Tag: #TheChangingSeasons

This is February 2023

Published on by bushboy45 Comments

I did a bit of hibernating during the middle of the day in February. The mornings were quite pleasant, then the heat of the day arrived, in the low to high 30’sC, and the humidity usually crept up to around 60%. This went even higher if it had rained the day before which didn’t happen very much. This February there was 38mm in total for the month, whereas last year it was well in excess of 500mm. Actually as I write, a storm is brewing like yesterday. Unfortunately yesterdays .5mm was disappointing.

Most of these photos are from around my place. My trips to town I usually continued my quest for window shades for Ludwigs Monday Windows or it was too hot and I scampered home or sat in an air-conditioned cafe. The opening photo is from a cafe where I was having a coffee waiting for my car’s registration inspection to be done.

Some of the other February photos have been sprinkled through other posts so this post isn’t as long as some of my other monthly wrap-ups..

I guess I better give you your song to listen to as you scroll through while looking at the things I discovered in February.

A rainy morning in town. Water drops making patterns on the marble windowsill

I looked out of the door of my office when a Carpet Snake came past in the late afternoon. I know I should have warned you but aren’t patterns and colours just the wonderful on this two metre hard working snake. Unfortunately I had just set some traps on the verandah over the past few nights and caught three Black Rats. I guess their scent was still on the verandah boards.

The resident Laughing Kookaburra on his lookout tree in the front garden. I love watching them as they scan the garden and suddenly drop onto the ground to grab whatever unsuspecting creature happened to move at the wrong time.

A Blue-faced Honeyeater wonders if a better snack may be found over there.

Haven’t seen a Black-faced Cuckoo Shrike around my place for a while then this one turns up and hung about for a few days. Their colours and patterns are lovely. This one was sitting on the edge of the bush and I took the photo from my verandah.

It is always a delight when the Grey-crowned Babblers come into the garden trees to look for insects under the bark. They do quite a good job of bark peeling on their quest. There is a constant chatter while foraging so you always know when they are around. Have a listen – from greamechapman.com.au

The Grey-crowned Babblers live in family groups of between four and twelve so it’s common to see a couple of Babblers digging away together on the same tree. One will call another over and they systematically dig under the bark. Instead of withdrawing their beaks, they flick their heads upwards sending bark flying.

Yes I did try to get an action photo but failed miserably. These two were fun to watch. At one stage the one at the top decided that there was better food where the other one was and just sat on top of him. A bit of get off, no I’m holding on scuffle took place until one of them went elsewhere

The Rainbow Lorikeets are a bit cheeky peeping through the window to see what I am having for breakfast.

This is the first time I have seen a Red-browed Firetail Finch getting nectar or something from the Grevillea. Most times they are hopping along the grass eating seeds and any unfortunate insect who happens by.

I think the Yellow-faced Honeyeater caught me sneaking with my camera while he was enjoying the yummy Ornamental Ginger flowers.

It’s all hands on deck when the Cassia flowers in January. This year the full flowering didn’t happen until February and then the tree was full of bees. The Metallic Green Carpenter Bees are the big fellas among the flowers, while the tiny Stingless Native Bee flies in to get his share

I can’t resist Teddy Bear Bees when they come around to see if the Red Pentas flowers have anything to offer.

This poor old Tree Begonia has had a hard life. Always munched by possums mainly, then, as the Bangalow Palm died during the drought of 2017-19, large fronds dropped on it which broke it almost to ground level. Then I was doing a bit of a garden tidy when I managed to break the whole top off once again.

Here are the first flowers since it was planted probably over fifteen years ago. It is sort of protected by a surrounding of Calathea plants which have decided that that part of the garden is where they are going to really settle,

I have no idea what the Bottlebrush trees are doing. Some of the trees are having another flowering now. I love this soft pink Bottlebrush flower

While all the Flame Trees in town had a spectacular flowering, my poor tree managed to pop out a few bracts of flowers

The Chinamans Hat plant has flowered since it was planted three years ago. I actually thought it was a Butterfly Bush so now I’ll have to get a Butterfly Bush cutting or plant. I would like the pink one I posted for Cee a few days ago that was in the Art Gallery Garden.

I did a Cee’s FOTD post of the Cape Blue Water Lily in the Art Gallery Garden from another angle. This is the whole flower from a different angle.

The Art Gallery Garden also had a lot of the Feverfew flowers

Again, the light on the Art Gallery Garden made the White African Daisy stand out

The Gardenias in my garden also had another flowering in February when it looked like they had finished for the year.

Both of the Pavonia Hastata hibiscus bushes have flowered for the first time this year as well. Such a tiny flower with so much detail going on. the petals are 25mm or one inch

After a few rainy day hot days, there weren’t as many fungi appearing as I had hoped. I did find this one on a morning walk about the garden with another nearby.

I did manage to get away to Ballina for a couple of days. I was keen to get to the sand bar in the Richmond River to see if the Eastern Curlews were still about. They migrate, after breeding, from Russia and NE China to Australia in September and leave Australia in February/March.

“These amazing migrations are among the most awe-inspiring journeys of the natural world, with birds covering tens of thousands of kilometres each year,” he says. One bird, banded in Victoria, was next reported from Yakutyia in Siberia, 11,812 kms distant.” – Dr Fuller

Just strolling the sand bar looking for small crabs and molluscs.

I just love the layers looking across the sand bar towards the far bank of the North Arm of the Richmond River.

While in Ballina I was staying near Lighthouse Beach. I have seen the top of the lighthouse from a few places but have never gone up to the Richmond River Light, as it is officially known and I expected it would be like a regular lighthouse.

You may have seen the black and white version of the lighthouse earlier this month. It has to be the smallest. cutest lighthouses ever and yes it is still active.

While on a walk in the afternoon, suddenly there was a rustling in the undergrowth. A Brush Turkey wandered out from the dunes, then another, then another and another. As I walked along, they followed me. When I stopped, they looked nonchalant. I suspect someone is feeding them.

Anyway. here is a shadow selfie with my four new friends – until they found out I didn’t have any snacks.

