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? More from the Tommy Tourist Trail. After watching the balloon launch, and wandering through the nearby rose gardens we headed home along the lake which is, while perhaps not the quickest, our preferred route.
We were trailing a few of the balloons.
At this point we were so close to Weston Park (our usual kangaroo fix venue) we decided to drop in.
There were plenty of kangaroos, reclining in the early sun. And there were birds too. As you know birds are one of my obsessions. Himself's sister is also bird obsessed.
We spent quite a while watching this pair of red-rumped parrots (who had tucked their red rumps out of sight). The female is a pale shadow of her mate, but I suspect she is able to hide better too.
A pair of swans were the next stop. They were totally oblivious to our presence. This first one was grooming and intermittently trying (unsuccessfully) to remove its green ribbon (as an aside, what place does a green ribbon signify?).
I am amazed at how supple they are. This swan 'folded' down to almost nothing, closed its eyes and went to sleep. So we headed off, leaving the roos and the birds in peace.
I am going to finish with birds, but on a sadder note. My avian fixation means I follow the blogs of a number of supremely talented bird photographers. Kim from lirralirra has devoted a few posts lately to the 'season of shame', duck hunting season in Victoria. I will be upfront here. I do not understand hunting for pleasure and do not and cannot see it as recreation or sport. It makes my heart hurt.
So far three states in Australia have banned recreational duck shooting on cruelty grounds. However each year during an open season in Victoria, South Australia and Tasmania, some species of duck can be shot.
There are limits to how many birds each hunter can kill, and some species are protected. Both of these regulations are apparently routinely ignored. Ducks (and other water birds) are also injured, many dying slowly and painfully.
Please stop by Kim's blog here. It contains birds (and a hunter I can accept), beauty and an update on the Season of Shame.
If you wish, and if you can, I would really like it if you add your voice to those calling for recreational duck hunting to be stopped.
I have listed (taken from an earlier blog of Kim's) some of the places/ways you can help below. Thank you.
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? More from the Tommy Tourist Trail. After watching the balloon launch, and wandering through the nearby rose gardens we headed home along the lake which is, while perhaps not the quickest, our preferred route.
We were trailing a few of the balloons.
At this point we were so close to Weston Park (our usual kangaroo fix venue) we decided to drop in.
There were plenty of kangaroos, reclining in the early sun. And there were birds too. As you know birds are one of my obsessions. Himself's sister is also bird obsessed.
We spent quite a while watching this pair of red-rumped parrots (who had tucked their red rumps out of sight). The female is a pale shadow of her mate, but I suspect she is able to hide better too.
A pair of swans were the next stop. They were totally oblivious to our presence. This first one was grooming and intermittently trying (unsuccessfully) to remove its green ribbon (as an aside, what place does a green ribbon signify?).
I am amazed at how supple they are. This swan 'folded' down to almost nothing, closed its eyes and went to sleep. So we headed off, leaving the roos and the birds in peace.
I am going to finish with birds, but on a sadder note. My avian fixation means I follow the blogs of a number of supremely talented bird photographers. Kim from lirralirra has devoted a few posts lately to the 'season of shame', duck hunting season in Victoria. I will be upfront here. I do not understand hunting for pleasure and do not and cannot see it as recreation or sport. It makes my heart hurt.
So far three states in Australia have banned recreational duck shooting on cruelty grounds. However each year during an open season in Victoria, South Australia and Tasmania, some species of duck can be shot.
There are limits to how many birds each hunter can kill, and some species are protected. Both of these regulations are apparently routinely ignored. Ducks (and other water birds) are also injured, many dying slowly and painfully.
Please stop by Kim's blog here. It contains birds (and a hunter I can accept), beauty and an update on the Season of Shame.
If you wish, and if you can, I would really like it if you add your voice to those calling for recreational duck hunting to be stopped.
I have listed (taken from an earlier blog of Kim's) some of the places/ways you can help below. Thank you.
- Write or re-write to Premier Dan Andrews – daniel.andrews@parliament.vic.gov.au
- Write or re-write to Minister Jaala Pulford – jaala.pulford@parliament.vic.gov.au
- Write or re-write to Minister Lily D’ambrosio – lily.d’ambrosio@parliament.vic.gov.au
- Write, re-write to, or phone your local member of parliament, regardless of which side of politics they support
- Comment on social media, especially on bird-watching and environmental pages – let’s support each other and make it okay to speak out, ignore the trolls
- Donate to the Coalition Against Duck Shooting, Animals Australia and/or similar organisations
- Support the group Regional Victorians Opposed to Duck Shooting by voting ‘yes’ in the poll
- Help to raise awareness by sharing this post, and others like it, on social media and with family and friends
- When at lakes, wetlands and reserves report sighting of listed species as this can close the area to shooters
- When at lakes, wetlands and reserves be watchful for injured birds that need assistance
