Cee’s Black and White Photo Challenge: It’s All About Nature
How could I not resist this photo challenge. Showing self restraint here is a bit of the nature from my part of the world.
Tag: Spangled drongo
This Is My Post
This is a tale of a fence post, a Spangled Drongo and a Noisy Friarbird – as told by the Spangled Drongo.
What started out as a normal day, you know, a bit of flying about, some singing with my mates and looking for insects and other snacks around the place.
I always drop onto this fence post nearly every day. It’s a great perch to see if any insects or bugs are moving about in the garden or on the grass.
As you can see, This is My Post.
A mate was flying past and he said “Hey, can I come for a visit to your post”
Sure, but I don’t really like anyone sitting up here on my post.
Oh, that’s OK. I’ll just hang on this side if that’s alright with you.
And then, out of the blue, this big ugly bloke decides to sit on MY post. Oi, you. Get off my post
Yeah. Right. get down there. This is my post.
Suddenly, he looks at me and of all things, he pokes his tongue out.
Well, that’s not on. You better get off now.
Oh I see. You want to make a bit of a do about sitting on my post do you?
Cop that buddy. Just get away.
No you don’t. You can’t get back on there. This is my post.
OK you. I don’t want to sit on the ground. I am a bird who likes to sit on posts.
Well I am really afraid buddy. This is MY post
I better be off then. I don’t want to sit on the ground and argue with you and your stupid post. I’m going, see ya.
I’ve had enough of hanging around here. I going as well. I will be back later and sit there. Because, This is My Post
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Birds from the Back
The word prompt from Nancy’s Photo a Week Challenge: From the Back
Spangled Drongo
Brown Pigeon
Wonga Pigeon
King Parrot
Osprey
Eastern Yellow Robin
Scarlet Honeyeater
Did you have a favourite? Please let me know.
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This is April 2018
You will be pleased to know that this month I have been picky in choosing what to put on my April post. This is not a marathon so maybe you won’t need a drink and a snack to get to the end.
Let’s get going then.
It’s just a leaf I found. I just love the colours.
There is a whole ecosystem on this fungi
Down the hill from from the above fungi, a whole miniature forest was growing.
I love the sunsets and these grass seed heads.
More grass seed heads against the late afternoon sky. The camera knows how to lie as these aren’t very big.
One of my favourite garden flowers – Cats Whiskers
I don’t know the name of this flower. We call it The Pink Thing. Bees love disappearing inside of the bell or where the flower joins the stalk.
The small flowers of the Bangalow Palm are waiting to burst out. The outer casing had fallen off early in the morning and the palm was full of buzzing bees.
Trying to get some bee photos I didn’t realise I have taken photos of little Dwarf Eastern Tree Frogs. I don’t know if they were hunting bees or other insects
I only found these two but I am sure there were many more among the hanging stalks.
The snail was having a good time exploring the leaf
I found an interesting looking Shield Insect walking along the electric fence tape.
The Caterpillar was quite disturbed at my presence as you can see the red warning bits shooting out. It certainly made short work of the small bush lemon tree’s leaves.
Just a bee getting some nectare and pollen from the Singapore Daisy flower.
In the Fan Palm, I saw a black shape. Now I am sure I will be careful around the palm with Paper Wasps setting up a nest.
I think this is a Lemon Migrant Butterfly among the purple flowers.
I have lots of photos of Brown Ringlets but none taken from the underside. It was almost like a mother of pearl shining in the sunlight.
The Orange Palm Dart flitted around the Pentas flowers.
There is always someone who pokes their tongue out when a photo is being taken.
I seemed to have an obsession in April with spiders webs. The sun glowing gave the web a golden sheen.
This web was damaged by the rain leaving little gems of water on the web.
Some webs were so traditional looking. The tiny spider sat waiting for someone to get snared.
This is a first for me. An Eastern Curlew was walking about the Gulls and Terns.
Some Pelicans had a snooze while others got on with the washing.
This bloke was a bit late but glided in to try and find a spot on the sand bar.
A Lewins Honeyeater was scanning the Fan Palm for something to eat.
The Yellow-faced Honeyeaters loved the bird bath on a warm Autumn day.
After their bird bath, a couple of Red-browed Firetail Finches sat about doing their laundry.
This Red-browed Firetail Finch showed his firetail
A couple of Buff-rumped Thornbills contemplated going into the water
I am sure the Spangled Drongo was ignoring me.
I have been looking for Royal Spoonbills to photograph for ages. I spied a couple in a flooded park in the middle of Ballina. Not in a wetland as I expected but in town with cars whizzing by. A couple of people wondered what I was doing as they went past.
Don’t my orange eyebrows give me a certain something.
I couldn’t not have a post without a photo of everyones favourite Northern Yellow Robin, our little regular garden visitor, Bobbin.
Thanks for stopping by. Did you have a favourite or two?