I enjoyed sitting on the breakwall watching the various passers-by. There were the exercisers running or walking up to the end and down again, young mums pushing strollers, people on bicycles either fun or exercise, holiday makers and a bloke who gets around on a mobility scooter. Every time if I am there in the afternoons, I see him and say g’day and have a chat.

In the late evening, just as the sun is setting, the fishing trawlers head out for a nights fishing.

I just love how you can see all of the craters of Our Moon. Not a full Moon but it was quite bright.

As the Moon is up, it’s time for me to say goodbye to Changing Seasons for another month. I really do like to know if you have a favourite photo. Which one is yours?

About The Changing Seasons

The Changing Seasons is a monthly project where bloggers around the world share their thoughts and feelings about the month just gone. We all approach this slightly differently, though generally with an emphasis on the photos we’ve taken during the month.

For many of us, looking back over these photos provides the structure and narrative of our post, so each month is different. Some focus on documenting the changes in a particular project — such as a garden, an art or craft project, or a photographic diary of a familiar landscape.

But in the end, it is your changing season, and you should approach it however works for you.

There are no fixed rules around post length or photo number — just a request that you respect your readers’ time and engagement.

Tags and ping-backs

Tag your photos with #MonthlyPhotoChallenge and #TheChangingSeasons so that others can find them

Create a ping-back to Ju-Lyn at Touring My Backyard or this post, so that we can update it with links to all of yours.

This is January 2023

Published on by bushboy49 Comments

Welcome to a new year.

Again another quiet be at home mostly month. The weather started to turn warm to hot signalling that Summer is here. The hot days were just that so time was spent inside in the middle of the day.
Towards the end of the month, the rains came with hot days and afternoon storms, some of which were doozies. Thunder, house shaking a couple of times when the storm was directly over head, not much lightning and torrential rain. So much so that the gutters couldn’t hold the water and there were curtains of water around the house!

OK It’s time to have a look at what I found in January. There were a couple of exciting moments as you’ll see so away we go.

This is your scrolling song which is perfect for the rain I have had so far this month.

The frogs have been loving the rain as well. This Australian Green Tree Frog could have been living in the downpipe and was washed out with the force of the water. Their croaking has been so loud as it echos in the downpipes. They love the rain and that’s when they do their best croaking.

A regular on the verandah, a Garden Skink, who investigates every morning to see if a snack arrived over night

One of the annoying Brush-tailed Possums who clomp around the roof, thump onto the verandah and are generally noisy during the night. I think this female has a young one ready to be born judging by her big belly. When the young are bigger, they ride around on Mums back.

I spotted this unusual shaped insect scurrying across the verandah. Looking at the photo, I saw that it had a spider for lunch. You can see the fangs of the spider under the insect. It was moving quite quickly dragging lunch somewhere safe to consume.

Some of you have seen this Katydid before on a Macro Monday post. The Katydid flew onto my desk one night, no I didn’t jump, why would you ask! It was quite happy for a few snaps until I tried to get too close. The Katydid has already been in battle with a Huntsman Spider or one of the Velvet Geckos that live inside my home.

I chose two views from the kitchen window, the first is a young female who has just arrived as a garden visitor

And the other is the big young male who has staked my garden out as part of his territory

This is the first of the excitement photos. My old mate who lived down the road, gave me a whole lot of plants from his garden before he went into care. This is the first time this lily had flowered. Isn’t it fabulous.

All of the Hibiscus plants are flowering, the pinks and reds and this one is a favourite. It is in a neglected part of the garden (which is the next garden project area) but still has hung on for a very long time. The pink in the centre wrapped in a mass of messy orange petals.

The Ornamental Ginger plants are flowering through the garden giving off a wonderful scent at night that mingles with the Murraya and Frangipanni flowers perfumes.

The big black Orchard Swallowtail Butterflies have been in the garden for a while but in January several arrive and were flitting around the garden. The lone male had company. When I took this photo, there were five butterflies on the Pentas bush.

Thornbills are a regular around the bush and garden. A Buff-rumped Thornbill watched me closely as I walked around the garden.

For a while it seemed like there was a lack of small birds in the garden again. The Currawongs had gone for Summer but suddenly there were lots of small birds hopping around the garden again. A family, a male and five or six females or juvenile Red-Backed Fairy Wrens came looking for grass seeds.

Scarlet Honeyeaters are around most of the time. They are quite small and a flash of a red jewel zooming through the garden is a wonderful sight.

Yellow-faced Honeyeaters have established the garden as their territory but are always bullied by the bigger Friarbirds or Blue-faced Honeyeaters.

Just thought I’d drop in to see if you are still with us.
A Rainbow Lorikeet examines the verandah in case something important may be happening.

The next bit of excitement was that a pair of Brown Goshawks came for a week or so to see what happens at my place. This is a reason for a lack of small birds around the garden I think.
This photo is heavily edited as the Brown Goshawk was in shadow so I had to lighten and correct.

I always knew where they were in the garden because the pair chatted, probably letting each other know where I was in the garden. I thought they may have nested nearby but I haven’t seen them for over a week now.

Another reason the Goshawks may have moved on is the resident Square-tailed Kites may have encouraged them to move on. The Kites have been patrolling the area a lot more so maybe they have young in the nest.

As the Square-tailed Kites effortlessly soar and glide over head, the Noisy Friarbirds who also have lots of nests around at the moment, try to scare the Kites away with lots of squawking and dive bombing the kites if the get too close to the tree tops.
This Noisy Friarbird decided it was time to get out of there real fast. One of the perils of pissing off a Kite

Another Yellow-faced Honeyeater just looking cute and inquisitive

The Spangled Drongos look rather majestic as they check the garden for a snack

Not happy about a photo being taken at bath time. I get “that look” from a Scarlet Honeyeater.

I must tell you that no bird was killed from the incident with the sun room window. It must have been a shock for the poor bird. I didn’t hear anything so I may not have been at home or elsewhere in the garden or shed. There wasn’t a hurt, injured or dead bird in the garden which surprised me

When the storms arrived they were good ones. This storm also was very windy bringing tree down some across the roads to get to the highway as well as across the highway.
I had to go to town and I could just squeeze past the downed trees. On the way home, the bloke next door was finishing cutting the trees off the road. I was thinking I would have to do it when I got home and the day was hot and muggy.

