Shadow Shot Sunday ~ Contrasts

The soft swish of the sea constrained by hard, sharp shadows.

My glass may be empty but it still casts a rich shadow.

Click on the Logo and go to HEY HARRIET for lots more shadows.

SkyWatch ~ Sunset Serenade

Coming home from town the other day, we stopped in one of

the little towns on the way to pick up some milk . . .

Going back to the car, the sky was full of magic,

as it started to rain, I looked slightly to the right and saw the

season of rainbows still had something in it's pocket . . .

raindrops on the lens and all . . .

I think I would make a pretty good sharp-shooter, all the

following shots were taken from a fast moving car.

I thought this one looked like something 'out of Africa'.

This was more like a bushfire (wildfire for those in N.America).

This one is just a tad threatening . . .

I was amazed how with so many trees along the roadside

impeding my view, I managed to get quite reasonable shots.

Somehow I managed to gather the best clouds with even a

bit of foreground.

Enlarge and enjoy!

To join in with SkyWatch and show the wonders of your skies, just click

on the the Logo .

World Bird Wednesday - Trouble in Paradise

I have shown you my precious resident little grebes before

but now I am devastated . . . They have been raising little

families in the dam in our park for over 10 years but . . .

there is only one in their home dam, has there been a marriage

breakdown? has he a lady on the side, is she just bored with him?

Here she is, seemingly happy not to have to cook for two or

more and wash his socks . . . at last she has time to read a book

and indulge in a few hobbies . . .

You may not easily see him even when you enlarge the dam

at the end of our WILD WOOD but if you look ( possibly

with a jeweller's eye glass) in the far distance near the trees,

there is a little black dot. Yes, that is himself sulking or skulking

or maybe just waiting for the viagra he ordered so he can

resume his fathering duties.

I am at a stand, is the separation permanent, should I hire lawyers

for both or maybe some counselling is called for.

I do hope some of you who have been birding for a long time and

have oodles of experience will be able to advise me . . . I wait in

hope with bated breath . . .

Post your bird with World Bird Wednesday and show us what you

see in your neck of the woods, just click on the Logo and off you go!

MY WORLD ~ Winter Wonders

At last the days are getting just a little bit longer and instantly

the almond blossoms awaken to give us hope of spring to come.

Their little stars light up my world.

Just because of the unusual moisture in the soil, the roses

have burst into bloom

and on a sunny day, the bees brave the temperature to

seek a drop of fresh nectar.

Our world is so divers, do join in with this meme and see what is

happening on the other side . . . just click on the Logo and The World

is your oyster!

SkyWatch ~ Morning Magic

I wake up thinking it is much too early and am just about to

go back to sleep when I open my eyes just a little and, since I

am facing west, see the glow on the wall of my 'studio'.

I was out of my bed like a kung-fu fighter, with my dressing gown

half on, my camera and I were out into the chilly winter morning

just to bring you this . . .

with the glow of the sun on the horizon

the sky was such a burning red!

The photos have only been resized, not enhanced in any way.

I loved the colour changes as the sun rose above the horizon.

Just when my butt was freezing off I turned to head back inside

but, my oh my, look what I saw towards the west!

I have witnessed a sunset rainbow but this just took my breath

away. A full rainbow spanning the entire western sky!

This is just a little arc sweeping upward. I would have needed

a fish-eye to capture the whole.

I think my hand (if not more of me) was shaking taking these

last two shots.

Just some wonderful glow on the ground and then the magic

was gone.

As I sped towards my warm bed, it was raining and all around

me was an ordinary grey dawn. The big show was meant just

for me to share with you.

Enlarge if you want the whole furnace blast of colour.

For more wonders in the skies, join in and share some of your own by

clicking on the log, you too jan join this great meme.

Nature Notes ~ Kangaroos fighting

Yesterday I could finally go take my Nikon for a mild, ambling

walk, the first in over six weeks. She is a great companion, not

at all talkative and even her shutter click is not too threatening

at a distance and up-wind from wildlife.

If you enlarge the photo you may just see two darker specks

in the middle at the back of the dry grass. I only included this

so you got some idea how far away the contestants were.

I was lucky to have a solid fence post to steady my camera on

since the distance was close to a sixth of a mile and the light

was fading.

No, this is not a friendly 'hail friend, well met' but a sizing up of

each other's strength.

Get your head well away from those sharp and powerful claws!

A bit of wrestling for position,

each one trying to get sufficient grip to rip the entrails out of

the other by balancing on the tail and slashing down with

both back legs.

First one and then the other seemed to get the upper hand,

they were pretty evenly matched

until the attacker who had been grazing on the green grass at

the back before he spotted his rival, finally got the upper hand

and the other chap retreated into the tall grass to mount a

challenge another day.

They all enlarge if you can spare the time . . .

Do join in and show us what is happening in your patch, just click

on the Logo on my side bar!

World Bird Wednesday - A little hen Wren

The little Wrens were chattering in the garden fit to burst

and this cutie let me have a couple of shots at her in one of

my not yet pruned rose bushes.

The female of our Superb Blue Wrens only has blue on the tail.

I shall endeavour to show you the colourful male of the species

as soon as a.) I get a shot at one or b.) I find one in my archives,

whichever comes first . . .

They can really make a racket with their territorial disputes.

Click on the Logo and show us what is flapping around in your vicinity!

MY WORLD ~ Bell's Beach

Bell's Beach, Victoria, a famous surf beach which, just before

we got there, had hosted the Surf Carnival. Luckily we were not

there with the crowds.

Going down to the beach . . . as you can see, it is a looong way down.

Surfers with their boards were passing us in their haste to get

down there where they paddled out to sea around the cliffs on

the left to surf in on the other side, climb the hill, go down

and repeat the performance.

On this day, the sea was deceptively calm but just looking at

the foam stirred up was a strong deterrent to dipping my toes

not only for fear of the undertow but also the rocks that one

could get swept onto.

Looking up the beach it seemed to be the perfect place just to be,

to sit and soak up the turmoil of the sea and the wonderful peace.

Although I love a dip in the ocean, these waves I did not

find particularly inviting,

not this kind of turbulent water crashing on the beach.

Leaving the beach, we climbed up at the other end on a little

path with this Wattle bird with a mean look in it's eye, sitting

on top of a bush,

interesting wind-stressed vegetation while I caught my breath,

and then the WOW factor of these public toilets near the

partly dismantled stands.

I was blown away with these dreamtime Aboriginal paintings

covering the whole building and the sacred snake holding it

in it's embrace.

Wonderful colours, wonderful design and execution.

Enlarge if you so desire . . .

But whatever you do, click on the Logo and go see the world!

Shadow Shot Sunday ~ People watching

People walking,

standing still and watching . . .

Enlarge if you so desire!

Join the shadow watchers at HEY HARRIET, it's great fun! Just click on the Logo

and your'e there.

Weekend Reflections - Just one of our dams . . .

The dam in the park the Prof planted almost 20 years ago

at this time of year reflects mainly tones of green,

with our resident grebes looking like they are having a single

sculls race.

Enlarge if you like.

Do click on the Logo and look into many mirrors enhancing reality.