Saturday's Critters - The Snail Patrol

O.K. Which way first?

Yeah, seems as good as any other . . .

watch out snails, here we come!

Linking with Eileen's

Saturday's Critters

OUR WORLD, Wild Bird Wednesday & Nature Notes - Breeding Time

Tax time, one of the revolting realities of life that stress me out 

two personal returns as well as quarterly and annual farm tax!

I like to go a little early to see our accountant just so I can have

half an hour in the little Japanese garden on the way.

Click to enlarge, you'll see the snowflakes flowering on the rocks

I was surprise to already see ducklings, this young pair of 

wood ducks had been busy.

The wood ducks are nesting on the farm as well, a good month 

before their usual time.

Can you see the bonus goldfish?

Proud mom looking across at dad

"Aren't we sweet?"

Dad seems to be in a bit of a flap but the family 

remain unconcerned

as I watched, it became apparent that their colouring 

was a little different - makes me think it's a pigeon pair.

 the dog and I enjoyed a little Zen moment before 

launching into the tax again.

Linking with OUR WORLD

Wild Bird Wednesday

and 

Nature Notes 

Our World & World Bird Wednesday - Goose on the Loose

Nothing really special, just one of my evening walks . . .

You may remember our goose forever sitting on infertile eggs?

Well, someone hearing of this at the cherry orchard our

granddaughters help out at during their holidays, offered a

gander. Granddaughter thought it was a kind gesture but laid

not much dependence on it. Imagine her surprise when next day

the lady was back with a box full of gander as a present.

The gander was duly installed in the farmyard but goosie was not

much interested as she had grown up with another gosling and a

matriarchal duck who was superseded by a bouncy, bossy bantam

who had met her untimely end by flying into the German Shepherd's

pen to steal his food.

What with one thing and another, Mr.Gander decided to

emigrate to the dam in the park where Goosie, who feels at

home among the dogs, cats and cars, occasional sheep and

horses in the farm yard, goes to visit and for an occasional swim.

Mr.Gander is more concerned with over-flying birds than with my

presence.

To get there, I climbed through a barbed wire fence, using the unavoidably

rattling chain on the gate instantly alerts the parrots who raise

the other birds.

While doing a photo session with the gander, a couple of cormorants??

lifted off our old diving platform. Sorry I can just show you a glimpse

of one, I inadvertently erased the shot of both of them.

The pond was teeming with life, the whole family of little grebes

was at home as well as a number of wood duck and black duck

and blackbirds coming down to drink.

One of the adults near the far side of the dam

and a very curious youngster who hotfooted over to within six

feet of where I was sitting on the crossing stones.

Isn't he just the cutest?

Some of the other residents keeping to the other shore

or having a quick bath on Golden Pond.

Just one more shot of the gander as the light fades, doing

his swan impression after an Olympic swim around the pond.

Since these few shots, the temperatures have been in excess of 40+C

so I have been housebound under a fan to prevent my brain melting

and leaking out of my ears.

Wishing you all a wonderful New Year and lots of fun visiting both

OUR WORLD and World Bird Wednesday. Both accessible from the

relevant Logos on my side bar.

Also linked to Weekend Walkabout, Watery Wednesday and Nature Notes

MY WORLD ~ Winter in the Wild Wood

A few days ago I went to our little Wild Wood which is left to it's

own devices, in other words, given back to God.

It had a carpet of last season's leaves and vibrant green coming

through after our autumn and winter rains, as well as bright

sulphurous lichens.

Here you see the yellow on the dead wood and a great deal

of storm damage. My excuse for a wonder in the wood was a

search for the daytime roost of a new owl I had been listening

to night after night. I had no luck as far as the owl was concerned,

it is probably hiding somewhere in the boundary pine trees or

even further afield.

Looking back along the sheep-track, the winter creek-bed

is choked with fallen trees.

I have not seen it this bad in many, many years, even the big

poplars are snapped and uprooted.

This massive nut-pine was uprooted some years ago. It is

much bigger than it appears, the diameter is at least 5' and

that rootball is at least 10' high.

past the nut-pine and along the dam (getting my feet wet

in my leaking Wellingtons). Just beyond our dam, the wood

ducks that had taken flight at my approach, were regrouping

and thinking of flying over the fence to the neighbours dam

and this is looking back across our dam towards the wild wood.

Even with the devastation, it was a nice walk, freedom, fresh air and

delicious solitude.

Go to MY WORLD, join in the fun and show us what you are up to,

just click on the Logo!