After the storm has passed from over head, the sunset gave the storm clouds a lovely tinting

That’s a quick look through my January. Did you like the song? As always, did you have a favourite photo? Join in The Changing Seasons too

About The Changing Seasons

The Changing Seasons is a monthly project where bloggers around the world share their thoughts and feelings about the month just gone. We all approach this slightly differently, though generally with an emphasis on the photos we’ve taken during the month.

For many of us, looking back over these photos provides the structure and narrative of our post, so each month is different. Some focus on documenting the changes in a particular project — such as a garden, an art or craft project, or a photographic diary of a familiar landscape.

But in the end, it is your changing season, and you should approach it however works for you.

There are no fixed rules around post length or photo number — just a request that you respect your readers’ time and engagement.

Tags and ping-backs

Tag your photos with #MonthlyPhotoChallenge and #TheChangingSeasons so that others can find them

Create a ping-back to Ju-Lyn at Touring My Backyard or on this post, so that we can update it with links to all of yours.

This is November 2022

Published on by bushboy68 Comments

Welcome to the wrap up of my November. It was a rather weird month for me, full of ups and downs. I didn’t take that many photos. Of course this is also part of The Changing Seasons. The details are at the end of this post.

The month was one of change. The first two weeks were almost constant rain, then the rain stopped and the sun came out. Almost overnight the ground dried and the grass started to turn brown, trees started dropping leaves and plants in the garden didn’t take long to droop.

So let’s get going into my November Tale and please enjoy a song while you have a look at my November

I’ll start with the best of #WalkingSquares as most of my photos were for Becky. These photos are the ones that you commented on.

The following photos are others that I set aside for my November wrap. I hope you enjoy these as well

I was pleased to see one of the Red-necked Wallabies in the garden with an over sized pouch. The little one didn’t poke its head out though.

I love how these berries change colour from almost white when they first appear to purple to a dark blue. Lots of birds like them. Not sure of the name of the bush they belong to

There were lots of what I think are Pink Fingers flowers in the garden. They enjoyed the wet first part of November

Native Frangipanni flowers added a lovely scent to the air especially in the morning and afternoon. The flowers start white and as they age, they turn yellow.

The Giant Salvia flowered quite well. Undoubtedly due to the rain. The plants grew to over three metres!!!

I went to the Granite Lookout as I heard the Waratahs were flowering. I wasn’t disappointed. There was splashed of red everywhere at the lookout.

Along the track, the White Tall Everlasting Paper Daisies were flowering everywhere

Meanwhile in Grafton, the Jacaranda Festival was in full swing. I love the contrast of the purple flowers against the grey leaden sky. The day I went in to see the festivities it poured with rain as I arrived and after escaping to a cafe for a coffee, the rain had gone

The flowers after a rainstorm are strewn over everything. Even the vintage cars on display didn’t escape

Can you see the VW Beetle reflected on the VW Kombi?

As I was looking at the cars, a Magpie suddenly appeared and was chasing a beetle (not the car type) and managed to get a snack right in front of me

After the rain had gone the weather warmed up for the last two weeks of November bringing the flies out. This must be the shiniest fly I have ever seen.

A monthly wrap up wouldn’t be the same without an Eastern Yellow Robin making an appearance. I love how they sit on the trunk of a tree. One of my favourite birds in my garden.

In late October I could hear the Wonga Pigeons call in the bush. One day one strolled through the garden.

When the weather warmed up, the Dragonflies seemed to be everywhere.

Well the sun is going down after a stormy day so I better get going.

As usual I must ask if you had a favourite photo.

About The Changing Seasons

The Changing Seasons is a monthly project where bloggers around the world share their thoughts and feelings about the month just gone. We all approach this slightly differently, though generally with an emphasis on the photos we’ve taken during the month.

For many of us, looking back over these photos provides the structure and narrative of our post, so each month is different. Some focus on documenting the changes in a particular project — such as a garden, an art or craft project, or a photographic diary of a familiar landscape.

But in the end, it is your changing season, and you should approach it however works for you.

There are no fixed rules around post length or photo number — just a request that you respect your readers’ time and engagement.

Tags and ping-backs

Tag your photos with #MonthlyPhotoChallenge and #TheChangingSeasons so that others can find them

Create a ping-back to Ju-Lyn at Touring My Backyard or to this post, so that Ju-Lyn can update it with links to all of yours.

This is October 2022

Published on by bushboy24 Comments

Another month of rainy days, at one point it rained every day for just over a week. I did manage to get out and grab a few photos but most are from home. There is quite a number as I just couldn’t whittle it down any more.

A it is Spring there are lots of flowers and of course the birds are coming into the warmth of the North Coast. There has been a few new sightings, some of which have been posted already like the Masked Bee. I had a bit of trouble finding the names of a lot of the new things I found but will name the ones I know.

I hope you enjoy your October song to listen to while you scroll through my October

As the month went on, clouds appeared. This one is a great one for those of us who see shapes and faces

Sometimes when the sky was clear and blue I walked about always looking around when the resident Square-tailed Kite was circling over my place

As the month went on the clouds increased making wonderful shapes against the blue sky

When the rain came there was always the opportunity for rain drop photos

Spider webs with tiny water drops is always a favourite

I love the perfectness of webs. This one had a rainbow effect which is only faintly seen in the photo. All of the following spiders are about 20mm in size so no need to be frightened of their beauty.

Sometimes the spiders just seemed to hang in space with no visible support

Just as I took this photo that small brown leaf, at the bottom of the photo, dropped onto the web. The speed in which the spider went to investigate was amazing

I found this weird little lump scuttling around the plants leaves in the garden, hence the blurriness of the photo. A spider with a unique defence mechanism to deter predators, he is called a Bird-dropping Spider. When I went to find the actual name I put in Bird Poo Spider which I think is more fun.

