Willy Wagtail

Each Spring the bird life get very busy, finding mates and building nests.  We get great delight when we discover their nest and we can then monitor, from a distance, the development of the eggs through to chicks.

The Willy Wagtail always builds it's nest close to our house. This year they built it right next to Tessy my cat's cage! The white plank in the background of the photo on the left is part of the cat run.

We lock Tessy up each evening, to protect her from foxes but mostly to protect the bird life from her. But why would the Willy Wagtail tempt fate by building it's nest next to her cage?

We rigged up this cardboard barrier to hopefully deter Tessy (and the dog) from stealing the two perfect little eggs in the nest. 

Thankfully it didn't disturb the Willy Wagtail who was happy to return to her nest.

I will keep you posted on the expectant mother and her babies.

Enjoy

Ann
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Sunny Sunday afternoons

I had been running around the house all morning trying to clean and tidy, cook and bake and entertain my daughter when I stopped, looked outside and thought "this is silly, I am taking the afternoon off".

I grabbed a book, some lunch, water and my camera and headed out to the swing chair we have on our veranda. It looks out over a section of our garden and off into the scrub beyond the fence line.

The sunshine was beautiful and warm on this Winter's day, there was no wind and the birds were out enjoying the sun and the water baths in the garden.

Red hot poker

I sat quietly reading with my camera ready by my side and I didn't have to wait long for the birds to fly in and enjoy the nectar of the flowers and the water in the baths.

Jenny Wren enjoying a bath in the old grain elevator

Spiny-cheeked honeyeater in the eremophila (emu bush)

Noisy Miner

The book I am reading today is "Woman in the Wilderness" a story of survival, love and self-discovery in New Zealand by Miriam Lancewood. 

It is an auto-biography of this woman's (and her partners) decision to go and live as best they could off-grid in the mountains of New Zealand. It tells the struggles and joys they faced living off the land with minimal human contact. They learn about themselves and nature.  

I am loving it. Often I wish I could live off in the wilderness or at a lighthouse, not seeing anybody and surviving with the occasional trip into civilisation for supplies.  I guess living on the farm is as close as I am going to get and living here I am living my dream.

Make the most of the sunshine, the housework will still be there.

Enjoy

Ann
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