The House(s) of Fran_mart

 I have finally bitten the bullet and got a new iPhone.  I now have an iPhone 17 Pro, acquired through MYMAC on Flinders St, who were as always very helpful in setting the device up. A large part of the reason for choosing this model was because of its excellent camera.  The device has many other other good features - one can even make phone calls with it!  So I decided to go to Albert Park Lake to test the camera.  The first few images are of birds within about 50 metres.  I am very pleased with their quality. The photos were taken at the SE Conservation Ponds. When I got to the top pond I saw a tiny Crake with tawny upper side and grey breast etc.  Clearly a Baillon's Crake.  I didn't have the phone in my hand and by the time I had got it out the bird had disappeared into the reeds.  I hung about for about 20 minutes, and saw a crake-shape in tunnels in the reeds but no snappable sightings The species has been reported to eBird 5 times in t...

 On 21 January the hot air balloons took off from Fawkner Park rather than landing there.  I pulled on my dressing gown and crocs and got a few snaps. Note the sprinklers in the mid-ground.  I didn't spot them at first as I was looking at the balloons! Somewhat to my surprise there were already 2 in the air, my guess being approximately over the Shrine.

 On 19 November I went for a stroll on St Kilda Beach West, well away from the dredging at the Marina reported in the media.  A few interesting birds. The most interesting was a flock of 75 Red-necked Stints feeding in a patch of washed up sea weed to the west of the outlet.  Waders have not been reported in recent eBird lists. There were a total of 19 Pied Cormorants on the breakwater and various jetties.  Only 2 Little Pied Cormorants and no Little Black Cormorants. I was surprised to spot a Great Crested Grebe out near the yacht club.

 This is more or less a random set of things that seemed interesting seen while in the Winter Garden in the evening of 14 November. The first image is of 2 vehicle-transporting boats.  I find the design interesting - presumably all the cars are full assembled before loading so volume is the issue rather than weight. Another maritime shot.  This boat has been moored at station pier for a couple of days .... ... simply labeled "French warship".  I hereby shout "Remember the Rainbow Warrior." and name it "La Grenouille".  Here is the entry from my Marine Tracker app. At 2017 I looked up from my book and saw that a sunset was happening. Possibly the best we have seen from 505. A little later I noticed that a few rooms in the new building across St Kilda Rd had lights on  No idea why - other than that tradies doing fitout forgot to turn them off.  Also, note that in the background we can still see at least one of the cranes in Port Melbourne.

 The Melbourne Marathon came past this morning.  Here is the lead group incoming. These are the leaders, a little in front of the next group. Outbound. The first females are in this group, about 2 minutes (after 5km) behind the blokes. Some of the tail enders taken from our Winter Garden about 26 minutes after the leaders passed. The leader - I reckon the winner as he was well in front and going well - heading North to finish in 2:15 with a tailender in the Half going South.  Well done Jack Raynor ! Earlier Half runners. For the afternoon the Italian Consulate (next door) had warned our Concierge about a protest.  I couldn't work out why folk were protesting the Italians.  Turns out they were just collateral damage: the target was the US Consulate about 300m further down St Kilda Rd.  And it was the Palestinian supporters, who couldn't find a bike race to interrupt. I was fascinated how tightly bunched the Socialists were at the back of the march.  Pe...

 On 10 October we walked to Prahran Square for a performance by Swerve Drivers .  It is part of the Melbourne Fringe and seemed to be an outdoor dance and light show, but we weren't really sure what was going to happen.  When we arrived about 1950 hrs there were few people around so we wondered if it would be a fizzer.  However the lights in the Square looked nice. There wasn't a great announcement of it starting but we noticed this illumination so wandered in that general direction. A dancer (from the website, Emma Riches) appeared. Lights were projected on her. Captions appeared on a screen.  The words were read out (and echoed by one of the usual, more demented, denizens of the area lurking behind the screen, but not a biggie). Here is the audience, obfuscated to stuff up facial recognition by Elon and his mates. The dancer then appeared below the screen ... ... and then returned to her usual spot for more colour and movement. Towards the end of the performan...