I think may be the first time I have photographed a butterfly from underneath with the sun behind. It is a Brown Ringlet which when view from above is a dark brown with two yellow spots on the edge of the wings

Another new insect in my garden. A Colourful Broad-headed Bug which are sort of related to Assassin Bugs

A Dingy Skipper Butterfly hanging around on a Hoya flower

Even though it had rained in the morning, when the rain stopped the bees came out for a quick flower investigation. This bee disappeared right up into the Salvia flower and I waited for ages for it to back out.

The Bottlebrush trees have been continuously flowering for a lot of this year. I actually found new flowers on another Bottlebrush this morning. The bees were a loud buzz around the garden when the sun was out

Of course the Honeyeaters love Bottlebrush nectare as well. The little Yellow-faced Honeyeaters have been around the garden for most of this year

Of course when I was wanting a photo of a bird on the Lilli Pilli flowers I couldn’t get one. Then the Brown Honeyeaters arrived in October and found the Lilli Pilli flowers

The Scarlet Honeyeaters have been here since September and this was their favourite Bottlebrush tree. This shows the size of the Scarlet Honeyeater compared to the size of the Bottlebrush flowers

Leaden Flycatchers are a common Springtime visitor to the garden

Laughing Kookaburras are always here with their waking up and end of day calls. I love how this one is just sitting on the post. Judging by the full looking crop, I would say he has had a good feed and it letting the food settle before going on the hunt again.

A pair of Spangled Drongos arrived for their Spring residence. I hope they found a good nesting spot this year

You can see why the are Spangled Drongos, such beautiful feathers

The number of Red-Necked Wallabies in the garden has declined over the years. This female seems to be one who stays around in the bush and visits often. I suspect the neighbours next door are feeding the Wallabies hence their lack of coming here.

I am sure this is her mother with the damaged ear who also hangs around

Enough of my place. We found this bull just resting in the front paddock of a house. At first we thought it was a big dog as we drove past. Isn’t he handsome

Spring time brings new leaves. These ones unfurl with a light pink and then turn bright red before becoming green

The Dendrobium Yukidaruma Orchid looked lovely cascading down the pot on the front verandah

The Daisies lit up the garden

As did the Gerberas

The scent of Jasmin filled the air

I bought a selection of miniature Geraniums for the garden. I have to be quick to see the flowers as either Wallabies or Possums like them as well. It looks like they will need little fences.

This year the tiny Drimiopsis maculata, a bulb from South Africa. I had a few in a pot and when I re-potted some of the small outer bulbs dropped off and now I have a few patches of plants in the garden. I can see why it is sometimes called Little White Soldiers

This has been the finest year for the Canna Lillies. Most of the plants are taller than me this year.

All of the Bromiliads flowers this Spring as well. This is probably a Neoregelia compacta Bromiliad

The Common Hovea have appeared for the first time in the garden although they are in the bush around the house.

The Tree Bauhinias flowers are quite spectacular this Spring. The plant has more flowers than before

There is a little pond at the Grafton Art Gallery and the Cape Water Lillies are starting to flower.
This is a phone photo

I love the White Dogwood flowers, sometimes called Rice Flower. The road to my place is lined with lots of white flowers. I have a few growing on my place

Another Dogwood, this time a Yellow Dogwood or Jacksonia scoparia. Another favourite tree which is covered in yellow flowers in Spring

I found this flower growing on the side of the road. I don’t know what it is called but it is quite pretty with its composite flowers. Must be small spiders in there as well with haphazard webs

I love Yellow Buttons as well. They are growing all over my place and I am yet to try and transplant some into my garden. I didn’t notice this one had some sort of insect on it. The yellow ball flowers are about 5mm in diametre so whatever that insect is, is rather tiny as well.

I did mention that it is Jacaranda time in Grafton, my nearest town. The streets are lined in purple and the grouns will be covered in a carpet of purple as well soon.

The red of Flame Tree flower look rather spectacular against the purple of Jacarandas

I love the purple against the blue sky

Did you know there are White Jacarandas as well. There are a few planted around town

While out spotting White Jacarandas, I saw a Magpie gathering nesting materials

Native Frangipani, Hymenosporum flavum, flowers have different stages. They are a greenish at first, then turn white and then yellow. They are small flowers and what the have in common with other Frangipanis is their scent.

The flowers also do water drops quite well

Another plant that has great water drop potential are Elkhorn Ferns. Their strap like leaves are perfect for holding water drops

One afternoon there was an orange glow shining into the house. I grabbed my camera and went to see what the sky was doing. I managed to get a bit of the sky and clouds and then had to turn around because

behind me the sky was purple and I could see a faint rainbow through the trees. Not long after the rain came pelting down again.

I see you are still with me. I hope you enjoyed a scroll through my October. As always, I like to know if you had a favourite photo

About The Changing Seasons

The Changing Seasons is a monthly project where bloggers around the world share their thoughts and feelings about the month just gone. We all approach this slightly differently, though generally with an emphasis on the photos we’ve taken during the month.

For many of us, looking back over these photos provides the structure and narrative of our post, so each month is different. Some focus on documenting the changes in a particular project — such as a garden, an art or craft project, or a photographic diary of a familiar landscape.

But in the end, it is your changing season, and you should approach it however works for you.

There are no fixed rules around post length or photo number — just a request that you respect your readers’ time and engagement.

Tags and ping-backs

Tag your photos with #MonthlyPhotoChallenge and #TheChangingSeasons so that others can find them

Create a ping-back to Ju-Lyn at Touring My Backyard or this post, so that we can update it with links to all of yours.

What’s going on

Published on by bushboy78 Comments

You may have noticed a lack of participation on my blog for the last few days. On Sunday my satellite feed stopped due to a major power outage.

I have been checking comments as the scheduled posts have gone out via my tablet which is difficult as the signal isn’t that good out here in the bush.

My end of the month posts probably won’t be very prompt and will be in October at this stage as I will be away on the weekend as well.

This is August 2022

Published on by bushboy67 Comments

A bit of a quiet month for me. The days have been lovely so I have been in the garden or wandering about town – actually a quick coffee and shopping. There was a few days of almost rain. Enough to discourage taking the camera out.

As the nights have been quite cold, a lot of my days were spent with chainsaw in hand and gathering firewood, then splitting the rounds for the fire. This is a good bit of exercise plus pushing a full wheelbarrow of the split wood up to the house.

