March is a wonderful time to take a pic or two of the evening skies here in my part of the world and I think these recent snaps, taken from the front steps, turned out to be interesting ones.
March is also the time for me to unearth some slightly warmer clothes to wear, especially for the evenings as the overnight temperatures here are beginning to noticeably drop. Last night it was just 10 degrees – a far cry from the 23 we had just a week or so ago when there definitely was no requirement for warmer clothing.
These milder autumn temperatures have not deterred the black, white-tailed cockatoos though. They are still here enjoying all the different gum blossoms on offer. Several of our gravel roads are now strewn with their half-eaten nuts and discarded leaf tips but the upside to that is – that the pink and grey galahs have moved in and are now happily enjoying/gnawing on some of those dropped nuts and leaf tips. So, a bit of a helping hand to easy eating finds has happened for the galahs.
My gum nut patrols begin.
I have been on high alert when out walking as the gum nuts around here have upended me more than once over the last few years and I have the now mended broken bones to prove it. I am trying really hard to not have any part of my legs, ankles, or feet in a “moon boot” this year, so my walking path around the property has been shortened/diverted, for the time being at least, until the bird ‘pruning season’ is over.
I have found a few feathers that have been left behind after the tree onslaughts that I can add to my feather collection so that is a plus and as the trimming season itself does not last all that long – I must say that it lasts long enough for me to comment once or twice to MY J – even though I love to see them around the place – “is it not time for those screeching/squawking birds to move on?”
Other Birds
The black cockatoos are not the only ones making themselves heard. The Willie Wagtails have been tweeting quite a bit of late too. The same pair, [or we think they are] have been nesting in the front ‘bush’ garden shrubs for quite a number of years and it seems that some of their offspring have now taken up residence in the adjacent laneway shrubs which is nice to see.
We have quite an influx of them flitting around at present, so I shall be on the lookout to see if I can locate any new nests being built in the coming months.
Bird Pics
I took up this current photography interest of mine as part of my heart attack rehab a few years ago. I don’t have a really specific thing that I like to take photographs of, but I do have a bit of penchant for taking snaps of all things nature.
Part of that nature attraction is me taking pics of some of the birdlife that lives around or visits here.
I have seen many, many beautiful snaps of birds taken by other people, and I am currently trying to see if I can take a good bird pic with my little Sony RX 100. [of any bird really – just of one that will ‘sit still’ long enough for me to get a reasonable snap of it.]
I have gone online and watched several [make that many] videos of how to take a good bird pic. The big thing I discovered from those viewings is, that part of the secret to taking a good pic is for the photographer to sit ever so still and patiently wait. Patience was never a virtue of mine so that in itself is a bit of a challenge for little unyoung me, but…I almost, almost, captured a snap of a small bird in flight the other day.
The pic is not quite up to the standard I set myself [ even after a bit of photo editing] but at least this little amateur is getting better at it and as I see it – that’s the main thing.
So as this week progresses and the weather temperatures continue to cool here in my part of the world, I shall endeavour to keep myself happily amused with all sorts of things, including trying to be a good Ornithophile. [My new word for the week – very apt I would say!]
Until next time – have a great day.
Rainbows are always a joy to see from across the paddock.