Sunday, August 30, 2009

Bird Walk

*


Bird Walking on Saturday...







It's Saturday
no rush to get up today
not that I am ever
in much of a rush
to do anything these days

I looked over the river
and saw a group of egrets
bunched in a tree
looking rather silly










as they stood
longlegged
on flimsy branches











I was ready
for my mid morning coffee
but needed a walk
and some fresh air first
and the prospect of seeing birds...











and look who is back in the park
after a two week's absence
on walkabout
the plover parents returned
unaccompanied...

I didn't want to tell you
that they had gone walkabout
because it was an ominous indication
that all was not well
in the little family










and what do you think she is doing
nesting again?

I will take the car into the park later
and place a stake
at the nest site
if that is what I suspect it is


Oh, the resilience of Nature











the cream grevillea
are flowering










as are all the other varieties
attracting
the many nectar feeding birds
in our area










across from the grevillea
the casaurina trees,
She oaks,
grace the river bank
with their delicate sensuous tendrils










and chains of nutty seeds









that are hard and prickly










the skittish magpie lark
or Peewee
is always around the river's edge
where he builds his mud and grass nest
on a horizontal branch
over or near the water

He puddles in the muddy shallows
for insects











the pale pink grevillea cloud
provides food and protection
for a variety of honey eaters
and parrots











their giant stamens
an architectural feat










friendly little Willy Wagtail
I meet most days
hops along the nature strip
swinging his tail
from side to side










and perches on letter boxes,
signs and vehicles
to sing his sweet song










as I approach loud bird song in a tree
I realise that I am not
the only birdwatcher
this morning










I see puddy
and he sees me











The rainbow lorikeets
are quite adept
at hanging upside down
to feast on the grevillea
extracting nectar
with their brush like tongues











the sun catches
their rainbow jackets











and they screech discordant notes
to each other
telling their mate
of their whereabouts



and here comes my Beloved
in his truck
wondering where his mate
had wandered off to
this wonderful morning...






*

37 comments:

  1. Delwyn, this is still like coming to a fabled landscape for me! Thank you.
    Cat shots not so exotic maybe, but fabulous. A story in two frames.

    ReplyDelete
  2. It's always a treat to walk with you. So enjoyable. The cat photos are wonderful.
    Sunny :)

    ReplyDelete
  3. Hi there Titus

    I'm glad that I can show you some of the Queensland flora and fauna....even a cat or two...

    Happy days

    ReplyDelete
  4. Hello Sunny,

    It was such a surprise to see the cat watching the birds just as I was....then watching me...

    Happy days

    ReplyDelete
  5. Ah, the plover family. I wondered about them. So sad that their first try didn't work. But, birds seem to never give up, even returning to exactly the same nest site after it didn't work the first time. I shake my head in wonder.

    I love seeing the huge variety of flora and fauna you have - and they're so different from mine. Of course, we have cats here though (I love the cat photo)!

    Do you have hummingbirds?

    ReplyDelete
  6. Hi Delwyn...
    Your walk had lots for you to enjoy. I liked the rainbow lorikeet in the cream grevillea tree...and how you captured the black cat eyeing the little black Willy Wagtail. The wagtail reminds me of our Snowbird(Junco)that we only see during the winter months.
    I see your new camera gave you nice closeups of the egrets across the river...on such GREEN...our green is growing less vivid by the day, getting softer colors as autumn glides in, I will enjoy the changing of the season and the eventual falling leaves though.

    Smiles,
    Wanda

    ReplyDelete
  7. I'm with KB: I was charmed by the feline bird watcher, though I'm sure the cat's interest in birds was more gustatory than aesthetic. I also loved the photos of the flamboyant rainbow lorikeets. Your new camera helps you get right up close. I wonder if it has a video function that would allow you to record the movements and songs of some of the birds you see?

    The only thing missing was a picture of the truck and the mate.

