World Bird Wednesday & Nature Notes - Farewell Biggles, hallo Egret

Biggles blundering in the bushes

or perched in the cherry tree or on my shoulder is but a sweet

memory. Last Saturday he was called to the Great Galah in the

sky. He had a misshapen tongue and yesterday there was another

dead baby galah on the paddock. Our resident flock of Galahs

nested away from home. Therefore they also could have ingested

pesticides on neighbouring farms. We steer clear of applying

chemicals on our land, it may look scruffier but at least we know

it is 'clean and green'. My neighbour with a property 4 times the

size of ours went on an aerial spraying spree against cockchafers

one year and we lost all the frogs in all our dams.

On a happier note, my first ever sighting of an Intermediate

Egret, Ardea intermedia, or any egret for that matter in our

area within the last 20+ years. I have only seen them on the

coast or much further north before.

Imagine my surprise when we crossed the Torrens river close

to its source in Mt.Pleasant. The footbridge made a great

vantage point while my ever lovin' trotted back to the car for

my camera. No zoom on the first shot to show you the habitat.

This one mainly for identification, the beak says it all, it is

yellow more than orange so it is in non-breeding plumage.

Our son was here for one night on his way to a shoot at a

steel plant so I was lucky enough to get an over breakfast

master class and will no longer be over exposing my whites,

well, providing I can surf the menu quickly enough!

Don't you just love the way birds have their knees bending

the other way from ours?

After fishing for ever so long, he decided to go mountain climbing.

I think he was just showing off as it would have been so much easier

to fly over those jutting rocks.

Finally, playing hide-and-seek in the bushes and giving a

perfect swan impression.

Enlarge them if you are so inclined . . .

Both these memes can be accessed from the relevant Logos on my side bar.

My thanks to Springman and Michelle for hosting them.

ah,

WATERY WEDNESDAY ~ 18 Head of the Torrens II

Here at last is the promised continuation of the
beginning of the River Torrens half a mile
downstream from its slightly more pristine look
in my previous post.



What a difference a little distance plus a township
make....the sky and trees still reflect in the still pool
but where the water falls not much more than 6",
other very pretty pictures form, though they are rather
unnerving to consider.




Like turning a kaleidoscope, the patterns of foam and
scum swirl and change....



from white snowfields,



to the rainbow sands of famed beaches.

All photos enlarge both for greater enjoyment of the

patterns and impact of the horror of the pollution in

such a short stretch of the river's progress.

Had someone painted this, you would hang it on the wall,
knowing what it is, makes you want to weep for a civilization

that is murdering the bounty of our planet which has

enabled its very existence.

We cannot rely on others to rectify the situation.
Laws and fines have little effect and only apply to big

corporations although their economists often work on

the principle that it cheaper to pollute and pay the fine

when/if caught, than to dispose of hazardous waste

responsibly.

The way forward I see is for the individual to take control

of his own patch and by example show that it is possible to
live in balance with ones surroundings without recourse
to the arsenal of chemical consortiums that blithely sell

what is banned in one country to an unsuspecting poorer one.

That is the reason we have amassed four congruent

properties so that at least these 500 acres can revert
back to a viable, self-sustaining existence.

Next week, God willing I will show you what looks like

scum but proves the health of our dams. May the gods

smile on you till then.

Now, click on the logo and float down some other river...

Thanks to 2sweetnsaxy for being a brick and organizing this meme.

Watery Wednesday ~ 17 Head of the Torrens

The River Torrens, once its water was a major factor
in establishing the state's capital Adelaide. Here,
between Mt.Lofty and the sea was sufficient water
to support a sizeable city.



Clearing of the greater part of the catchment for
agriculture was a double edged sword, polluting the
water quality as well as removing the natural filters.



Now the once sizeable river serves as a ditch to pump
the none too palatable water fron the Murray River
with all the run off accumulated in of a number of towns,
agriculture and horticulture using a range of unpalatable
chemicals both in fertilizers and pesticides.



These shots are taken after a good rain in the headwaters
where there now is at least some flow. Next week I will
show you what if looks like half a mile downstream. I
guarantee you will be surprised.



All photos enlarge by a simple click.

Click on the Logo and dive into other pools.

Thank you 2sweetnsaxy for hosting this wet meme.