How the fight began

Cee’s Fun Foto Challenge: Feathers

“Hey everyone, look what I found to add to the nest.”

“You call that a feather? THIS is a feather!!”

At that is how the fight started until it was decided to bury the feather

It’s buildings – in many ways

The Lens-Artists Challenge #173: Interesting Architecture

I have been thinking about this theme since I first read it way too early in the morning to have many cohesive thoughts. Here is a random mish mash of constructions with interesting architecture.

I’ve opted for a slideshow for a change. Enjoy your travels and hope that there are interesting architectural surprises along the way

Sometimes it’s hard………

……..being a Swallow

The Ragtag Daily Prompt Saturday: Swallow

There is always washing to be done,

after that drying in the sun,

invite friends over for some fun.

Say goodbye, a good time, one of the best

But now it’s onto building the nest

Yes that’s right, soft feathers we need

and soon it’s babies to feed

three fat babies crammed into the nest

sitting around and getting fed is the best

The day is over and we are quite spent
’tis wearying being a parent

A busy day tomorrow
so enjoy the morning
with the Welcome Swallow

The colour is gone

The Bird Weekly Photo Challenge: Birds in Black and White

I thought I had already contributed to Lisa’s photo challenge and looking through my posts I can see that I have written quite a number of posts with a similar theme. I will have to dig into the archives for this one so sorry if you have seen some of these before

Here’s a short song that I discovered many many years ago. I hope you can enjoy it as much as I do.

Looking up

City Sonnet’s Photo Challenge: Looking Up

Maria posted Swallows on an electricity cable with a sky blue background which prompted me to post my Welcome Swallows on an electricity cable at sunset

welcome_swallows_sihouettte_sunset_fire_named_caniaba_sept 2019

Which is probably better than bird butts

rainbow-lorikeets_bird-bath-bums_named_home_dec-2016

 

180504_blog challenge_pelican_behind

 

180628_blog challenge_from below_brown pigeon

This is September 2019

What a month September was. A month of fear of fires, another month of not much rain, watching the dam level drop and not being able to water the garden with the last bit of water in case I needed the water in case a fire appeared. The fires were not close, over 40kms away from my place but the sky and atmosphere was choked with smoke. A few rainfalls during the month helped alleviate my concerns, topped up my water tanks so I have enough water for my household needs and I have been watering the pot plants around the verandahs and in the house with the tank water. I also use this water to put in the various bird baths around the house as well as other water containers for the animals that may pop in and need a drink.

The downside is I am watching a lot of my garden die. Some palms that provide lovely shade for my house have already lost their tops and the others are struggling. Most of the garden is Australian native plants and some, like the lilli pillis are not looking all that flash. The Wallabies and Possums are also eating some of the garden plants so I may have to put fences around gardens so the new shoots appearing now the weather is warming don’t get nibbled.

There are a few photos to get through, so maybe a cup of tea, coffee or glass of wine or beer, depending when you are reading, Sit back and I hope you enjoy a scroll through my September.

