower was hidden inside the same bush as the pink one above.

The red Azalias are such a stand out in the garden.

The Irises are dotted through the garden not being showy but adding a bit to the shape and form in the garden. It also is the home for a small spider.

The lillies come in a range of colours. I love these ones.

The yellow Day Lilies bring that end of the spectrum to the garden as they stand tall in the sunshine.

The undersides are just as impressive.

The Nastursiums are just starting to appear. I love their colours and shapes as the sit low in the garden trailing over rocks, logs and borders.

The Pentas are wonderful as so many little flowers gather together in a ball of colour.

These flowers like to look at what is going on at ground level. The little bells cluster together.

This is such a tight ball of very small flowers that have such a lovely scent as you brush past.

The orchids are out now as well. Again, this flower is so small as it spikes out from the plant with it’s almost see through petals.

Walking about, it is always good to look up. The shapes colours and forms of the Foam Bark leaves are great.

A good discovery walk wouldn’t be complete without a fungi find. I have never seen a pink fungi before, have you?

The fire has been lit, giving its colours that always surprise.

Or the swirling shapes where you can see so many different things. What can you see?

Looking deep inside the fire.

The Moon was smiling that night. A glowing grin in the sky.

Well it’s time to sweep and tidy up before I get going. See you next time OK

“Limitless undying love
Which shines around me like a million suns
It calls me on and on across the universe”

The end of May

Published on June 10, 2015June 10, 2015 by bushboy10 Comments

I cannot believe how the months are whizzing by!! I have been meaning to bung a bit about what’s been happening for ages. Life gets in the way of good intentions. There have been some interesting things I have found in my blog stats, especially in what people have been searching for, and ending up at my blog, sometimes in one of the blogs way back in the archive. This has sent me looking at the earlier stuff I have posted. I was thinking of doing a “best of” blog with your favourite photos that you have told me you have liked…..but then again I need a bit of time and motivation to do that don’t I?

This small lot of photos have been sitting here waiting for me to write a few words about them. I love this tiny stem of flowers from a Spider Aloe. I didn’t get back in time to see them open so maybe next year?

The weather in May was a few showers here and there, plus some very warm days, so the fungi has been popping up all over. I love the orange wood fungus. It can always be seen adding a splash of colour in the bush or even on a bit of wood near the chooks yard.

Some of the larger fungus are much easier to spot. I love the frills under the cap.

One of the latest birds to appear in the garden are the Rose Robins. This little one was always on the look out for a snack.

Down by the Clarence River in Grafton, we were having lunch when one by one the seagulls appeared.

Later in the afternoon, having a wander about town, a tree suddenly became the place to be if you are a Rainbow Lorikeet looking for a roost for the night.

I can’t resist putting a Golden Whistler in as they are the bird of the month and are everywhere in the garden.

The only bird who has taken to being in the garden are the lovely Eastern Yellow Robins. I love seeing them hop about the garden.

Here is a close up of that young Rose Robin. What a cutie to have around.

The days in May have seen the Moon setting during the day. I love the blue sky behind the Moon instead of the usual inky blackness don’t you?

Now to get started on the photos and stuff for June.

Thanks for stopping by and if you have a favourite photo from the past please let me know so I can include your favourite photo in the favourites blog.

January 2019
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