Tuesday, December 1, 2015

Locals-Again

I took a short walk at high tide along the Mullens foreshore the other day. The bay was as beautiful as  always.

The tide was higher than I expected and around at the boat ramp the water was overflowing the bank and rushing in to the tracks made by vehicles as they maneuvered their boats down the rather basic ramp.

The ripples on the water made patterns of light on the branches of trees overhanging the water.

I have not had any time to go out and look for birds this week. We have had some really hot summer weather. It is a bit too hot for comfort I think but all the plants and grass love it! That means extra work with the lawn mower of course. Yesterday I mowed the back yard and when I finished I looked around and there were birds busily chasing after insects that the mower had disturbed. There were two Magpie Larks (Grallina cyanoleuca) with their bills all muddy from probing into the soft soil. Look carefully at the plumage pattern and you can see the male and female.
Female

Male


I don't often see Magpies (Gymnorhina tibiccin) on my lawn but I have recently heard some juveniles next door. They too came to take advantage of all the insects I had disturbed. These, of course, are Aussie Magpies which are rather different from those in the northern hemisphere! In adults that grey plumage becomes black.

For more scenery from around the world visit Our World Tuesday

and for more birds visit Wild Bird Wednesday