I have acquired a new friend but more about her later.

Here is your August song to help you get through this post

I have had some feral cats in my yard during the month so I set my live capture trap with a can of cat food in the hope to get one. I checked the trap and it hadn’t gone off but the food was gone. I immediately suspected rats so out with the smaller live trap just in case it wasn’t a Ratus ratus.

Here is the little one I trapped. It isn’t a Black Rat but not sure what it is, so I let it out in the bush nearby. Isn’t it cute?

OK lets start with a few flowers. The Grafton Regional Art Gallery is finally getting the gardens together. Some bulbs popped up and looked so good.

A house nearby has some lovely Hibiscus

I am not sure what flower this one is. It looks like a Purple Violet but the leaves are different. This just popped up in a new garden bed we made a few years ago.

This Winter is the first time the Giant Salvia (my name, not sure what they are really called) have flowered. The plant has really big leaves and is now over two metres tall.

This year being wet and now dryish has confused a lot of the plants in the garden. The Grevilleas and Bottlebrush have been flowering nearly all year now. The birds are loving the flowers and this pink Bottlebrush is a favourite of the small birds.

The small Nectarine and Peach trees have had a blossom bonanza as well. The bees are all over the trees.

The flowers look so lovely.

On one of my days in town, I decided to have a bit of a photo session of the Grafton Goal, some photos I have already posted (Thursday Doors) and there will be some more over the next week or so.

The crown above the gates looks like it has been recently refurbished. It is quite a grand Victorian building.

Walking around town, I spied a teapot on a fence. It was near a cafe and I forgot to ask if they put it there to attract customers.

Also just sitting there was a Pied Currawong in my garden. It is sitting on a dead palm that didn’t survive the drought at the end of the last decade. Pied Currawongs come down from the mountains when the weather gets cold.

Last week a couple of Yellow-tailed Black Cockatoos decided to stop over for a rest and a snack. This one just seemed to sit in the tree and didn’t do much at all.

Whereas it’s friend decided to gnaw at a tree. They listen for grubs in the tree and then commence to dig the grub out.

Stopping long enough to admire it’s handiwork.

and then back into hacking into the tree. By the time the Yellow-tailed Black Cockatoo finished there wasn’t much tree left but it is still standing. I am waiting for a strong wind to see if it comes crashing down. Luckily it is not in a part of the bush where I walk.

I have a number of bird baths scattered around the garden but some birds, like these female Satin Bowerbirds seem to like this rusty old drum

Yes the Whipbirds are still coming into the garden to forage. One day I hope to be outside and in a spot to get a photo and not through a window

The King Parrots are still around as well but not in the same numbers as last month or earlier this month. This female King Parrot sits outside of my office and ever now and then knocks on the window to get my attention to let me know the feeder is empty.

Remember I mentioned I have a new girlfriend? Well this is her. I came home from town one day and noticed a Brush Turkey walking across the garden and head down into the bush. I have never had Brush Turkeys on my place before so this was strange to say the least. Over the next few days I saw her in the garden sometimes pecking under the bird feeders getting spilt seed.

Over the weeks, she has gotten used to me and now hangs around me when I am in the garden or splitting firewood in the hope I’ll turn up insects. When I came home from town this afternoon, there she was on the verandah so she is becoming bolder.

I suspect she has been hand reared and has been dumped. People often dump birds and animals out my way but this is a rather strange one to say the least. As she looks like staying around I have named her Betty – Brush Turkey ➡ BT ➡ Betty

I saw a few Pink Galahs on a patch of lawn in nearby town, Lawrence. It was a case of “Hey bud, no paparazzi” as they walked down the hill

One day I looked at the sky and saw these clouds, grabbed my camera and started taking photos. People on the street wondered what I was doing, looked up and remarked to each other how wonderful the clouds were. Would they have noticed if they didn’t see me looking skyward?

Well speaking of looking upwards, the Moon is up in the morning on this day but even so once the Moon is up it must be time to finish off and get to bed.

I hope you enjoyed my August.

I hope this finds you serene and at peace with all that surrounds. Did you have a favourite?
Perhaps you would like to join us with your Changing Seasons post?

About The Changing Seasons

The Changing Seasons is a monthly project where bloggers around the world share their thoughts and feelings about the month just gone. We all approach this slightly differently, though generally with an emphasis on the photos we’ve taken during the month.

For many of us, looking back over these photos provides the structure and narrative of our post, so each month is different. Some focus on documenting the changes in a particular project — such as a garden, an art or craft project, or a photographic diary of a familiar landscape.

But in the end, it is your changing season, and you should approach it however works for you.

There are no fixed rules around post length or photo number — just a request that you respect your readers’ time and engagement.

Tags and ping-backs

Tag your photos with #MonthlyPhotoChallenge and #TheChangingSeasons so that others can find them

Create a ping-back to Ju-Lyn at Touring My Backyard and/or this post, so that we can update it with links to all of yours.

This is June 2022

Published on by bushboy62 Comments

A wonderful start to Winter in my part of the world. The rain has stopped for the moment. The days are in the low 20’sC with cold night into single figures necessitating lighting the fire giving a warm glow to the loungeroom.

I have managed to get out for a few little excursions as well as take photos at home. A lot of time has been spent cutting and splitting firewood with a few delays as I have me camera with me just in case something happens – or has been the case a few times not have it.

I hope my June song to scroll with works for you. Please enjoy

I did make it out for a quite pastel sunrise. Something to begin with for having a look at what I found in June. I loved the lines across the sky.

Someone else was enjoying the early morning as well aboard their yacht

The sparse vegetation on the point at Wooli really does take the brunt of wind and water

On the other side of the point, the river winds its way to the sea. A Striated Heron took a stroll while the tide was out looking for lunch.

In the morning at Iluka, a fluffed up Pied Butcherbird warmed up among the Banksia trees

There was a look at the works the Iluka Landcare team had been doing planting Red Gums to increase the Koala habitat. While we were there looking around I spied a Pacific Baza. Later on her mate appeared and landed on a branch above her.