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Here are the twos
Cee’s Black and White Photo Challenge: 2 Different Things or the Number 2
I often see two different birds at the bird bath. (search on here bird bath to see more in colour) This post isn’t all about two birds and the bird bath, some other twos for your enjoyment as well.
Despite the Spangled Drongos death stare, the Noisy Miner remained oblivious
Sometimes you have to defend your territory even if the other bird is much bigger. The Noisy Friarbird kept harassing the Square-tailed Kite
“Hey Bobbin, what did he write down there?”
There is always somewhere good to perch to see if anyone has any chips.
I thought I really should include some flowers for Cee
A favourite song
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Lines in Nature
The Daily Post word prompt: Lines
Look about.
Lines are everywhere
Lines up
Lines down
Lines around
Lines within
Lines without
Look about.
Look up. Bangalow Palm flowers are about to burst forth – with bonus bee.
Look down. The moss is seeding
Look within. The Rose showing her splendor
Look without. A Spangled Drongo whose lines may shimmer
Look around. Spiders webs are all around.
Look up. The sky is full of lines
My original idea of lines, down the hall and up the stairs. Just had to bung it on at the end
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This is February
Oh dear, another month of photos that is too big. I think I should do a week at a time. I haven’t included the photos from the other posts, just a couple I think. It was a weird month. The days were the usual February hot to very hot days with the rain finally appearing at the end of February.
Perhaps, as usual, a cup of tea or a drink of choice, get comfy and I hope you get to the end without nodding off.
This time I am starting off with insects so those who have an aversion to spiders, moths or flies get your scrolling finger ready to zip past some fantastic photos lol
I found a tiny hairy caterpillar who looked so unusual. Yes I did get a bit close with the lens and the centre section did get a bit squashed by the lens
I surprised a small spider. She ran out to defend her egg nest
Even a hornet has to have a drink on a hot day
One of the more unusual grasshoppers I have at my place
These flies like to bite. The bit of the proboscis that is hanging down has a spike sheathed inside. The other dagger like thing is the antennae. The angle makes them look fierce.
You can see why the fly is angry all the time and wants to bite. A bit of baldness can make anyone cross.
With all the places in the garden to hatch out, these cicadas chose the same leaf
The Line Blue Butterflies had a monopoly in some parts of the garden. This tiny one found a quiet place to sit for a while
A moth, we call a tiger moth, really loved the scent of the Murraya flowers
Looking at a Crow Eggfly Butterfly who was looking at me
This Dragonfly has been in a mud puddle I think
Such a dainty tiny Dragonfly
The fig tree has so many figs which the birds love
Isn’t this Wood Fungus lovely
An old fashioned Hibiscus flower. This is one of the smallest Hibiscus flowers in the garden.
The Leopard Lillies liked the hot weather
So did the Ginger flowers
The Lilli Pilli bush doesn’t flower that much but when it does isn’t it spectacular?
Onto Animals which includes a couple of Python photos so snake phobes get ready to whizz past some really beautiful photos
As it was hot, the Carpet Python came out from the roof space and stretched along the rafter. It must have been quite warm so close to the corrugated iron
When the weather was a bit cooler, the Python managed to knot up into a smallish ball. This is about 2 meters of snake all rolled up
When it was a too hot, the Python decided that Charlies little pond was a cool place to be. Charlie didn’t care and swam about the snake while the snake ignored Charlie thankfully.
Charlie also had another unwelcome visitor. How ugly are Cane Toads?
Enough of ugly, here is some cute. Early one morning, a couple of Yellow-footed Antechinus were hopping around the verandah
When I went into the shed, I disturbed some Lesser Long-eared Bats. Aren’t their little feet lovely?
We are now in the bird zone so those who have been rushing past the previous photos can relax now
A great way to spend part of a hot day is in one of the many bird baths scattered around the place. A Grey Fantail contemplating a plunge
A Variegated Fairy Wren checking out the mosaic bird bath
The little Thornbill jumped straight in, splashing about
A Red-browed Firetail Finch just dunked under to cool off
A Jenny Wren looked on from the safety of the bushes
A Spangled Drongo was looking for some grubs in the Poinciana tree after his dip in the bird bath
The Eastern Yellow Robin took his usual lookout on the garden chair to scan the garden for dinner
We wondered who was making a mess on the car doors early in the morning. I finally was able to catch the culprit – a Green Catbird
This White-headed Pigeon was on lookout at the bird bath while its young one had a drink of water
One morning there was a terrible sound in the garden. There were Ravens calling and flying about. I finally spotted a Channel-billed Cuckoo young who was being raised by the Ravens
The birds were all calling out, making a real noise in the garden. I finally spotted the culprit who set them off. A Pacific Baza was sitting in a tree. Nearby another two were calling as well. They bought their young one to check out the garden.
