Category: native Australian birds

Australia · blessings · in my garden · In My World · Mount Warning · native Australian birds · rain · summer · sunset · Tweed Valley

Something to Sing About.

Joanne4 Comments

When the day began – again – with rain and mist, I expected another day of nothing interesting to take a photo of. It’s a wonder the poor kookaburra could even find its way to my garden this morning through the thick mist that hung about in the valley until around 9am.

Mr. Pee Wee, seen this morning singing a happy song while tightrope walking along the slippery glass balustrade.

By midday though, the valley had cleared and the sun was shining. I rushed outside to take a photo while I had the opportunity to get a beautiful clear photo of the mountain.

By mid-afternoon, the change in weather seemed to have infected the birds with happiness! Mr. and Mrs. Pee Wee splashed around the birdbath in my front garden, although I couldn’t get close enough to quietly take a photo of them. Meanwhile, a baby Butcher Bird chortled away in the Tibouchina tree just outside my front door.

Even when I snuck outside the door to say hello, the sweet little thing didn’t miss a note. This little beauty is welcome to sing outside my front door any time he likes. 🙂

Just when I thought the day couldn’t look any more beautiful, the sky put on a pretty burnt yellow sunset show, nothing eye-popping, just a subtle show of laid-back beauty. 🙂

 

Australia · Changes · clouds · Mount Warning · native Australian birds · summer · sunrise · Tweed Valley

Getting back into routine

Joanne5 Comments

Today is the first day since before Christmas that life feels like it has regained a touch of normality. Husband went to work, I fed the birds and indoor pets, then sat down to eat breakfast.

The phone rang as soon as I put milk on my cereal.

Of course it did! That’s normal in my house. 😉

Morning visitor.

There was still cloudy skies and rain about this morning. I’m loving the coolness of the last few days so much! I wish every summer day felt like it has recently, comfortably warm, with little humidity. After a coolish night, there was a hint of mist across the ranges and Mount Warning, which looked very pretty.

Later in the day the sun appeared for a while and the mountain looked extremely clear. I was a bit caught up in work related matters though, so didn’t pause to take any more photos after capturing this morning’s mist and layers of clouds.

Morning mist.

On the subject of Mount Warning, yesterday I read the sad news that the chains at the summit of the mountain, there to help hikers reach the top, have been removed. Apparently this is to discourage people from climbing the mountain, as the local indigenous people believe the mountain is a sacred site and don’t want people climbing the mountain. Needless to say, many locals are shocked by the news, as climbing the mountain has been enjoyed by people of all ethnicities for as long as anyone can remember, without a word of complaint.

Some cynics predict that in the near future, a fee will be charged for the pleasure of enjoying a hike that was once free. We will have to see what eventuates.

 

Australia · authenticity · basics · clouds · family · grandson · In My World · Mount Warning · native Australian birds · pets · summer · Tweed Valley

Back to Basics … AKA “In My World”

Joanne8 Comments

On a day when far too many people expressed far too many biased opinions on (political) matters which were once regarded as a personal matter, on a biased public forum (social media) which I have considered leaving many times during recent weeks, I will share some photos of realities. This is what is happening In My World.

A drastic change in the weather provided a reprieve from the heat of the last two days. Mount Warning, however, remained in hiding all day. (Perhaps I should have done the same.)

In the distance, I spotted a tree containing many beautiful song birds. When I magnified the photo, I was able to identify the birds as both male and female Figbirds.

I had a visit from four-month-old Eli, who has worked out how to roll over onto his tummy. He was mesmerised by Brontë, and it seemed the feeling was mutual. Brontë was completely besotted with Eli.

When you take away all of the B.S. in the world, isn’t love and caring the most important thing?

Australia · birds · clouds · in my garden · Mount Warning · native Australian birds · summer · Tweed Valley

Will he stay – or will he go?

Joanne10 Comments

Again today, the rain in the valley hid Mount Warning and kept the humidity in the air. At least this weather isn’t overly hot, so it is actually making summer more bearable than usual. 🙂

Ever since the little Pee Wee – or Magpie Lark – arrived in my garden. I have suspected he was a male, calling for a mate. Today, my suspicions were confinrmed. I saw three more Pee Wees arrive. There may have been more, but I only saw three, and immediately I noticed that one of them had different markings on its face, it had more white than my little friend. A trusty Google search has confirmed that my little friend is a male and one of his visitors – the one in the photo on the right – is a female. My little friend is on the left.

The others, including the female, didn’t stay long, so now I will have to wait and see if they return. Alternately, my little friend may leave, and if he does, I will miss hearing his happy little song each day. I’m hoping he will stay, but the choice is his. ❤