I have found a few photogenic animals on my travels. The horses have already had their post and some others have appeared already as well but I have to put this fluffy Donkey in again.
donky_furry_named_lismore_sept 2019
I love going past the dairy and seeing these beautiful cows.cow_dairy_named_kyogle_sept 2019
It is never good to see one of these ants on the verandah. Their bite is quite painful for such a small insect.ant_verandah_named_caniaba_sept 2019
I do enjoy finding a spiders web in the right light.spider_web_small_named_caniaba_sept 2019
The start of Spring has a few butterflies appearing. The Caper White Butterflies are migratory and this one is one of the first to arrive.butterfly_caper_white_named_caniaba_sept 2019
Meadow Argus are enjoying the early Spring flowers on the Pittosporum. butterfly_meadow_argus_named_home_jackadgery_sept 2019
The Stingless Native Bees certainly loved the Rocket flowers.bee_stingless_native_flower_rocket_named_caniaba_sept_2019
As did the honey bees.bee_flower_rocket_named_caniaba_sept_2019
Flies are pollinators as well. This one was in a nursery we went to in Byron Bay. There were lots of other insects on the flowers too.fly_insect_flower_nursery_named_byron_bay_sept 2019
Saw this amazing flower but forgot to write down the name, sorry.flower_petals_nursery_named_byron_bay_sept 2019
The Cacti were in bloom as well.flower_pink_cacti_nursery_named_byron_bay_sept 2019
Yes it is a bud, a very weird hairy bud. Can you guess what flower may appear from this in my besties garden?poppy_flower_bud_named_caniaba_sept 2019
The yellow Poppy enjoyed the sunshine.flower_poppy_yellow_named_caniaba_sept 2019
Here is the hairy buds flower, a red Poppy.flower_poppy_red_named_caniaba_sept 2019
Spring brings out the Begonia flowersflower_begonia_verandah_named_caniaba_sept 2019
And the Bottlebrush are starting to look fabulous at my besties but mine are having a hard time and the bushes haven’t looked like flowering yet.bottlebrush_flower_named_caniaba_sept 2019
Her Roses are looking wonderful. This one is a Double Delight just opening.flower_rose_double_delight1_named_caniaba_sept 2019
This Double Delight is open showing lovely delicate colours.flower_rose_double_delight2_named_caniaba_sept 2019
My White Fig tree is struggling a bit in the dry weather. The figs often drop their leaves at this time of year. The ground is covered in the yellow and orange leaves.leaves_white_fig_colours_named_home_jackadgery_sept 2019
It also likes to show its true Aussie colours of Green and Goldleaves_white_fig_named_home_jackadgery_sept 2019

There are lots of birds around at the moment too. The Red-browed Firetails are cruising the grass eating the seeds
red_browed_firetail_finch_named_caniaba_sept 2019
The Straw-necked Ibis are also wandering about looking for grubs in the paddocks.straw-necked ibis_ named_caniaba_sept 2019
I have a few Australian Ravens who have a walk about the garden looking for snacks.australian_raven_named_home_jackadgery_sept 2019

We saw some Chestnut-breasted Mannikins down the road. They must have followed us home as later on I saw around 20 to 30 sitting in the fence.
chestnut_brewasted_mannikins_fence_named_caniaba_sept_2019
The King Parrots are enjoying the last of the seeds in the Leopard Tree.king_parrot_garden_named_home_jackadgery_sept 2019

The Mistletoe Bird has wonderful red colours.
mistletoe_bird_named_caniaba_sept 2019
Remember the Willie Wagtails nest that was destroyed by something a month or so ago? Well they found a safe place and have raised three chicks. Only a mother could love a baby like this.willie_wagtail_chick_nest_named_caniaba_sept 2019
The Welcome Swallows have four chicks in two nests at my besties under the verandah. They are always hungry.welcome_swallows_chicks_feeding_named_caniaba_sept_2019
Some years, Welcome Swallows have two nestings. Here comes another feather to line the nest for the next lot of babies.welcome swallow_feather_nest_named_caniaba_sept 2019

 

The Restless Flycatchers like to patrol the fence lines in the morning.satin_flycatcher_fence_named_caniaba_sept 2019
As the season was so bad I felt sorry for the birds and put a container of food out every now and then. The Currawongs tended to dominate but one morning a small flock of Satin Bowerbirds turned up. I have never seen so many bower birds together. These are females and juveniles. The male sat by and kept watch from a nearby branch.satin_bowerbirds_verandah_named_home_jackadgery_sept 2019
A lot of the birds at my place are not hanging around the house as there isn’t much food in the garden. Normally the grevilleas are full of flowers but a lack of rain has seen a reduced number of grevillea flowers. There are a lot of birds down the lower part of my property at the waterhole. A Yellow-faced Honeyeater and a White-throated Honeyeater enjoy a drink together.waterhole_drinking_yellow_faced_honeyeater_white_throated_honeyeater_named_home_jackadgery_sept 2019
The little Striated Honeyeater just jumped straight into the bird bath.striated_thornbill_bird_bath_diving_named_caniaba_sept 2019
Whereas the White-throated Honeyeater just dived straight in.white-throated honeyeater_bird_bath_diving_named_caniaba_sept 2019
This is the first time I have seen a Little Friarbird and a Noisy Friarbird together.friarbirds_noisy_little_bird_bath_named_caniaba_sept 2019
A female Olive-backed Oriel came to the bird bath for the first time at my besties.olive-backed oriel_female_bird_bath_named_caniaba_sept 2019
The Male shows why they are Olive-backed Oriels.olive-backed oriel_back_bird_bath_named_caniaba_sept 2019
He doesn’t look to pleased to see me with my camera does he?olive-backed oriel_looking_bird_bath_named_caniaba_sept 2019
Everyone like the Australian Raven skipping down the hill last month. How about a Silver Gull dancing? gull_dance_named_brunswick_heads_sept 2019
AS I said, the sky was been choked with smoke from the fires. I couldn’t quite capture the red sun at sunset one afternoonsun_red_named_jackadgery_sept 2019
Other sunsets were quite orange.sunset_red_named_caniaba_sept 2019
or a blaze of yellow!sunset_fires_named_caniaba_sept 2019
The smoke mixed with cloud made for some interesting shapes and spooky atmosphere.sunset_fires_orange_named_caniaba_sept 2019
Well here we are at the end. The grass seed heads made a lovely part of the afternoons walk. When I looked at the photo on the computer screen, there was, I think, a Grasshopper winging away for the night.sunsegrass_seeds_insect_named_caniaba_sept 2019