When I go outside I always look up as often a Wedged-tailed Eagle or two will be wheeling about looking for an unsuspecting snack
I think I was lucky to have everything just right to capture this spiders web. The Primrose flowers add a splash of colour
The door latch from the Cathedral in Grafton. It doesn’t look very worn so I don’t think it is the original but looked quite good enough to photograph
I loved the lighting in the loungeroom one night
Thanks for your staying power. Enjoy a sunset
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This is December
This is just the one big photo blog. I hope you have time to scroll through. It started rather small at the start of December and just seemed to grow as stuff happened. I have included some of the skies that may have been in Beckys Square Sky photo challenge or missed out. I really enjoyed Beckys #SquareSky challenge. Perhaps you may need a pot of tea to get to the end!
Lets go. I love skinks and how they just move about on brick walls.
Come Summer and the Dragonflies are flitting about the garden.
I couldn’t find this Dragonfly at first when it disappeared into the garden.
Summer in Australia with the deafening cacophony of cicadas. When the tree you were in many years ago has gone, make do with anything to get out of your shell.
Brown Ringlets have wonderful “eyes” on their wings.
I was visited by an Assassin Bug who did a bit of fluff cleaning for me.
Mud Daubers make wonderful clay pots to raise their young. They lay an egg in the clay pot, they go about gathering spiders which they comatose for the grub to eat when it hatches.
I have been watching this one build a cone shape on the architrave of the office door.
Some mornings the chicken wire fence has lots of spider webs in the mesh.
What a fabulous green the grasshopper has which contrasts with the yellow of the Deities flower.
I love the Line Blue Butterflys antennae
The Bromiliad flower with a bonus spider shell.
The Stingless Native Bees loved the Day Lily flower.
After the rain, the Crocus flowered much to the delight of the Stingless Native Bees
They certainly have a laconic way of flying don’y they?
The red Dahlia is one of my favourite flowers.
The Tree Begonias supplied a splash of red in the garden too.
It was a great year for the Agapanthus flowers.
A tiny native flower with a fluffy centre.
Another lovely flower I was given from my friend Geoff.
A very pretty Rose in a friends garden.
I think this flower is an Egg and Bacon plant flower.
The Hibiscus flowers welcomed the rain in December.
A field of Daisys on the side of the road.
The Curry Bush had a great flowering last year as well
The storm season arrived a bit late last year but when it came, it was spectacular.
This sky was incredible
And again
I love capturing the suns rays.
The palm leaf had shiny spots of water which glistened in the sunlight.
People must have thought I was mad walking around trying to get the sun in the right spot.
This sunset was amazing. The colours changed every minute.
It’s hard getting a sunrise photo when you live in a forest.
The Spangled Drongo was wondering what I was doing interrupting bath time.
It isn’t often I see a Peaceful Dove at the bird bath.
When White Ibis flocks glide overhead it is just magnificent.
A female Figbird or a young Figbird just getting his red mask.
One day he will look like his dad.
Check out the pants on the Channel-bill Cuckoo
They have a very serious looking bill don’t they?
Rainbow Lorikeets are quite raucous as they nibble about on the Lemon Scented Tea Tree.
I am so glad the Forest Kingfisher has returned this Summer to forage around the house.
An activities box outside of a Cafe in Toowoomba.
The Moon was just wonderful with the coloured rings on a cloudy night.
If pupils were white it could look like an eye.
Some people have said this photo has a Japanese feel about it. What do you think?
Thanks for dropping by
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Arches, Domes and Half Circles
Cee’s Black & White Photo Challenge: Arches, Domes and Half Circles
A varied mix of Arches, Domes and Half Circles from Toowoomba, Florence, Figueres and at my place.
The Arched light support in Toowoomba
Half-Circle handles on the Teapots in the Ground Up Cafe Toowoomba
The Arches in the Toowoomba City Art Gallery
Half Circles graffiti Toowoomba
Arches on the White Horse Hotel Toowoomba
The Dome on the Dali Museum in Figueres
The blue Domes on the Great Synagogue in Florence
A Spangled Drongo wondering if the bird bath is a Half Circle or an upside down Dome
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The nests
The word prompt from The Daily Post: Nest
There are many different nests that Australian birds construct. Have a look at a few that I have found
Yes that is a nest. The Tawny Frogmouth nest is a couple of sticks haphazardly thrown in the fork of a tree
A nest of sizeable proportions is the Osprey nest. This is a nest that is reused all the time.
Nests are for raising babies. Grey Fantail babies are always hungry.
A Spangled Drongo nest is tied to the branches of the Spotted Gum tree.
The male Figbird has his turn on the nest among the Jacaranda blossoms.
I think the Square-tailed Kite, sitting on her nest, has seen me.
Sometimes a tail is all you see protruding from the nest.
The Pied Currawongs nest is very messy but it still is comfort to the young one who wants breakfast.