    Though Sunday just dawned in California, your Monday just began in Australia. It reminds me of something Charles Schultz (a local cartoonist, creator of Peanuts) who once said something like,

    "Don't worry. The world won't end today. It's already tomorrow in Australia." Have a wonderful week.

    ReplyDelete
  8. hello delwyn!!! between the "resilience of nature" which truly is an amazing quality . . .sort of a "push on regardless" approach . . . and the photo of the cat (which made me laugh out loud!! i love watching cats when they aren't aware of being watched) there's all sorts of loveliness. the cloud of flowers in the tree that protects the small creatures . . .wow!!! have a lovely day by the river delwyn. steven

    ReplyDelete
  9. Great bird pictures, but I must admit my favourite is of "puddy" peeking out.

    We don't have egrets here but we do have blue herons. I love seeing them waiting motionless in shallow tidewater for their lunch to swim by.

    ReplyDelete
  10. What a lovely little walk I just had in your life - Thank you :0)

    ReplyDelete
  11. Isn't that cream grevillea beautiful ! I have never seen it. The lorikeet pics are so colourful! I would love to have pretty birds like that. I really liked the "puddy tat" looking where you were looking! He looks like my kitty! I have also never heard of a Willy Wagtail. Hard to tell, is he small?

    ReplyDelete
  12. Love the bird pictures, the Willy Wagtail I found interesting as he is quite different to the Irish Wagtail. I enjoyed Puddy peeping, cats are up to the same antics no matter where they are.

    ReplyDelete
  13. Love this little walk. Love the birds, and your little bird watcher friend. Thanks for taking us along.

    ReplyDelete
  14. Another lovely walk! Those rainbow lorikeets are amazing creatures.

    ReplyDelete
  15. Hi Delwyn,
    Perhaps the plovers have something to teach us about persistence. Those beautiful grevillea blossoms of many colors are awesome - especially when a parrot is hanging from them! The green cat eyes tell a story, don't they? Hope your coffee wasn't cold after our stroll.

    ReplyDelete
  16. Hi KB

    I checked where I had seen the plover and sure enough there are four more eggs...I wonder where they went for the two weeks and how they know to return to the same spot and start over again.

    I think we do have hummingbirds but not around here. I will research that topic...

    Happy days

    ReplyDelete
  17. Hello Wanda

    There are only a few patches of green as it is so dry at the moment.
    The lawns and parks are burnt off and the roads littered with brown leaves like autumn. The sky is dark today with the promise of rain...I'm hoping...

    I look forward to seeing Autumn Wanda style...

    Happy days

    ReplyDelete
  18. Hi Dan

    That cat was very busy. So many birds in his tree were creating a cacophany...
    Yes the camera can film. I haven't tried that function yet, mainly because the batteries expire so quickly, but now I have found a good rechargeable system that should give the camera longer life...

    You won't believe it but because of my Beloved's fascination with Mopars he only drives American trucks...he has a big Blue GM dual cab truck...far too big for town but he likes it for carting gear around...

    Yes it's Mon and I have been out already doing chores and soon off to the gym, then the physio, and then a nice walk this afternoon if the rain has not arrived. As much as I want the walk we need the rain a lot more...

    So goodbye from tomorrow...

    Happy days

    ReplyDelete
  19. Hi Steven

    It was a varied walk...as they all turn out to be..always a surprise somewhere along the way...

    Enjoy your first week back at school Steven,


    Happy days

    ReplyDelete
  20. Hello Lynne

    puddy was a treat...


    We have the blue heron too. We call him a white faced heron or a blur crane.
    One has joined Harold and Maude on the deck a few times lately...

    Happy days

    ReplyDelete
  21. Welcome Eternally Distracted,

    It is nice to have you join me on the walk.

    I will visit you later in the day...

    Happy days

    ReplyDelete
  22. Hello Lorac

    The grevilleas are so wonderful at the moment. I have prepared a post on them...

    Yes Willy Wagtail is a small cute bird only a little bigger than a sparrow but with heaps more character..He is quite tame and hops along around your feet almost, then pops up onto a letterbox for a little sing and waggle of his tail...he has a lovely song...I filmed him once for a post on the river...

