World Bird Wednesday - Little Corellas.

I was on my way to work on Friday when I found this flock of Little Corellas feasting on the seed pods of some Liquid Amber trees. I was only five minutes from home, so I went back to get the camera – ah the joys of flexi-time!

The birds were utterly confident that they were in change and on one occasion I had to shoo them out of the way of a passing car. These are rather talkative birds, and at times the place was very noisy. This is the first time I’ve seen flocks of corellas on the ground in Melbourne, although I have been seeing and hearing them overhead for a number of weeks. In the past these birds were only really common in the west of the state, but they seem to have moved. I have to wonder if it’s a result of either the drought or the fact that the drought is over?

You can find more world birds here, and you can see the latest post on my other blog by clicking the Paying Ready Attention link on the RHS of the page. Enjoy the birds.

My World Tuesday - Brisbane.

I spent most of last week in Brisbane, or more accurately in hotel rooms in Brisbane. I managed to escape once just as the sun was setting. The sun was shining through a thin gap in the clouds – a letterbox really. It was about the only sun I saw during the week (until of course I was on the plane going home!), but the combination of low angle sun, grey rain filled sky and the geometric shape of this building seemed too good to miss.




















You can find more images of great places here or you can click on the My World Tuesday link on the RHS of the screen. You can also see at my most recent posts on my other blog by clicking on the "Paying Ready Attention" Link on the RHS of the screen.

World Bird Wednesday - Tawny Frogmouth.

I was coming home a last weekend just as it was getting dark. As I got out of the car I could hear possums squabbling in a large gum trees so I went to have a look. As I approached a large bird few from the tree. My first reaction was “owl”, but it when I had a better look it turned into a Tawny Frogmouth. Luckily it was still there when I came back with the camera. It’s a common mistake to think these birds are some form of owl, but they are more closely related to Nightjars.

As their name suggest they have huge gapping mouths and are nocturnal hunters. By day they sit upright in trees, relying on their camouflage. Seen in most lights during the day (and they are hard to find) they really do look like broken off branches. Luckily this one gave the game away by flying. I’ve removed the “red-eye” caused by the flash, but the eyes should be orange!

You can find more world birds here, and you can see the latest post on my other blog by clicking the Paying Ready Attention link on the RHS of the page.

Enjoy the birds.

My World Tuesday - Ginko biloba

It was a wonderful autumn day on Saturday - hardly a breath of wind and a crystal clear, blue sky. I went for a walk around the block and found this Ginko tree. For the technically minded it’s a Ginko biloba or a Maidenhair Tree. What I thought it was spectacular!

I’d seen these orange yellow leaves before, but never in such bright light. I’m glad I took the pictures because today, on the way to work, I walked past the same tree. Almost all of the leaves had gone, blown away by a Sunday storm. I really can’t image what a landscape dominated by this tree would be like – bright I would imagine!

You can find more images of great places here or you can click on the My World Tuesday link on the RHS of the screen. You can also see at my most recent posts on my other blog by clicking on the "Paying Ready Attention" Link on the RHS of the screen.

The Sky Made Solid (Friday Skies)

I've been doing some work this week with ideas about photosynthesis, and I have been struck by the idea that plants - or trees in this case - are just solid sky. Most of the new material that forms growing trees comes from carbon dioxide in the air, so a plant becomes solid air. That made me think about the link between the sky and trees. I found one photograph from a month or so back that seemed to express that idea, but I also managed to take some on the walk home from work. The first picture is of Mountain Ash - these can grow to be the tallest flowering plants in the world. The next images are of an Angaphora species - its growing on a railway cutting near my office!

So here they are "The sky made solid". Tell me what you think!

You can find more Friday Skies here and the most recent post from my other blog by clicking the “Paying Ready Attention” link on the RHS of the screen.

World Bird Wednesday - Australian Pelican.

Last weekend I took a trip down to Queenscliff - that's a couple of hours west of Melbourne. Its an old fishing town that now earns its living mostly through tourism - which must be a familiar tale around the world.

There is a boat ramp just out of town, and at the top of the ramp is a light pole, and at the top of the light pole was a pelican.

I'd seen this bird - or at least one that look like this one! - there before, but this is the first time I managed to get any decent pictures.

You can find more world birds here, and you can see the latest post on my other blog by clicking the Paying Ready Attention link on the RHS of the page.

Enjoy the birds.