September 1st

Red-capped Robin

Today is the 1st September. The first day of spring. It is a real spring day with bright, warm sunshine and no wind. In my pocket-handkerchief backyard the Jasmine is in beautifully perfumed full bloom and over the back fence, in the park across the road, the birds are singing from the tops of the trees. There are no leaves on the trees but the buds are swelling and on my lemon tree there are small flowers just opening. Sitting in the sun with a cup of tea I can hear bees in the Jasmine and a magpie is singing on the neighbours TV aerial.

Just a week ago I went to Kamarooka for a couple of days birding with my friend Marlene. We sat quietly tucked in behind some bushes to avoid a bitingly cold wind and watched as honeyeaters came in to drink at a puddle. Just a week ago it was definitely still winter even though the first of the spring flowers were blooming below the winter-flowering wattles.

Kamarooka Woodland

Purple-gaped Honeyeater

Purple-gaped Honeyeater in full song showing orange in mouth

Yellow-faced Honeyeater

White-eared Honeyeater

White-fronted Honeyeater

Red-capped Robin

Flame Robin

Swamp Wallaby.... 

.... stretched out at full speed .... 

...and gathering for the next jump

Just an interesting sandstone formation

Wattle in full flower

Leptospermum myrsinoides

Cat's Claw Spider Flower

Whirrakee Wattle

All images & text © Jenny Spry