Sunday Selections #298

Sunday Selections was originally brought to us by Kim, of Frogpondsrock, as an ongoing meme where participants could post previously unused photos languishing in their files.
 
The meme is now continued by River at Drifting through life.  The rules are so simple as to be almost non-existent.  Post some photos under the title Sunday Selections and link back to River.  Clicking on any of the photos will make them embiggen.
 
Like River I usually run with a theme.  For the next few weeks I am going to revert to the Home and Away theme I was using this time last year.
Starting with home.  Well in the general vicinity anyway.

Shortly before himself headed off, we went to a  guided 'Breakfast with the Birds' at our National Botanic Gardens.  It was an early start (much earlier than he usually arises) but afterwards he told me it was worth it.  

Over 200 species of birds are known to visit the Botanic Gardens, and for one month (co-inciding with Floriade) they open the gates early on weekends so that small groups of people can be shown some of them.

We had a lovely time.  Very few bird photos follow (many were small and moved faster and less predictably than greased lightening), but there are some shots of the beauty of the gardens.

I do love kookaburras.

If you embiggen you will see several birds nests in the tree above.

The Wood Ducks at least stayed still long enough to take their photos...

In the prolonged wet weather we have been having some surprisingly large trees have slid to the ground...

Orchids were coming out everywhere.

The early morning light and the bird song made a beautiful start to the day.  And the cafeteria opened early for us too, and the after walk breakfast was also a treat.

And now to more exotic treats.

Of course himself had to see pandas while in China.  I believe that pandas are 'reluctant breeders', but you would never know it from his photos.

And some shots from a market place he wandered happily through.

He tells me that ginger cats are almost the only ones he has seen in China.  Which surprised me.

He tells me that this is 'furry tofu'.  Which is so very wrong on so many levels.

Noticing the fish, I asked whether the markets smelt, and he said that he has smelt much, much worse. 

He is still having a lovely time, and still having his photo taken on a regular basis.