Our World & World Bird Wednesday - Birds of a Feather . . .

I've had these up my sleeve for a while, it's getting a bit crowded

there so, here goes . . .

OK, OK Susannah, I'm listening already . . .

Lake Burrumbeet at Ballarat Victoria, where the Olympic rowing

was held in 1956. Luckily it has water in it for the birds to nest

this year. A couple of years ago, during the drought, it was

completely dry and people were walking across it.

The swans had obviously had numerous cygnets, in the

foreground, is one already changing to adult plumage while

the one in the rear is a much younger bird.

There are nesting islands for any number of waterbirds in the lake

as well as lawns for grazing, waterlilies for tubers and walkways

for people to admire, photograph and feed them.

Feed me, feed me, feed me . . .

hey, wait for me . . .

a family with small children tossed in loads of bread, everyone

was happy, including the tiny tots who were eye to eye with the

swans and just a tad overawed by it all.

The gulls moved in to clean up the leftovers while the cygnet

and waterhen looked on

and the grownups were at leisure to pose for photo opportunities.

If you like birds, you can enlarge them, if you are not a birdlover,

just disregard this post and and go check out someone else's world.

OuR WORLD - Spring in the Grampians II

Our world is big beautiful and diverse and all our little corners

of it are different. Here are a few snaps of one of my special place,

The Grampians in Victoria, great granite outcrops and a wonderful

garden of Eden after rain. This year there has been plenty of rain,

in fact, enough to wash out most of the roads and bridges in the area.

A little sun orchid smiling at my camera.

A great big patch of hooded green orchids, you really had to

mind where you planted your feet to avoid damaging them.

The white stems of trees burnt a couple of years ago

behind ghostly white bushes.

Mind your feet, a tiny bright green bush, no more than 4-5"

high with a citrus coloured bud.

A great big Banksia, tucked between Eucalypts and Acacias.

The ants are building high again, looks like there is going to

be more big rain. I hope it does not wash out any more roads.

A recent fire seems to have wiped out all vegetation but the

Xanthorrhoea has survived and is sending up a great flower

spike.

An odd plant that I had never seen before with leaves like a

Holly only softer.

Some of the erosion caused by the great rains earlier in the year

and the footprint of a wallaby in the soft moist sand.

I know this is a very long post, have I put you to sleep yet?

If so, just leave me a thank you note and hit the hay. If you are

still awake, bear with me, there are only 3 pikkies to go.

If you don't enlarge any of the others, at least embiggen this

one to see God's own garden.

Normally this country is dry but after rain, ah, after rain it

all comes alive

and, aha, there it comes.

Click on the Logo to join in the fun and show us what your world

looks like!

World Bird Wednesday - Stalking an Egret

Last week, while staying with my sister in Melbourne, I had a

chance to check out the wetlands in Rowville near the golf course.

Actually, I was just stretching my legs with a camera trying to

capture some suburban birds when I spied this guy far across a

swampy meadow. A 135mm lens is not the ideal weapon for

shooting at this range, so I lined myself up with the scant cover

of the bush at right and squelched my way down until I was right

behind it.

Even before I was in position, I felt him watching my progress

and when I broke cover for a better shot,

he was decidedly skittish -

and took to the air just enough

to land again near the reeds. This is an Intermediate Egret,

as far as I could tell, Ardea intermedia. Unfortunately his

mate was killed and now he mourns his loss and lives a

hermitic existence since egrets usually mate for life.

Click to enlarge.

Next week I'll give you a short burst of the common suburban birds

in the area.

This is one of my favourite memes , you too can join it by clicking

on the Logo on my side bar.

OUR WORLD - Back from the Wonders of the Universe

http://ourworldtuesdaymeme.blogspot.com/

OUR WORD is a place of wonders and, in memory of Klaus whose

brain-child was MY WORLD TUESDAY, this meme continues his

original idea.

Please click on the link to join and show us what is happening in

your world this week.

Sorry I'm late posting, just got back from the Rainforests of Victoria and

lots ofother wonders I have seen,

wetlands in suburban Melbourne, spring in the Grampians,

and a blissful three hours at the foot of Mt.Arapiles.

All this was, for me, heaven on a stick!

My pikkies all enlarge and there will be many posts to follow . . .