Tuesday, January 31, 2012

World Bird Wednesday - In Memoriam . . .


Last Saturday our beloved gander jumped the fence into the cow
paddock. The cows are very territorial and although they tolerate
the humans who feed them and even muzzle up to them to be
scratched, a few sheep who crawl through the fence and small
mobs of kangaroos, they have even looked askance at me crossing
their turf. The appearance of a large white, waddling bird seemed
cause for investigation, they all went to look and the result was one
dead gander literally cornered in the corner of the fence. Whether
he died of shock or of being muzzled we will never know . . .

My heart is heavy with loss, I found him as I climbed through a
kangaroo hole in the fence to feed him. He was my friend and
bridge to the wild birds accepting me as well and is sorely missed
and with him my hopes of goslings in the Spring.


Not much else to report except the European house sparrows
digging up those died up grass areas we laughingly call lawn.
They descend in numbers but are skittish to get a shot of.


Ha, gocha in the faraway tree.


At the lonely pond an unidentified cormorant circled and left.


My bird finder does not feature one with a totally white head and
dark belly and white around the vent. My hopes rest yet again
on Stuart M being able to identify it.



Thanks once again to Springman for hosting this wonderful bird meme.

Monday, January 30, 2012

OUR WORLD - The Lotus Pond


Yesterday I finally met another blogger, our own Dianne of
'Adelaide and Beyond' and 'All Things French'. We met up at the
Adelaide Botanical Gardens, shared a quick baguette and off to
the Lotus Pond for a shooting frenzy. Dianne is thinking of
upgrading to an SLR so we just used my Canon so she could get
a feel for it and see the difference between it and her present
point and shoot.

Here are a few I snapped in action as we had quite a blowy day.


The wonder of the Lotus blowing in the wind with it's last flowers
still perfect but showing seed pods in various stages of ripeness
as proof of the glory that graced the gardens during the last few
weeks.


The flower and the pod embracing . . .


and catch-as-catch-can, as the wind tilted the flower towards
me for a millisecond.



We spent a wonderful day together, getting to know each other
and wildly photographing and talking 'shop'.

Later in the day we shared an even greater wonder but that is for another day.
Sorry I am late posting but I was absolutely bushed after such an intensive shoot
and 3 hours of driving.

Sunday, January 29, 2012

TODAY'S FLOWERS - Farm Flowers


The weather has been hot and in the heat the agapanthus
come into their own.


These are flowering at our gate



and these along the driveway


and on the road near the gate a young Eucalyptus ficifolia
is opening it's first blooms after ten years of growth.



Many more flowers are tucked in behind the Logo on my side bar.

Thursday, January 26, 2012

SkyWatch ~ A Lean Week


Its been a hot and dreary week with nothing much going on in
the sky department except for this one, rather fetching cloud.



You will find many more spectacular sky events by clicking on the Logo
on my side bar.

Tuesday, January 24, 2012

world Bird Wednesday - At the Pond Again


The other day, just before our heatwave hit, I went to the pond
and fed the gander with the Sacred Ibis watching and an idle magpie
flying past.


Suddenly it seemed as though all the birds accepted me, I
walked around the side of the pond to quite close to the ibis
but they minded not at all. Oddly, the rosellas screeched no
alarm calls, nor did the blackbirds. I sat on my bench, half hidden
by a Wattle and little birds flitted all about me. First the Grey
Fantail (below) and a number of blue wrens.


The Little Grebes seemed bored and turned tail . . .


a Black Duck (right) went about it's business with an as yet
unidentified friend, no longer unidentified due too the kind
response of Stewart M, who recognised it as a Eurasian Coot.
Thank you once again Stewart.


another Fantail posed in the shade quite near me


and a Willie Wagtail checked me out and was joined by a friend


but then the most remarkable thing happened and the White-
faced Heron landed and grazed his way around the edge of the
pond. Here in the shade you can see where he gets his name.