In the late afternoon a White-cheeked Honeyeater sitting atop a Banksia sang to the setting sun

A Silver Gull basking in the afternoon sun on a wharf post.

An Australian Pelican kept a wary eye on me while resting on the old wharf post

A nearby Darter was stretching probably contemplating heading off if I came any closer

There are all manner of ways to secure your craft at the wharf. I was attracted to the rust.

Overhead an Osprey patrolled the beach looking for breakfast

Back in South Grafton the copious amount of Little Corellas wheeled about before landing on their roost or in the paddock to scour the ground for seeds and grubs. Little Corellas are migrants who arrived on the coast after a very prolonged drought over the ranges. They liked it so much they never left, built up numbers and can now be found all along the coast.

The Little Corellas were flying over this part time wetland. The Black Swans had a nest among the reeds in early June. The Pacific Black Ducks were always around looking for a meal as well as other water birds. Towards the end of June the paddock dried out and the farmer let a few cattle in to graze. Unfortunately all the reeds you can see were eaten down to almost ground level. I fear that the Black Swans nest was disturbed, perhaps even trampled by the cattle as I never saw any Cygnets.

One surprise when I went to a small village, Diggers Camp, was this Pheasant Coucal hunting for insects. He didn’t even care about me walking about.

This little Superb Fairy Wren female, called a Jenny wren, blended well with the grass at Iluka as she foraged for food.

While this Jenny wren kept an eye on me at my place as I walked through the bush.

She was making sure I didn’t get too close to her babies

A Red-browed Firetail Finch took in the afternoon sun

A Grey Butcherbird stayed in the shadows while looking about for food.

Standing on your head to get some nectar an Eastern Spinebill enjoys a Bottlebrush in my garden.

Walking down my street I saw a Jackie Winter was just sitting on the wire fence

On the way back, a Restless Flycatcher was intently watching something while sitting on the wire fence.

I often have photos of Satin Bowerbirds but rarely have a male and a female in the same photo. They were hanging around the tree near the verandah. This photo is through my office door while sitting at my desk. I love lazy photography.

I had been putting out some bird seed on the verandah to see who was around. The Male Satin Bowerbird and a Blue-faced Honeyeater came for an inspection.

A young Blue-faced Honeyeater and a King Parrot looked hopeful.

A juvenile King Parrot just getting his adult feathers hopped about the verandah.

The Firesprite Grevillea is having a fantastic flowering. A number of the smaller honeyeaters are able to sit on the flowers. This Eastern Spinebill was always chasing the Brown Honeyeaters away from “his” flowers.

All of the Grevilleas had a good flowering in June. This one was a rescue plant that has done well.

The Coconut Ice Grevillea also having a great season.

In the Iluka Rainforest some of the old fallen trees have some wonderful wood fungi

The wood fungi at my place has been bright orange

OK Now for all the people who don’t like spiders get that scrolling finger ready to zoom past this beautiful Huntsman Spider I disturbed when I was cleaning up around a shed.

Here is your second warning…..you know who you are.

Ready, steady……scroll

Now for a bit of arty farty. Looking deep into a stump and a cascade of moss with a rim of lichen.

A stick on the beach

She Oak needles with a blue sea and sky – Minimalism

Sunset through the trees with some ICM (Intentional Camera Movement)

Looking out of my kitchen window at the Red-necked Wallabies grazing in the garden

I love a foggy morning. Looking down the hill near my shed.

Well it looks like the sun is setting so it must be time to get going. The sunset at Iluka was a treat.

The Super Moon was supposed to be a wonderful sight. This is the best I could do. Goodnight and see you next Changing Seasons for a wrap-up of what I found.

Of course I would love to know what your favourite photo is.

The Changing Seasons

The Changing Seasons is a monthly project where bloggers around the world share their thoughts and feelings about the month just gone. We all approach this slightly differently — though generally with an emphasis on the photos we’ve taken during the month.

For many of us, looking back over these photos provides the structure and narrative of our post, so each month is different. Some focus on documenting the changes in a particular project — such as a garden, an art or craft project, or a photographic diary of a familiar landscape.

But in the end, it is your changing season, and you should approach it however works for you.

There are no fixed rules around post length or photo number — just a request that you respect your readers’ time and engagement.

Tags and ping-backs

Tag your photos with #MonthlyPhotoChallenge and #TheChangingSeasons so that others can find them

Create a ping-back to Ju-Lyn’s latest post or my post, so that we can update it with links to all of yours.

This is May 2022

Published on by bushboy45 Comments

Well another wet and rainy month. Not as much rain as the previous three months but enough to keep the ground sodden. I didn’t take a lot of photos and some I did take just weren’t all that good as the light was quite poor.

Some of these photos have been enhanced using my photo editing program. Some people have asked what I use to edit my photos. I use Corel PaintShop Pro Ultimate 2022. I used to use Corel when I was working so it made sense to use the same program only a better version. I have used it since 2009 and upgraded every year as some of the function change and improve.

Trying to think of a May song for you to scroll to. Arcade Fire’s Month of May is a bit fast and you might get scrolling in a rapid fashion but I really like Arcade Fire. ACDC’s Stormy May Day seems appropriate being Aussie and the weather but not all enjoy ACDC. So I went for something a bit gentler and also a band who started their career in Australia with one of their lesser know songs which I love. Enjoy your scroll while having a listen.

I managed to get away for a few days to visit a mate at Port Stephens. I started my drive in rain and after a while the skies cleared and I was lucky enough to have a couple of days in sunshine.

This is sunrise from his place. So as the sun is up, lets go.

We went for a picnic and saw a White-bellied Sea Eagle cruising the shore line.

Meanwhile back at home the rains continued and again the Clarence Valley experienced a minor flood. Previous floods in March, the water went over the pylons but under the Grafton Bridge.

The Pacific Black Ducks didn’t seem to mind the high water.

I had fungi popping up around the place but not as much or as many as I thought. Possibly as it was wet and not much sunshine or heat in the soil.

I love the colour and frills on this little fungus

When I went to clean out the leaves from my water tank strainers, this big fat Green Tree Frog was sitting on the tank. It was not a good idea as a bird would have loved to make a meal of it. This photo was taken in my green house where I relocated the frog so it may have some insects to snack on as well be safe.

