Vale Fluff

G’day All,

This one’s mostly for close friends and family who might have known Fluff, one of our ‘salvaged’ cats. Yes, that is “cats’. Until today we had three which some might think strange for a bird man. Each moggie had been saved from the green needle years before and each had their own territory around the house with attached outdoor cages that they could utilize. It is very rare that any of the tribe get to roam unattended completely outdoors.

 

 

Fluff had not been eating well for several weeks now and her deterioration was becoming palpable. She spent most of her time in front of the fire or in the window sunshine or on a bed.

 

Our clothes line is perhaps 10 metres from the back door and that is as far as I’ve ever seen Fluff venture. When Glen was hanging the washing, Fluff would often like to curl up and go to sleep inside the empty washing basket. 

 

Things came to a head today and the inevitable and final trip to vet had to take place. We’re gunna miss her a lot. She was such a friendly laid back cat - never demanding except that on cold nights she would sit in front of the unlit fire waiting for either of us to strike the match.

RIP dear old Fluff.

Regards,

Gouldiae.  

A Little Dab'll Do Ya!

G'day All,
Today I had a small job in Traralgon - now, where could I take a little break in pleasant surroundings while I had lunch? Like a moth to a flame, (or as DF might say, to a Hg vapour light), the Traralgon Res, (map, history), once again drew me in. Like the golf course at present, many of the wattles are starting to put on their stunning Spring garb so it was no hardship wandering the pathways.

Someone ahead of me put up a White-faced Heron from its feeding regime on the shoreline and it flew up on to a branch nearly directly overhead. Most of my White-faced Heron jpg files are of the bird stalking in the shallows, so this different perspective was welcome.

 I thought I saw a tiny movement in the opening of tree hollow. I moved slowly to a slightly better position 'up-sun', and waited a few minutes until the culprit showed again. Rainbow Lorikeet - another species that appreciates old trees, (with hollows).

 

The ducks, swamphens, coots etc were nearly all being entertained by some young children throwing BREAD CRUMBS!!!! A couple of dedicated dabblers though were working the shallows just off shore.

 

That reminds me, I'd better finish my salad roll and get back to that golf course.

Regards,

Gouldiae.

The Musks Are Nesting

G'day,
At the moment, every morning the Musk and Rainbow Lorikeets give the flowering gum species on the golf course a right working over as they load up with energy for the day.

 

Two pair of musks have begun nesting in the hollows of a large box tree near the 5th green.

They find it a bit of a squeeze getting in but somehow they seem to manage it. The hollows might open up a bit inside as I've noticed they can each accommodate two adult birds at the same time.

 

  

Gives another meaning to having 'a birdie on the 5th'!

Regards,

Gouldiae.

Yellow-rumps

G'day Everyone,
The little Yellow-rumped Thornbill is classed as a rare and vulnerable species .... on the golf course. We see plenty of these beaut little birds in the district but I'm guessing it is the Noisy Miner population that keeps them from encroaching onto my territory. However, twice recently I have surprised a small family of yellow-rumps in the box bush on the back nine.

I told them they were welcome here anytime and that the box bush is one of the least favourite spots of the Noisy Miners. We'll see what happens.

Supposedly a sedentary species, I'm hoping this little lot like the place enough to stay - I'll just keep my eye out.

Regards,

Gouldiae.

A Departure From Normal

G’day,

What to do on a cold raw day when any self respecting bird would be well rugged up inside a dense shrub? We ducked down to Darnum Musical Village and listened to The Okeh Jazz Band. Jazz piano is one of the passions of my long term friend Graeme.

 

 

Members of the Okeh Jazz Band have heaps of 'experience'. Can you tell? They all come from the eastern suburbs of Melbourne and they play happy old time toe tapping jazz.

 

 

We had a lovely time listening to some great music played by people enjoying their craft.

Fantastic!

Regards,

Gouldiae.

Early Morning Sunbathers

G'day,
It was another frosty start yesterday, so I was well rugged up for my constitutional walk. This Darter was in the big Red Gum beside the dam on the 8th fairway and had obviously been fishing for its breakfast and was drying off.

 Nice to have the camera for a better look...

 A bit further on there was a pair of Galahs warming up before they invaded the nearest fairway to dig for mosels under the grass. Some evenings I've encountered mobs of 100+ ripping into the grass - always on the fairways and not the greens thankfully - but they don't do a lot of damage and a local rule allows the golfers to take a 'free drop' if their ball lodges in a 'bird scrape'.

 

By this time I was warmed up too. Better get to work.

Regards,

Gouldiae.