Tag: outdoors

Nature’s Carpets – The beauty of moss

In the last month, quite a bit of rain has fallen.  I’ve noticed thick carpets of moss, lichen and other tiny ground covers growing thicker and richer in colour.  At the moment, I don’t know the names of the specific species, but over the next few weeks I will do some research and try to … Continue reading Nature’s Carpets – The beauty of moss

Scented Sundew Part 2

A week ago I would have walked past hundreds of Scented Sundew plants, and not even noticed that they were there. Having found the first Scented Sundew on Saturday, I’ve had a heightened awareness of tiny leaves, looking for the telltale sticky hairs.  It turns out we have patches of Scented Sundews all over our … Continue reading Scented Sundew Part 2

Climbing Sundew Drosera macrantha Endl.

On Saturday, I posted two photos of the Scented Sundew an insectivorous plant.  I took these photos late in the afternoon, when the light was not good. They were quick photos, for identification of the flower. Heading back out on Sunday, in better light and with the aim of taking better photos, I discovered they were … Continue reading Climbing Sundew Drosera macrantha Endl.

Scented Sundew: Drosera whittakeri ssp. aberrans

The wild flowers are just starting to emerge! How exciting!  This week, the Nodding Greenhoods began to show and today we noticed very tiny white flowers coming up in places on the recently mown grass behind our garden beds. Tell-tale sticky red hairs covering the leaves revealed it was an insectivorous plant, and further research … Continue reading Scented Sundew: Drosera whittakeri ssp. aberrans

Surprising a Drying Darter

On this day, I was walking, deep in thought, when a harsh call snapped me back to reality.  I had come face to face with a bird that I thought was a cormorant.  I’m not sure which of us was most surprised. I’m so glad I had my camera with me, so I could photograph the … Continue reading Surprising a Drying Darter

Nodding Greenhoods Are Emerging

It’s fantastic to see the Nodding Greenhoods emerging again. This was the first species of Australian Native Orchid I had ever seen.   When we first moved in they were flowering, in large patches right across our property. Hopefully they will do the same this year, but so far we have a few scattered along … Continue reading Nodding Greenhoods Are Emerging

Kangaroo Update – now there are two joeys

I’ve held off posting these photographs for a couple of weeks, as one of the Eastern Grey Kangaroo joeys seems almost ready to climb out of the pouch.  I thought I might be able to include photos of the joey hopping around. However, since I took these photos, the kangaroos have been grazing in a … Continue reading Kangaroo Update – now there are two joeys

Colourful Skies: Rainbows, Sunrises and Sunsets

Over the last two weeks, we’ve had changeable weather, resulting in some very colourful skies.  Enjoy these photos of a mid afternoon rainbow, stormy sunset sky, and a ‘red sky in the morning’ sunrise.

Common Bronzewing Pigeons Return

A pair of Common Bronzewing Pigeons have started to turn up to the bird feeder each day.  Toward the end of Winter last year, we had a pair of bronzewings turn up occasionally, so perhaps it is the same two birds? This time, they’re not just showing up once or twice a day.  I come … Continue reading Common Bronzewing Pigeons Return

Kookaburra in Winter Sun

Finally, after many frustrating attempts, I have a good photograph of a kookaburra!  This one was sitting in the cool afternoon sun.  Last night our temperature approached zero degrees Celsius, and it was already very cool when I took this shot.

Scarlet Robin

It’s been a while since I’ve posted a photo of a bird to be added to the Species List.  Yesterday I saw two species I had not noticed here before, but I only managed to capture photographs of the Scarlet Robin.  The second sighting was a group of small birds which were probably Red-Browed Finch, … Continue reading Scarlet Robin

November Wildflowers: Part 1

The last month of Spring seems to be the peak flowering period for Australian native plants that grow around here. In November they were the most spectacular, as well as the most plentiful.  Leading into this month, rainfall had been good, the dam was full, and the ground moist. The late Spring sun shone down … Continue reading November Wildflowers: Part 1

October Wild Flowers – Part 3

Thank you to KMS who left a comment on my Cranberry Heath post, including a link to the VicVeg website. What a fantastic breakthrough. This wonderful website allows me to search by flower colour, location within Victoria, and type of plant (herb, tree, shrub etc) meaning, I have finally been able to put names to … Continue reading October Wild Flowers – Part 3

Stepping Outside the Boundary Fence

Apart from the occasional ‘self-sufficiency’ post, I try to keep the focus of my blog to the land outside our house, but inside the boundary fence.  However, the native heath flowering in the Enfield State Park is so beautiful, I thought I would share it with you.  We just happened to be driving past on … Continue reading Stepping Outside the Boundary Fence

Cranberry Heath

In between documenting the native flowers on the property month by month, I’m pausing to post a flower we have open right now.  It is a tiny plant – not much taller than lichen – and it is growing in only one spot on our dam bank, as far as I can tell.  I’ve looked … Continue reading Cranberry Heath

Soil Analysis by Anthill

Last week, I noticed a very sculptural looking lip around the entrance to an ant nest.  It took me by surprise.   Shortly after moving in, I had  just stopped noticing anthills. We have so many of them they become unremarkable.  On this day, I was actually looking for fungi and flowers, but there was something … Continue reading Soil Analysis by Anthill

Baby Joey Photos: A new addition to our kangaroo family

It has been obvious for some time that the mature female had a joey in her pouch, but this is the first time we have actually glimpsed it.  This makes five kangaroos here now.  The middle-sized female also now seems to be carrying a joey, so I guess five will soon turn to six.

Playing Detective: Rainfall, Kangaroos, and the Lack of Native Flowers

Being new to this area, I don’t have a history of seasonal changes. What’s normal for these parts?  I simply don’t know.   When we arrived here in August 2012, the land abounded with native flowers, including ten species of native orchid flowering at one time.  This continued in early and  mid Spring, then as the … Continue reading Playing Detective: Rainfall, Kangaroos, and the Lack of Native Flowers

Weekly Photo Challenge: Fleeting – Momentarily Glorious

Momentarily Glorious … I wonder at the promise of a parched sandy landscape and one tiny orchid leaf waiting for rain to unfurl sensuous silken blooms … the fleeting moments of a violet sky calling corella flocks to roost somewhere other than here trailing sounds of raucous joy from North to South then silence until … Continue reading Weekly Photo Challenge: Fleeting – Momentarily Glorious

After rain comes: More Fungi

The rain has stimulated a range of fungi to grow.  I have not had time to research any of them, so at the moment, I can only write about where they were found.  See the captions beneath the photos for this information. If you know about any of these mushrooms, I would love to hear … Continue reading After rain comes: More Fungi

Rainclouds through Sunshine

I’ve always been drawn to images which show a hillside, or a tree, in full sunlight with dark, threatening clouds in the background. There is something in the combination of bright green and thunderous grey that appeals to my sense of colour.  The vivid contrast of sunshine and darkness  is also a metaphor for life, … Continue reading Rainclouds through Sunshine

An Assortment of Cormorants

We have cormorants drop in to fish in the dam every now and again.   Mostly, they come on their own, but sometimes they bring a friend or two.  In the months leading up to Christmas, I was much more drawn to the herons, ducks, and more exotic species of bird, paying little attention to the … Continue reading An Assortment of Cormorants