While in the shade house I took a few photos of the Begonias and the flowers. This is one is the better photos of Wax Begonia flowers with some water drops.

Water drops were everywhere and it was hard not to try and get a few photos despite the dismal overcast days. This orange Hibiscus has loved all the rain and has flowered better than ever.

I saw sparkles when one evening the sunset looked spectacular through the trees

This year the Zygote Cactus are flowering so well. I love this apricot coloured one which is a new one in the shade house getting started. Also has water drops all over.

I had this Zygote on the verandah and it wasn’t happy so I put the pot in the garden. It certainly enjoyed a change of scenery.

The Satin Bowerbird didn’t seem to mind when the rain started to fall. He was more intent on enjoying lunch.

Christine – Stine Writing – said she didn’t know that birds, other than parrots, could be green when I posted a photo of a Green Catbird Well here you go Christine here’s another one. A female Satin Bowerbird in the tree outside of my office.

The Satin Bowerbirds liked the fruit of the Benjamina Fig Tree

The Benjamina Fig Tree had a fantastic fruiting this year as well. The fruits are around 10mm and when they fall the Peaceful Doves walk around under the tree eating the fallen fruits

The little Silvereyes liked eating the figs too and then pop over to the Grevilleas for a bit of a sweet drink.

The bees enjoyed the sweet nectar too. Here a couple of bees shooting are the breeze over a few drinks.

The Chinese Lanterns looked good in May and continue to flower.

The Cats Whiskers are having a full on flowering too. After this flowering I will have to get some cuttings as I love Cats Whiskers as do insects. Unfortunately the Red-necked Wallabies like them as well so I have to fence the plants.

Through the bush the Egg and Bacon plants are flowering. Some are covered in these tiny 10-12mm flowers other plants have less numbers of flowers but are showy nevertheless.

At this time of year, the Eastern Spinebills turn up at my place. This Spinebill enjoyed the Pentas flowers in the garden.

One exciting thing to happen was that the Eastern Whipbirds that live in the gullies around my house have started to come into the garden. They are quite allusive and move rapidly through the undergrowth occasionally giving off their whip cracking call in the bushes. I managed to get this photo from my verandah.

The Golden Whistlers are in the garden too. This female was quite happy to pose for a few photos before flying off into the bush.

Sometimes the birds come to me. This Blue-faced Honeyeater flew onto the verandah to come to see what I was doing in my office.

What has been lacking for a lot of this year has been Red-necked Wallabies around the house. I was pleased to see a small mob turn up for a couple of days and one female had a joey. I grabbed a photo from the verandah down toward the end of the garden just as they were hopping away.

I was so glad that they turned up the next day and were in the garden for quite a while. The little Joey was quite adventurous and hopped away from Mum but not too far. Yes another verandah shot.

I did get out a couple of times and again I had a sunny day when I left the rain at my place and went to see a mate who was holidaying at Woolgoolga. On the way home I stopped at the lookout and there was a pair of Australasian Pipits hopping around the car park.

Another car park stroller. This time at the riverbank in Grafton while I was checking out the floodwaters a Crested Pigeon just walked past.

Another bit of excitement was when I was driving home from town one afternoon and I saw a Black-necked Stork in a flooded paddock that has turned into a quasi wetland. That is where I took the photos of the Black Swans recently. This time she was close to the road so I managed to get quite a number of good photos.

The Black-necked Stork is the only species of stork that occurs in Australia. Its name is a little misleading, as the bird’s neck is not black, but an iridescent green-and-blue sheen. I only just found out that the female has a yellow eye.

Another bit of excitement was hearing a sound in the garden late one afternoon and seeing a shape moving around the garden. I realised it wasn’t a Wallaby and saw a Northern Bandicoot looking for dinner in the garden. I rarely see Bandicoots but know they are around by the holes that are dug around the garden looking for worms and grubs.

The only other time I have taken a video of a Bandicoot in the chook house in 2014. You can see that this one is a female as there is movement in her pouch.

I think this could be a male but it moved quickly and I didn’t get a good look at it. When it stood on it’s back legs to see what it heard in the garden, it had its back to me. Males can weigh up to 3kg

As I mentioned before, one evening there was a spectacular sunset. I don’t get to see sunsets and sunrises living among the trees in the bush or forest, so when I do they are spectacular.

About The Changing Seasons

The Changing Seasons is a monthly project where bloggers around the world share their thoughts and feelings about the month just gone. We all approach this slightly differently — though generally with an emphasis on the photos we’ve taken during the month.

For many of us, looking back over these photos provides the structure and narrative of our post, so each month is different. Some focus on documenting the changes in a particular project — such as a garden, an art or craft project, or a photographic diary of a familiar landscape.

But in the end, it is your changing season, and you should approach it however works for you.

There are no fixed rules around post length or photo number — just a request that you respect your readers’ time and engagement.

Tags and ping-backs

Tag your photos with #MonthlyPhotoChallenge and #TheChangingSeasons so that others can find them

Create a ping-back to Ju-lyn at Touring My Backyard or this post, so that we can update it with links to all of yours.

This is April 2022

Published on by bushboy53 Comments

April was another wet month but not as wet as March. The ground around the house is still soggy thanks to rain last night. Thankfully a few days of little or no rain made it possible to mow the jungle around the house but it is still too wet to get the chainsaw out to cut firewood for Winter.

I have lots of logs to choose from nearby that have been the fallen trees after the fire. They are nicely seasoned now and will make good burning timber once I can get to them.

Here is your April music to scroll through the photos. I think you will enjoy this one. I haven’t heard it before so a new one for me too.

Here’s an appropriate car so jump in and let’s get going.

Tiny wants me to get off the computer and hand out some seeds for his breakfast.

Another photo from my office. This time through the door of a Satin Bowerbird.

Lots of birds have been making Durranbah a place to rest, eat and have a bit of a song. Golden Whistlers songs fill the bush. This is a female Golden Whistler

The little Brown Honeyeaters like to sip from Pentas flowers

Especially in the early morning

It was good to see a group of Grey-crowned Babblers in my garden

They like to rip apart the Stringybark trees looking for insects or walk about on the ground flicking over leaves and bits of bark.

