Life between the stones

After finding the damaged cactus from last week, I was pleased to find this specimen unharmed between the stones.

I really like the contrast between the living and non-living here - it's the biologists in me surfacing!

You can find more macro shots at Macro Monday2 and I Heart Macro.  SM

Bob the Possum

For a while now we have had a regular guest in the wisteria in out garden - a Ring-Tailed Possum.

Now, as is the way in our household, he has been christened - and we call him Bob.  We don't know if Bob is male or female, but such things are not really important!  Every so often Bob shares his wisteria house with another Ring-Tail, but (predictably) is called Betty.  There are time when I wish I could be serious as well as busy - but I seem to fail comprehensively on the 'being serious' front!

Oh well.

These are typical views of Bob - a foot here, a tail there and, if you look closely, a small pink nose!

Not the best views - but this is pure Australiana!

Tail and claws

Tail and a pink nose 

A tail that twitched and some claws.

I will endêver to get some better shots - but Bob is out about in the dark - which makes things tricky!

You can find more animals from around the world at Saturday Critters (although you will to wait yet again until it actually is Saturday!)  SM

Wild Bird Wednesday 141 - Ruffey Lake Park

Eurasian Coot

Ruffey Lake Park is one of our regular bike ride / walk / photographic destinations.  And this weekend was not exception - on a non-birding front, it was a real delight to find that a small 'tea-caravan' was operating near the spot where we turn around and head back towards the start.

Who can resist a decent cup of tea?  Especially from a real teapot and in fine china!

Sorry, got a bit off topic there - back to the birds this being WBW and all that!

This week I thought I'd do something a little different and put up a selection of birds from one trip, rather tan just concentrate on a single bird.  Gives me a chance to leave the taxonomy books on the shelf for a week!

So, these are some of the birds I saw on my walk in the autumn sunshine.

Eurasian Coot

Female Chestnut Teal

Purple Swamphen

Little Black Cormorant 

Little Black Cormorant

Australasian Grebe

And now, once more it's turn.  Click on the blue button to join in.  Cheers SM

An InLinkz Link-up

What a difference a day makes

When we were in Tasmania during January, the weather decided to put on a bit of a show.  There is not much between Tasmania and Antarctica but water and wind - and in the correct proportion those two ancient elements produce a third, rain.  In abundance.

Over one night we had some rather heavy rain - and by coincidence I had taken a picture of this small waterfall the day before.  So, I made a second shot - not exactly from the same place, but close enough.

When you walk on the hills in Tasmania you always need a full set of weatherproof kit - these pictures show you why!

Day 1

Day 2

As ever, these picture look better bigger!

You can find more shots from around the world at Our World Tuesday.  SM

Cactus Leaf Vandalism

There are times when I really just don't get it - and the it in this case was writing your name and (presumably) initials on the leaf of a cactus / succulent plant in the Royal Botanic Gardens.

I don't know if the initials caught my eye, but I found myself feeling rather cross!

Having said that, it does make a rather interesting sort of image.

You can find more macro shots at Macro Monday2 and I Heart Macro.  SM

Fly Past

As part of the build up to the Melbourne Grand Prix, there was a low level fly past by the Qantas jet.

I just like the perspective of these images.

I only had a wide angle lens with me - I was planning to take pictures of the worlds largest flower - but in the end the best camera is the one you have with you.

These images do look a lot better bigger!

You can find more sky shots at Sky Watch Friday.  SM