Normally at the first sound of a human or car he would already
have taken flight.


The Ibis wandered over to have a chat with the heron and a
few ducks and after the heron left, I too walked to the other
side


where a Singing Honeyeater joined me


and showed how mean he could look flying straight at you with
that black robber mask on.


Another Grey Fantail. I was surprised that they are already here
in numbers as they normally come in February and presage the
autumn rains.


Here he is again out in the full sunlight.



It was a wonderful feeling to be so accepted only because the
gander ate out of my hand. I know my photos aren't so clever
but the experience was just great.

Monday, January 23, 2012

OUR WORLD - Raiders of the Lost Ark


Just look at us, aren't we sweet? We would never dream of
touching a leaf in your garden.


How can you send us away like this, we are totally innocent . . .


How could you think that anyone as peaceful and gentle as we
are, would strip all the leaves and twigs off all the young citrus
trees, the roses, the fruit trees and berry bushes and trample
what we had not eaten?


Well, here is the proof of the pudding, the gate is shut and one
is still inside our yard. It just takes one thoughtless person to
leave one of our 8 gates open and the whole flock sneaks in to
demolish all my hard work.

Ah, the joys of farming . . .



This all out war has lately been going on in Our World, what is happening in your's?

Sunday, January 22, 2012

TODAY'S FLOWERS - Oriental Lilies


This year I grew a few lilies in pots where I could keep them watered
and they sort of turned out all right. One even had 10 flowers on it.


I love the bright orange pollen


and the shadow-play of the stamens and pistil.



Enjoy the wonder of flowers and show yours as well on TODAY'S FLOWERS!

Thursday, January 19, 2012

SkyWatch ~ Raindance Clouds


A brief rain had cleared the air and something in the light
caught my eye . . .



as I looked, the clouds performed a mad dance rising


and swirling


madly circling the rising thunderhead


just a brief pause with gentlest of hues


and off into the mad, exhilarating dance once more.



Whatever the sky is up to where you are, do share it on SkyWatch!

Wednesday, January 18, 2012

World Bird Wednesday - Just a few Ducks


On a walk along the Gawler River these three young ducks
were on the path in front of my feet. Sorry, the pictures should
read from the bottom up.

Here they are about to go slowly over the side of the bank but
they certainly did not scuttle away at my approach.


The prettily marked Wood Duck posing ,


the drake looking me in the eye


and here are the three youngsters genteelly leaving the path
to let me past. Sorry there is no more today, I took so many
pictures at our dam that I have as yet not had a chance to get
them sorted.



To enjoy birds from all over the world, click on the logo and add your
post to swell the numbers of participants..

Monday, January 16, 2012

OUR WORLD - Kangaroos


Kangaroos on an overgrown road reserve between two of our
paddocks . . .

" What's up Frank, why are you pricking those ears?"


"Will you just look at that? The cheek! She's walking right
towards us."


"It's old an old lady with a camera Frank". " Ha, ya never can
tell with these ol' biddies . .
.

I'm outa here . . ."



Our World Is a fun place, show us what is in your corner!

Saturday, January 14, 2012

TODAY'S FLOWERS - Australian Natives


With over 1,000 species of Eucalyptus trees native to
Australia, there are always some in flower no matter the
season.
Their leaves are aromatic and many are excellent dye plants
as well. Their colour range in flowers is from white, through
a variety of pink and orange to startlingly bright red through
all possible shades.

The flowers on this lemon variety are spectacularly large.


Another tree of many species is the Melaleuca. This lilac
pom-pom variety is a favourite of mine. A fairy young specimen
with aromatic leaves and bark, it is a large and dense bush in
my garden, a host to many nests of little birds and a very busy
place in Spring.


Eucalyptus ficifolia, a native of Western Australia, is just coming
into flower and bursting it's little caps off to reveal it's pretty
flowers. In full flower, the tree is one mass of colour.


Flowers brighten our days and you will find many more by clicking on
the Logo and adding your's as well.

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