winter beard heath

is a Tasmanian native that flowers during winter…….. technically we are still in autumn but my little plant on the back verandah has been flowering for the last week or so and more blooms are on their way…….

sunrise

 

 

silver springs

part of  the historical pipeline track on Mt Wellington. The pipeline was the first major piped water supply built in Australia. It ran from the Springs along the Hobart Rivulet (‘the 1831 Diversion’) in an attempt to source clean, potable water following industrial pollution of the Hobart Rivulet.

 

 

 

here I sit

There waits a little seat

 cold and empty

Til I sit upon it with open heart

dedicated to Michelle over at Rambling Woods

and then there were two

Several months ago I noticed a cormorant  sitting in the large gum near my house

I’ve noticed it several times since- sometimes in the gum sometimes flying up or down the rivulet.

Today despite blustery weather I saw two

A good sign?

morning

quiet hush of morning

soft shower of willow leaf

birds begin to sing

gum leaves……..

reflecting expectations of autumn

NB Gum trees are evergreen

Child’s play……….

 

 

 

return of a feathered friend

This morning it was a delight to see an Eastern Spinebill feeding in one of the salvia bushes in my garden. These little birds spend the warmer months in the higher regions of the mountain and the colder months in the lower regions.

Unlike many of our smaller birds they are not territorial and flit in and out before the territorial birds really notice. To achieve this end they are capable of taking nectar in the same manner as a hummingbird. Although I have watched one feeding this way on a number of occasions I have yet to take a photo. Probably won’t either as I much prefer to savour the brief moment than take a photo of it.

watch out

With warm temperatures on the decline, daylight hours decreasing and sunny weather more infrequent I take every opportunity to leave my Cockatiel Leal (pronounced Leh-arl) on the back verandah.  I stay with him or close by as hawks are in the area and often sit in the large gumtree on the next block within clear sight of our place.

 

The other day I went inside to begin preparing our next meal when I heard Leal squawk in a way I had never heard. Curious and slightly worried I went to see how he was and found a kookaburra sitting on the railing next to the little birdbath watching him. Leal was at the opposite end of the cage with his back to the kookaburra; silent and still.

The kookaburra didn’t even flinch when I appeared and did not move until I was half a metre away waving my arms and telling him to ‘shoo’. Even then he only went as far as the wire next to the house.

Despite Leal now being inside he remained there for the next half hour  and wasn’t the least bit worried about me coming onto the verandah, content to watch and wait.

 

 

Kookaburras (both the Blue-winged Kookaburra  and the Laughing Kookaburra ) are not native to Tasmania. The Blue-winged Kookaburra is found in northern Australia and the Laughing Kookaburra was originally found in eastern Australia but has been introduced to Tasmania and Western Australia.