MY WORLD, World Bird and Watery Wednesday - A Dawn Walk

While staying in Bright, Victoria last month, I took off as dawn

was breaking and was already in this well kept park in town

just as it was light enough to start activating my itchy shutter-

finger.

In the mists on the Ovens river, Australian Wood Ducks,

Chenonetta jubata, were flying to join the Black Ducks which

were already busy bathing in the icy waters.

Light in the sky brought light into the depths of the fast

flowing river.

A new well mannered friend accompanied me, I found him on our

doorstep and as I left, he followed . . .

a great companion, so obviously NOT water shy. He blithely

stepped into the icy cold river to his shoulder just for a drink!

A flotilla of Black Duck paddling upstream . . .

I had so many photos, I could bore you to tears . . . just not

this time.

Here is a Pied Currawong, Strepera graculina, feeding on

berries almost at my feet.

Currawongs are larger and heavier than Crows and can do a

lot of damage to fruit trees, just look at his powerful beak.

Note the wide legged stance, he really is the tough guy on the

block.

On a softer note, a Rosella camouflaged in the autumn

foliage.

Here is a teenager Crimson Rosella, Platycercus elegans,

changing into adult plumage.

. . . and so , back to our digs where the Prof was still peacefully

sleeping and I said a sorry farewell to my companion , who

apparently belonged in the next little town!

A post for MY WORLD, World Bird Wednesday and Watery Wednesday,

please click on all or any of the relevant Logos in my sidebar to join in or

view these most rewarding memes.

Shadow Shot Sunday ~ Somewhat Agricultural

Ducks following the leader.....


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and a rooster feeling very important.
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Mosey over to HEY HARRIET for splendid shadows, where the

Logo unlocks a whole world full.

Watery Wednesday ~ Ducks Dabbling at Dam

It is winter, it is cold but with a little water about, the ducks
are thinking of the mating season to come.

2sweetnsaxy hosts this (d)ripping meme, click on the Logo

and dive right in.

Watery Wednesday ~ Now You See It, Now You Don't

A good season, eight years ago, the pond (dam) in the park
is full to the brim and overflowing to feed our winter creek.



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Same pond six years later, dry as a bone. No habitat for
waterbirds to breed and certainly no swimming hole for our
visiting grandchildren.

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This is from last year with a pair of wood ducks hoping for a
sufficient food source to raise a family on.
At present, and we are in our rainy season, there is even less
water in it. It looks like we are heading for another green drought
when there is enough rain to green up the pastures but no run
off or deep watering to ensure the health of trees. We are already
in our eigth year of drought and a number of deep wells have dried
up. . .the times they are a changin'.
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All photos enlargee for more detail.

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Thanks to 2sweetnsaxy we can show off some water if we have it.

Watery Wednesday ~ More Ducks

Another cute duckie, the lighting is not as good as last week


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but isn't she cute when she curls up like a kitten?
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Click to enlarge each or any if you like.
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Thanks to 2sweetnsaxy for hosting this meme. The Logo takes
you swimming wherever you like.

Watery Wednesday ~ Bubble Bath

Ahh, there is nothing like a cooling bubble bath on a hot day

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it really is great fun when you get into the swing of it!

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Of course, not everyone has the knack, try as they may.
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Enlarge if yu have the time and please say 'hi' even if I am unable to

visit you all as yet.

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Thanks to 2Sweetnsaxy for hosting this wet meme.

Watery Wednesday ~ Smug Ducks

Don't they look deliciously self satisfied?

Click on the ducks and they will grow on you.

Click on the Logo and the waters of the world will flow for you.

Thanks to 2sweetnsaxy for providing this great venue for us.

Watery Wednesday ~ 20 Ducks at Dawn

Sorry, only one today....

it was still pretty dark so I had to pump some light

into the shot. It is a little clearer when enlarged.

Thanks to 2sweetnsaxy we can all enjoy lots of water.

Nature Notes ~ 2 Domestic Ducks

Some new arrivals in the poultry yard have exhibited

some interesting behaviours.

We lost our drake so two more ducks entered our
lives because our g-daughters could not resist them
and of course a drake to keep them happy.
















One of the new ducks herded the drake almost
immediately indoors hoping for a little privacy. As
soon as the other new duck twigged, in she went
chasing both of them out again and displaying quite
a bit of jealousy.
















After we gave up watching, they must have worked
their troubles out or he at least had understood what was
expected of him. When my daughter brought up a bowl
of 14 duck eggs it was patently obvious how ducks had
come by their name...They are just sooo pro-duck-tive!

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Spring has sprung and bigamy is in bloom.
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Thank you Michelle for hosting this meme.