    Happy days

    ReplyDelete
  23. Hi Ann

    I will google the other wagtails for comparison. I had an exciting day yesterday finding a bird I had never seen in one of my trees near the house...a post on the way...

    Happy days

    ReplyDelete
  24. Hi Nancy

    thank you for coming by and sharing the walk today...

    Happy days

    ReplyDelete
  25. Hi Willow

    the lorikeets are so vocal you can't ever ignore them...and so bright too of course. As they fly off in a group they change colours with the angle of their bodies, shifting from emerald to reds and rainbow splashes..it is gorgeous...

    Happy days

    ReplyDelete
  26. Hi Barb

    My Beloved and I were just talking about the plovers and how heavy it must have been for the mother to fly back to the park with four eggs inside her... I would love to know where they went...

    I waited 'til my return before I put the Turkish coffee pot on the gas...
    and it was superb thank you...


    Happy days

    ReplyDelete
  27. Hi Delwyn! Some peregrination today! flowering plants and nuts, birds with personalities: Willy Wagtail and of course the plover family who has gone through the heartache of losing children and has begun anew--hope springs eternal in the (human) breast. and that Puddy! I love that expression on his face looking at you as though he had been caught! And his beautiful teal eyes--how could you not take him home!! (if he's feral and not belonging to someone) And never far from view, the river bank. Thank you! xxox

    ReplyDelete
  28. What a beautiful post! I hope you don't mind me tagging along, I've been meaning to come introduce myself(hello), i've heard such nice things about Hazy Moon and you. This is my favorite kind of post, you've shown so much (i love birds, and nature) and explained it so well, thank you Delwyn, it's really been a pleasure.

    ReplyDelete
  29. Oh, i forgot to say i love Basho.You have Such a beautiful blog.

    ReplyDelete
  30. Hello Margaret

    Oh that puddy belonged to the family who lived beyond the wall...
    It was a varied and wonderful journey of only little distance this bird walk, but still plenty of entertainment for the easily pleased...

    Happy days

    ReplyDelete
  31. Hello Lori ann

    welcome to down under in Qld. It is pleasure to have you and I look forward to us getting to know each other...

    thank you for coming by and stopping to chat...

    P.S. I'm glad you are a Basho lover too...

    Happy days

    ReplyDelete
  32. Lovely walk, I enjoyed every step with you, mainly for 2 reasons. I am an early morning walker myself and love to watch the "play" of nature. But secondly, you are in a totally different part of the world with all new birds and plants and seasons to entice me into more travel!!!
    Lovely photos, some day I will learn how to take good photos. You have a knack for it.

    ReplyDelete
  33. Thanks Rita

    I am just learning but have bought a new camera and of course that makes all the difference and makes the bird pics possible...

    Well, we have many and varied walks in Au with every terrain imaginable and every climate too...

    It is, to me, one of the best things about blogging, that we can share the wonders of the world...

    Happy days

    ReplyDelete
  34. Springtime approaches and everyone is in their beautiful mating splendor I see. The lorikeets are gorgeous as is the wagtail. The puddy cat is just too intent on his "birdwatching"! Keep us posted on the plovers! Lizzy

    ReplyDelete
  35. I found you via Bonnie at Bonnie's Original Art. Your blog is lovely. These are so many of my favorite paintings...just beautiful to see them all here...

    Thank you~
    ~Calli

    ReplyDelete
  36. Hello Lizzy

    The plovers have come back to the park and have another 4 eggs laid out in the wide open space...
    They are roaming the streets to feed and one remains on the nest most of the time. It takes 21 takes for the eggs to hatch so I will watch - but it is a little heartbreaking watching the process that seems destined to face hurdles like last time...

    Happy days

    ReplyDelete
  37. Hello Calli

    welcome to my little corner of the world.
    Thanks for calling by. I will visit you later today...

    Happy days

    ReplyDelete

Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.