Party

G'day,

I HAD to go to a party yesty.

“Do I have to go?”

“Yes, it’s your daughter’s birthday!”

 “Where is it?”

“Cranbourne Botanic Gardens.”

“Oh! OK, try and stop me!”

We loaded up the food and kids on the trolleys and headed for the picnic area… 

There was a playground with a great climbing web...

"Two hands please Chloe, ...Annabel? Oh whichever"

A sand pit with cakes to bake…

 

Games to play…

Scary rides…

 

I could do the rounds of the picnics…

 

Photos to take…

 

But best of all, we didn’t have to clean up afterwards – we could leave that to the locals…

 

OK, I’d better get out of here before the girls catch up with me for saying my highlight of the day was seeing a Bandicoot!

Regards,

Gouldiae.

A First

G'day Readers,
Yesterday I was rolling around on the floor of the machinery shed under a mower - as I tend oft to do these days with the grass growing the way it is, (who was that person who said Central Gippsland was in a rain shadow?) - listening to a pair of Golden Whistlers call to one another in the Red Box trees just outside, when it occurred to me that one of the 'songs' wasn't quite right. (Now, there's a good sentence for you sentence-structure freaks, people to go to work on!)

I had the camera with me - no, not actually WITH me under the mower, it was in the ute - so I wiped the worst of the grease and grass from my hands and went looking. With the distinct autumnal feeling to the weather here at present, I thought that most of the species that just visit for summer would have gone north by now. Not this one ..

 

First time I've ticked a Leaden Flycatcher on the golf course.

Regards,

 Gouldiae.

PS: Another Victorian nature blogger I've just discovered, Mosaic Avenues.

The King of Parrots

G'day,

The King Parrots are down from the hills for winter – it must be time to begin re-stocking the wood shed.

Actually there has been the odd ‘kingy’ around for some weeks now but the numbers that swoop in onto the front lawn for some seed occasionally, seems to have risen considerably in the last few days.

 I reckon they have their town circuit, as it is a popular past time around here – feeding the kings. Some people are aghast at providing seed for wild birds, but when I saw the delight on grand-daughter Phoebe’s face yesterday as we sat quietly for a few individuals to approach ever closer,  I’m quite content with the issue, provided it is done minimally.

Bit chuffed about it myself – they provide an excellent op for some close-ups.

Regards,

Gouldiae.

Recent Visitors

G'day Readers,

The recent rain has encouraged all sorts of different visitors to the golf course. Between frantically mowing the fairways to keep up with the fast growing grass, I’ve been keeping an eye out around the dam. As often is the case, the mower, (or the ute), makes a good bird hide.

Masked Lapwing

Great Egret

Yellow Spoonbill

Yellow Spoonbills

 I wonder who will turn up tomorrow?

Regards,

Gouldiae.

Two Recent Biggies

G'day,

Walking between a couple of fairways the other day and some large pieces of ‘shrapnel’ began dropping around me from above. I backed off and circled around a bit and discovered a trio of Yellow-tailed Black Cockatoos feeding in a Hakea and making short work of the tough seed pods with their powerful beaks.

Been seeing them fly over a bit lately and I was wondering if they were making any food stops on the course.

On another recent occasion I was mowing our grass at home and a largish shadow passed slowly over me. I switched off the mower and began looking around for the bird responsible. It was too slow for a swallow, but about the same size I estimated. Then a flutter of colourful wings on a nearby flower head caught my eye.

The Orchard Swallowtail is one of the largest butterflies we get around here - occasionally. Always a sight to see and once this female landed Glen and I got some nice close views of a tattered and torn lady. Time to check the lemon tree!

Regards,

Gouldiae.

Golf Anyone?

Bring your gum boots.

G'day Readers,

The big low pressure trough running through nearly all states at present is even making its presence felt right down here in the south east corner. I have to say it is most welcome but then I’m not a farmer ….

When I stepped outside this morning the gauge was around 75mm and now it is over 100! We haven’t had this sort of season in years.

The first fairway was like a lake system.

Here's a couple more shots. Thank goodness I got the greens and  most of the fairways cut on Tuesday and Wednesday. I can't get a mower anywhere near the place at the moment and in a couple of day's time, the grass will be knee high.

7th fairway - yep, the dam has overflowed again and the track is partly washed out yet again!

Bridge to ladies 10th tee - sign says it all.

 Some of the locals are enjoying it...

Carp on the grass below the 18th green.

Wood Duck.

Masked Lapwing on 8th fairway.

Never seen the place like this in March - wonderful. You can switch off the river pump now Al!

Regards,

Gouldiae