Thanks for stopping by. I hope you enjoyed my September.

Also a contribution to Su’s The Changing Seasons

 

This is August 2019

I am not really in the mood to write. The dry continued for all of August so my mood wasn’t all that enthusiastic to gather images around my place. I posted quite a number of images from here and for the photo challenges over the month and I haven’t, as usual, added them to this months wrap.

I am heartened by the caring responses from my “blog family” to my posts. Thank you for being there.

August was  my first month of being the Thursday Ragtag prompter sharing with Tracy. I was surprised at the number of people who responded with some great photos, writing and poetry.

OK lets go. I think you may need to go to the dunny and come back with a cup of tea/coffee or drink of choice, perhaps a snack or two depending on the time of day you are here.

I might start with some of the things I found at an auction which I didn’t know was happening. I was going to the farmers market for breakfast and a bit of food shopping.
One of the things I like to find and collect are boxes. Pity these were already sold or if they weren’t the auctioneer was a long way from this lot
box_american_oil_auction_named_lismore_august 2019

 

box_shell_shellite_kerosine_named_lismore_august 2019

 

A rather random group of itemslamp_red_road_auction_named_lismore_august 2019
Anyone have one of these at home?corn_husker_auction_named_lismore_august 2019
Up the road a ways is the town of Kyogle. We go there at least once a year in case something may be happening. On this day it was just us and the tumble weeds lol There is some nice gates though.gate_named_kyogle_august 2019
I was surprised by the number and variety of flowers in peoples garden as we walked about the back streetsflowers_garden_named_kyogle_august 2019

 

The bees were about tooflowers_garden_bee_native_named_kyogle_august 2019

I think this Salvia is called Hot Lips
flower_salvia_hotlips_named_kyogle_august 2019
I love this salviaflower_salvia_blue_named_kyogle_august 2019

More flowers for you to enjoy
flower_purple_named_kyogle_august 2019
flower_poppy_pink_named_kyogle_august 2019
flower_poppy_orange_named_kyogle_august 2019
flower_magnolia_named_kyogle_august 2019
The grevilleas are quite outstanding this year, except at my placeflower_grevillea2_named_kyogle_august 2019
flower_grevillea1_named_kyogle_august 2019
flower_gerbera_yellow_named_kyogle_august 2019
flower_gerbera_pink_named_kyogle_august 2019
flower_gerbera_orange_named_kyogle_august 2019
A lovely window box of daisiesflowers_window_box_named_kyogle_august 2019
These flowers were further north near a town called Murwillumbah where we went following the Mud Trail which was along the North Cost highlighting the pottery skills of the potters around here.flowers_named_murwillumbah_august 2019
My begonias are flowering but not as profusely as in previous yearsflower_begonia_named_home_jackadgery_august 2019
I was down at the waterhole digging out the silt to make the waterhole back to what it was years ago. While I was there I walked about and found this native plant about to flower despite the lack of rain and soil moistureflower_bud_native_named_home_jackadgery_august 2019
A black and white view of Kyogle from the Art Gallery kyogle_blackandwhite_named_august 2019

