Sunday Selections #481

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.

Huge thanks to Cie who gave me this wonderful Sunday Selections image.
  
The meme was then continued by River at Drifting through life.  Sadly she has now stepped aside (though she will join us some weeks), and I have accepted the mantle.
 
The rules are so simple as to be almost non-existent.  Post some photos under the title Sunday Selections and link back to me. Clicking on any of the photos will make them embiggen. 
 
I usually run with a theme.  We are still mostly at home. With one exception all of my photos are from home this week.

Starting with the exception.  On my last Sunday Selections post Snowbrush commented that he couldn't see what made our bearded ravens different to any other raven.  So I dug out a photo which shows its beard better.

Back to home, but still with birds.  These are some of the birds which we have been lucky enough to see at home.  It is noticeably cooling down now, and the sulphur crested cockatoo is fluffed up to stay warm in the early morning.

Then a series of preening corella shots - for Susan Kane who loves them.

The king parrots are very low on the pecking order and don't get a chance on the feeders if there are other birds about.  They have (I think cleverly) worked out that their chances are better if they eat from our hands and the seed bucket.  However at least one pigeon has learned from them and bounces them off our hands.  So they go around the back and look in through the kitchen window until I weaken and take them out some seed.  So far none of the other birds have followed them... 

And back to the corellas.
I loved the peek-a-boo effect from the one on the roof.
And the very noisy youngster making his demands clear.

I have (of course) been out with the camera at dawn and dusk again.

I hope your week(s) to come is safe, happy, healthy and generously splashed with beauty.

Sunday Selections #380

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.  The week just gone by has been busy.  Our gutters were removed and replaced.  The tradesman arrived about seven each morning and worked late too.  Lifeline and other things filled in the 'spare' time.

Each morning I took photos just after dawn and am going to share some of them.  I do love the early hours.  A soft light.  A gentle light.

There is other colour about just after dawn too.
The leaves on the ornamental cherry in the back yard just about glow...

There have been frost flowers too.  If I get lucky we will soon have mornings which are cold enough to freeze bubbles.

And, at the other end of the day, we have had splashes of more vivid colour.

This coming week is going to be busy too.  A different set of tradies (roof restoration), Lifeline, a medical procedure for himself, and (hopefully) some mulch delivered and spread.

Sunday Selections #378

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.  This has been a busy week, and the next couple will be too.  So I am reverting to type.

A less than stellar shot (pun intentional) of the moon over a neighbour's home.

Then the following day's dawn starting from the same angle.

It was a much more dramatic display than we usually see.  The next photo is a much more common sight.  And also very welcome.

The rainbow lorikeets are here so often we have started referring to them as Piggy and Grunter.  Not only do they claim the apples for themselves (evicting much bigger birds) they sometimes demand the feeders as well, with some classic 'dog in the manger' behaviour.  They evict other birds from the feeders and then realise that leaves the apples free.  So they rush back to the apples.  And the feeder.  And the apples...

The other birds also give us immense pleasure.

 A galah.

And a corella.

I am in full on gardening mode at the moment, planting hundreds of bulbs (and weeding) in the hopes of a spectacular spring display.  Lifeline is busy and demanding more than their usual pound of flesh.  Himself has several specialist appointments scheduled.  And not next week but the week after our gutters and downpipes will be replaced, with (hopefully) roof restoration to follow.  In between some insane busyness next week we hope to get to the National Museum (a fascinating building) to see a special exhibition.  Cross your fingers, and watch this space.

Sunday Selections #276

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.  This week is a bit of a hodge podge.

The birds I promised.

Young crimson rosellas, yet to develop their adult plumage.  They look a bit ratty - but are surprisingly difficult to see in foliage...

Then some snaps of the garden, also as promised.  We have had a LOT of wind, and several of our tree dahlias (dahlia imperialis) have come crashing down.  All of them were over twelve foot tall, and they have brittle stems so their fall is not surprising.  Disappointing, but not at all surprising.  And they DID flower before the first frost which is another bonus.  Those that remain have been a splash of colour - and a haven for the bees.

And then to the skies.  Again.

We did get some blessed rain last week.  Not much, but it was very welcome.  And followed by a rainbow. 

Dawn and dusk have been their usual treats too.