Wild Bird Wednesday - Masked or White-Breasted?? Woodswallow

A few hundred yards down river from that noisy water-skier

(post below)

where there is a patch of wetland, these swallow came in to 

roost in their hundred as the sun sank lower.

Hard to say whether they are Masked, or White-Breasted

swallows, I need Stewart's expert opinion on to put me right on 

that one.

Whatever they are called, they were an inspiration to watch

and photograph.

Aren't birds wonderful?

Linking to
Wild Bird Wednesday

SkyWatch ~ Sunny Summer Afternoon

Before the sunset the swallows massed for a grand display
flying fast and low, set off against the afternoon clouds.

















when my attention veered to concentrate on the clouds instead.

First some screaming banshees, followed by piano keys.

Do enlarge to get the full force of colour.

A cobweb curtain? The banshee's flying grey hair or souls

ascending to the heavens?

Finally a few obliging swallows cross my lens after all.

Click on the logo to fly other skies.

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Thanks to the SkyWatch team for opening the skies for us.

Nature Notes ~ Gecko and Bunny

This delightful little fellow was in the laundry trough, guess
who made a beeline for the camera...
















he had the cutest markings and little adhesive feet. We have two
varieties of these, the other is smaller and paler and has little suction
caps. Both are seldom seen as they are night feeders and delight in
chomping the mosquitos on the screens. I have only ever had the
pleasure of seeing one of each in the 17 years we have been here on
the farm.

My daughter reports that they are often seen at her place a

little further down hill. Our prevalent geckos are quite snake like

and are easily mistaken for snake hatchlings. They are about 4"-6"

long, dark grey with two pronouncesd yellow lateral stipes. At first

sight they appear to be legless. Closer inspection however reveals

their very short little legs which they propell themselves forward

in a snake like wriggle.

The grandchildren found this tiny flea ridden bunny and brought

him home and were full of excitement about taking him back with

them to Sydney as a pet. He was such a lovely colour too.

Unfortunately, not only was he full of fleas but also succumbed to

the calisi virus the next day. They had wondered why he could be

so easily picked up!

This summer the owls have not returned and I miss hearing their

call of Mopoke in the night.

To balance out, we have scores of swallows again. They are fun to

watch against the darkening sky in the evening or grazing the dams

for rising mosquiteos.

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The Nature Notes Logo will take you to our host site of Rambling Woods

where many interesting observations are to be gleaned. Thank you

Michelle for hosting this informative meme.

MY WORLD and Watery Wednesday

Ah, those that go down to the sea....

witness the might of the Southern Ocean carving up the
rocky shore like butter with a hot knife. Channels and coves
and massive dark caverns crafted by deceptively smooth
crystal clear water.


















The smaller channel has gouged out a massive cave deep
in the land mass as it grinds the colourful sandstone back
into sand.

















All pictures are worth enlarging, but particularly this one to
appreciate the wondrous mix of colours.

















Invitingly transparent and deceptively calm until a great wave
rolled in ... decidedly not a place to take a dip!


















Looking back at the black hole in the coastal shelf with the Prof,
for scale. Sorry about the quality of the photos, they were taken
with a tiny camera, all I was able to carry before my last heart op.

The cave was a very useful place, providing safe and sheltered
habitation for a large colony of swallows. These and many more
wonders we experienced on the coast of the Eyre Peninsular south
of Streaky Bay in South Australia.

To see much more water and experience other views of the world.

click on either/or/and the appropriate logos on your right.

Wishing you all a Happy New Year and many more delightful

adventures in Blogland!