Another visitor is a number of

Sometimes they look quite serious

A little Silvereye was digging around in some leaves that were bound with web. I kept watching and it found lunch

Always have to include my favourite in the garden, an Eastern Yellow Robin

I heard that the Magpie Geese had arrived at a wetland near Casino, about 100kms north of my place. There is a wetland near Grafton where they spend their Winter so I went to see if they had arrived. I found an Australian Raven silhouetted in a tree on a grey day.

There were a flock of Plumed Whistling Ducks

and a large group of Magpie Geese

They kept on flying in. It looks lie a sequential shot but it is actually three Magpie Geese

In another piece of still inundated farmland in South Grafton, a Pacific Heron is getting lots to eat. I drive past this place when I go to town. This morning I went in early and was able to get a few photos of the birds who I have seen there in the past few times heading into town.

I was so pleased to see a pair of Comb-crested Jacanas foraging among the reeds

There were a number of Black Swans foraging as well

Soon she was joined by her mate

OK back at home there have been a few butterflies but not as many as I would have tough. Probably because of the rain. I was happy to see a Wanderer

The strange looking Leafwing Butterfly was heading past and stopped for a photo

There were a few Black Jezebels in the garden. This one stayed for a while on the Bottlebrush flowers.

This is what the Black Jezebels look like with their wings folded.

This is the inside view. They are like this because when they fly it is similar to a strobe effect to confuse predators.

One of my favourite bees, a Teddy Bear Bee zooms in on a Pentas flower

While my other favourite, a Blue-banded Bee enjoys a Salvia flower

Over at the dam the frogs aren’t as vocal but the dragonflies are in abundance. A Black-headed Skimmer found a twig to rest upon.

A Red Skimmer decided a reed was the place of choice

It took a lot of photos to get a dragonfly zipping around the dam.

The Cape Waterlilies are in bloom this Autumn

I have a couple of Golden Corn plants and this year they have flowered

The Pink Trumpet bushes have had one of the best flowering. Looks like I need to water them a lot more to get lots of flowers like this. The bushes have hundreds of flowers

It is always lovely to see native flowers pop up

I was sitting at the computer when this bloke decided to walk around my desk

Well, Our Moon is up, so I better get going. I hope you enjoyed a look at what I found in April. As always I would like to know your favourite photo or photos.

As always join Ju-Lyn from Touring My Backyard for The Changing Seasons

About The Changing Seasons

The Changing Seasons is a monthly project where bloggers around the world share their thoughts and feelings about the month just gone. We all approach this slightly differently — though generally with an emphasis on the photos we’ve taken during the month.

For many of us, looking back over these photos provides the structure and narrative of our post, so each month is different. Some focus on documenting the changes in a particular project — such as a garden, an art or craft project, or a photographic diary of a familiar landscape.

But in the end, it is your changing season, and you should approach it however works for you.

There are no fixed rules around post length or photo number — just a request that you respect your readers’ time and engagement.

Tags and ping-backs

Tag your photos with #MonthlyPhotoChallenge and #TheChangingSeasons so that others can find them

Create a ping-back to Ju-Lyn or this post, so that she can update it with links to all of yours.

This is February 2022

Published on by bushboy55 Comments

What a wet month so there’s not many photos to share this month. Almost 300mls of rain in the last week and everyone is preparing for flooding, except me as I am high in the foothills. The normally dry gullies have been roaring at time and all the dams are overflowing. The ground squelches as I walk about. Just now the rain is thundering on the corrugated iron roof.

Your February song to enjoy while having a peek at my February.

During February we went to Macleay Island in Morton Bay where my bestie has a cottage. We went there to do a few repairs and speak to tradies so not much time for photos. To get there with all the tools and gear we took the ferry

One morning I managed to see a sunrise and get a photo

Near the small cottage we rented the trees had some fabulous shapes

Another favourite tree on the block and in the streets are Scribbly Gums

Just behind the cottage in the garden, the Bush Stone-curlews like to rest during the day. They are never impressed when I turn up with my camera

Maybe a bit more later but now from my place a Willie Wagtail on a post

A Hoya plants flower in a hanging pot on the verandah attracted a Yellow-faced Honeyeater. The photo was taken through the office door hence the poor quality.

I think he really liked that branch

An Azure Kingfisher has been around my place for most of Summer

I wonder if they care about the water beetles in the old swimming pool

While I was out on the verandah this fly kept landing near me so I guess he wanted his photo taken

While out in the garden Blue-banded Bees buzzed about the red Pentas flowers

and Orchard Swallowtail Butterflies flitted from pink Pentas flower to flower

The morning sun on the Hoya flowers looked a treat

I went into town to try and find some Square Odds for a post (look for my last post) and found the yellow Frangipanni near where I used to work with their wondrous flowers

I am not sure what type of flower these are but I think they are a small Orchid. I have lots in my garden

Walking around Macleay Island on an abandoned building there was signs of an old garden. These Gladioli looked so lovely with their soft pink petals, a colour I have never seen before.

Well it’s time to get going so here is a pastel sunset with the four trees I highlighted earlier in a post this month

and back to where we started, a fiery sunset through the trees from Macleay Island

Thanks for having a look at me February. I hope you enjoyed the song. I always ask if you had a favourite photo so did you?

This is part of Ju-Lyns Touring My Backyard and my Changing Seasons.

I often forget to include this part of Changing Seasons

About The Changing Seasons

The Changing Seasons is a monthly project where bloggers around the world share their thoughts and feelings about the month just gone. We all approach this slightly differently — though generally with an emphasis on the photos we’ve taken during the month.

For many of us, looking back over these photos provides the structure and narrative of our post, so each month is different. Some focus on documenting the changes in a particular project — such as a garden, an art or craft project, or a photographic diary of a familiar landscape.

But in the end, it is your changing season, and you should approach it however works for you.

There are no fixed rules around post length or photo number — just a request that you respect your readers’ time and engagement.

Tags and ping-backs

Tag your photos with #MonthlyPhotoChallenge and #TheChangingSeasons so that others can find them