Portents (we hope)

While on our walk this morning Frances commented that although we had been North for a month this seems to have been a bad Winter in terms of cold and/or wet.  However there are a few signs of improvement.

In the bird department there have been a few promising sightings and soundings.  Red Wattlebirds are definitely back in the area, although I haven't seen one close to our house yet.  The Eastern Yellow Robins that turned up last year are still around and were travelling as a twosome during last week.  This morning (21 August) 2 Grey Shrike-thrushes were patrolling our drive and dining off unwary worms. 

A pair of Australian Wood Ducks (Chenonetta jubilata) were checking  out the state of the lawn yesterday morning.  I actually managed to get a photograph of them!
The female is in front and the male showing a slight mane (hence Maned Goose or Maned Duck, as folk-names) at the back.  They are to be distinguished from the very lurid American Wood Duck!

In case anyone wonders why they are called 'Wood' ducks
I was very surprised when loading this image to spot the male duck's head immediately below the female's cloaca!

Later in the day a lot of noise announced the presence of Galahs in the vicinity.  They have been working on a hole in a Red stringybark (Eucalyptus macrorhyncha) for some months.  As usual when I turned up with the camera they fled, but hopefully the image below shows the extent of their work, with one cockatoo visible, pinkly, in the background.
I have tried subsequently to sneak up on these birds and failed.  However the images below show the pair sitting in the tree-with hollow and one (of a Monetish quality) perched  beside thehole.  In both cases looking intently at me , some 40m away!


On the subject of noise we had a very raucous dawn chorus this morning (22/8).  The calls I identitfied included Grey Butcherbird, Australian Magpie, Common Bronzewing and Grey Shrike-thrush.

In the floral department our Almond tree is strutting its stuff
in the vegetable garden.  A plum tree is thinking "budburst" while the first asparagus spears are poking out.


The daffodils are finally starting to emerge down the drive.
I enjoyed being able to capture the yellow daffodil with a hint of yellow Acacia dealbata in the background.  This is in our direct seeding paddock where the A. buxifolia are also starting to emerge.
Meanwhile, back at the ranch various bulbs are continuing to emerge in increasing numbers.

A clear portent of Spring was the sight of the first Shinglebacked Skink of the season. 


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