Wild Bird Wednesday & SkyWatch - Eastern Rosellas & Flying Galahs

On my rare visits to the metropolis, my feet always come to rest 

on greensward and a bonus of Eastern Rosellas

which we do not get on the farm 50km to the east

they are so much more colourful than our local

Adelaide Rosellas below.

and just for fun and SkyWatch,

a few Galahs taking some exercise.

Joining with 

Wild Bird Wednesday 

and

SkyWatch Friday

Wild Bird Wednesday & Nature Notes - Adelaide Rosella

Adelaide Rosella sitting pretty on one of my Thuja

looking longingly for more of the silvery seed pods

checking if I am still there

and striking a pose, "is this my good side?"

all the seed pods off all three Thujas have now disappeared 

as if by magic.

Linking with Stewart's

Wild Bird Wednesday

and Michelle's

Nature Notes

Wild Bird Wednesday - Rosella in Mating Plumage

Hmm, good place to check out the Bistro for lunch . . .

Yep, lookin' good, just on the other side of the fence - - -

quick flight up again . .

I'm an Adelaide Rosella and don't I look great in my new

mating plumage??

. . . the smorgasbord is just . . down . . there . .

down we go!

Right, just a slide down this board she's propped up for me 

and finally . . . LUNCH!

Linking to World Bird Wednesday

and Nature Notes

World Bird Wednesday - Grey Fantail +

The Grey Fantails have been around since late summer and try as 

I might, I don't seem able to get a good shot at them.

Same place, just cropped

and flitting just above the ground.

I thought I'd throw in an Adelaide Rosella for good measure.

They are just coming into mating plumage.

Happy birdwatching everyone!

World Bird Wednesday & Nature Notes - Around the Farm . . .

New boy on the block and a lifer for me, Horsefield's Bronze-

Cuckoo, Chalcites basalis, conveniently sitting on the power

line to our house. I heard the unfamiliar call and made a dive

for the camera.

Much as I like to see a new addition to our home birds, this

is one I would prefer to see elsewhere since the dear girl lays

her egg into our little Superb Blue Wren nests just when our

blue wren population has increased again and we dearly love

those cheerful streaks of blue in the garden.

I tried to get a shot at the wing that has a shimmer of green

but the bird was unobliging and did not turn around.

With warm days and rain, the weeds have grown to high heaven

but even so I spotted this Stumpy-Tail Lizard having a feed of,

and this surprised me, of all things the sharp and spicy green

seed-pods of the wild radish.

I had never before given any thought to what these creatures eat.

I am always happy when I see them in the garden since they use

the same nesting holes as snakes and if you know a lizard inhabits

a certain hole, it is unlikely that a snake does as well. Of the two

reptiles, the lizard usually manages to protect the hole.

This is only a teenager at most, isn't he/she cute?

Moving to the dam in the park, a White-faced Heron and

Wood-Duck companion sitting on the children's diving platform.

On the vantage point of one of the birches we lost in the drought,

an Adelaide Rosella poses. The beauty of my new camera is that

I have a much longer reach as these birds are notoriously shy here.

My evening walk bagged this Shrike-Thrush with it's late

supper. I really thought it was too dark for photos but the

camera surprised me

and lastly, a Sacred Ibis, again at the dam. This is the first

time in 20 years that I have spotted one on our home turf.

Who knows what I shall bag next week? As you see, I have been

exercising my new Canon EOS 600 D and am reasonably pleased

with it.

Wonder over to WORLD BIRD WEDNESDAY and Nature Notes and

check out what else is going on. Both memes are accessible from the

relevant Logos on my side bar.

World Bird Wednesday - Adelaide Rosella

The cabin in Melrose, which we had pre-booked sight unseen,

was unprepossessing for the price to say the least, see post below,

but sported a pair of Adelaide rosellas, Platycercus elegans

adelaidae, feeding on the uncut grass at the back.

They let me come reasonably close unlike the same species

on our farm where they fly away before you know they are there.

Here they performed acrobatic feats on the wire fence just

to show off,

and even sat for a family portrait!

Click to enlarge . . .

and click on the Logo to join in or just visit birds from around the world.

MY WORLD ~ The Grampians

Please enlarge to fully appreciate the details.

Last week on our way back from Melbourne we made
our over night stop at Halls Gap in the Grampians in
Victoria. I thought we were too late for the wildflowers,
but was I ever mistaken! The season was late this year
and we had a veritable feast.


View towards a small portion of the Grampians Nat.
Park from the main Western Highway.

On the right is apart of the Elephant's Hide. In the gap
you can just spy the plain beyond. Sorry about the
quality of the shots ... it was raining and this is shooting
directly into the morning light, what there was of it.



Everywhere in impossibly stony or dry sandy ground,
was an unbelievable diversity of flora. I shall post many
more in TODAY'S FLOWERS next Sunday.



The flowers came in all the colours of the rainbow.



These little stars of light shone between fallen Gum
leaves and were less than 1/4" in diameter.



We went on a reasonably level hiking trail to view the
Balconies. Although I managed the walk carrying my
camera, the case I had left in the car to ease my load
and naturally, snapping away at the flowers I ran out
of battery...now guess where the spare was...yup, you
guessed it, safely in the car.
Sorry, no shot of The Balconies.



This Crimson Rosella was feeding on the back lawn
of our Motel, there was an abundance of birdlife in the
early morning but also minimal light and 'raindrops
were falling on my head' as well as my camera.



Just a tantalising little piece of Mackenzie Falls,
a long stepped waterfall cascading down the gorge
with the main spectacular boiling torrent dropping
right into the river at its base.
I could have made it to the bottom and, although the
spirit was willing, without a crane to hoist me up, I
would still be there.



From one of the lookouts even in the rain you could
almost see forever.

Clicking on the Logo will take you on other hidden paths
around the world.

Sorry I am late in posting...it was so hot last night that
although my photos were marshalled, the starter motor

on my brain refuse to raise a spark.

Thanks to our gracious hosts who make this meme happen.

TODAY'S FLOWERS ~ 31 My Garden Today

As I went out to the garden this afternoon, I found
this ballerina in her tutu dancing on my Almond tree.



when she saw me, she blushed rosy red, was she
pleased, was she embarrassed? Who can tell....



Meanwhile, Viburnum burkwoodii was out in all her
glory exuding perfume all around.



Not to be outdone, the first branch of my Orchid had
opened and the whole shadehouse was bathed in scent.



Shy 'Claire Matin' coyly turned her head as I lifted
my camera.



Further down the garden path the Crabapple was
reaching for the sky,

here it is again in all its perfumed delight, Malus
floribunda, shading the grass that perhaps I should
have weeded out. On the other hand, the grass is

still green and green is good.

For flowers of other seasons, click on the Logo.

All photos enlarge with a simple click.

Luiz Santilli Jr. is the originator of this great meme,
do join in, it is great fun.

BIRD PHOTOGRAPHY WEEKLY ~ 6 Adelaide Rosella

Please scroll down for MY WORLD, Sunday's
Flowers and other posts.

Adelaide Rosella, Platycercus adelaidae



In mating plumage



The bright red is for the mating season, at other
times there is more yellow than red.

For many more beautiful birds, click on the logo