The lovely layers of blue you get from the vapours of Eucalypt trees
mountains_blue_layers_named_murwillumbah_august 2019
The bees are out collecting pollen and nectar from the flowersbee_grevillia_named_caniaba_august 2019
Look how full the pollen sacks are on the tiny Native Stingless Beestingless_native_bee_flying_rocket_flowers_named_caniaba_august 2019
While we were away for a few days we came across the flower gardens that had just been watered in Nelson Bayflower_water_drops_named_nelson bay_august 2019

I love finding cats in windows. This one was just moving on just as I saw it.
cat_window_named_kyogle_august 2019
Oh well a cats tail is still OKcat_tail_named_kyogle_august 2019
I just love this cows hair cutcow_gore_rd_named_springrove_august 2019
Down at the waterhole, the place where there has always been water on my place. This year it was the lowest I have ever seen it but the birds know where it is and flock there to get a drink or a bath. Time to get in……….fuscous_honeyeaters_bath1_waterhole_named_home_jackadgery_august 2019
…..and out againfuscous_honeyeaters_bath2_waterhole_named_home_jackadgery_august 2019
The Fuscous Honeyeaters seem to stay down this part of my place and don’t venture up near the house.fuscous_honeyeaters_wet_waterhole_named_home_jackadgery_august 2019
A Red-browed Firetail gets a drinkred_browed_firetail_finch_drinking_waterhole_named_home_jackadgery_august 2019

 

The whole flock of Fuscous Honeyeaters suddenly turned up much to the astonishment of a White-throated Honeyeaterbirds_waterhole_fucous_white-throated_honeyeaters_august 2019
Remember last month I told the story of the Willie Wagtails nest that was destroyed by something. Well they found a spot on the car port to rebuild their nestwillie-wagtail_nest_carport_named_caniaba_august 2019
The Willie Wagtails really can’t stand the Magpie getting close to their nest. Incoming!!!magpie_willie_wagtail_attack1_named_caniaba_august 2019

 

They really give the Magpie a hard time until it goes awaymagpie_willie_wagtail_attack2_named_caniaba_august 2019
The Welcome Swallows are also nesting at my bestieswelcome_swallow_nest_verandah_named_caniaba_august 2019
Here is three of the four chicks in the nest. Aren’t their fluffy heads adorable?welcome_swallow_nest_chicks_named_caniaba_august 2019
The Little Friarbirds have found the grevilleaslittle-friarbird_honey_gem_grevillea_named_caniaba_august 2019
An Olive-backed Oriel dropped into the birdbath for a whileolive_backed_oriel_birdbath_named_caniaba_august 2019
I found these Pelicans at the Lismore Waste Facility –  a fancy name for the rubbish dump pelicans_tip_named_lismore_august 2019
I felt for the birds and have put up a feeder which I put seed in every now and then. The King Parrots drop in for a snack when there is seed in there.king_parrot_juvenile_feeder_named_home_jackadgery_august 2019
The Brown Honeyeater has to stretch a bitbrown_honeyeater_honey_gem_grevillia_named_caniaba_august 2019
The Double-barred Finches are enjoying the grass seeddouble-barred_finch_grass_named_caniaba_august 2019
While we were travelling around we dropped into a small wetland that is surrounded by farm land. I was surprised to see a Black Swan paddling about.swan_black_wetland_named_casino_august 2019
At the wast facility the Black Kites are always wheeling about.black_kite_flying4_tip_named_lismore_august 2019
black_kite_flying3_tip_named_lismore_august 2019
black_kite_flying2_tip_named_lismore_august 2019
black_kite_flying1_tip_named_lismore_august 2019
I love seeing the flocks of Ibis as they fly over my besties place every afternoon on their way to their roost.ibis_flying_blue_sky_named_caniaba_august 2019
These Corellas loved it up a bit in Nelson Baycorellas_fig_tree_named_nelson_bay_august 2019
Is there anything a happy as an Australian Raven skipping down the hillraven_australian_jump_named_caniaba_august 2019
Our Moon and the cloudsmoon_half_clouds_named_caniaba_august 2019
Almost time for sunsetsunset_named_caniaba_august 2019
At this time of year the sun sets just on the hillsunset_orange_named_caniaba_august 2019
OK then, thanks for visiting and I hope you enjoyed your look at my This is August 2019grass_seeds_sunset_orange_named_caniaba_august 2019

 

Also for Su’s Changing Seasons