DESKTOP 3326 - THE PACE OF NATURE

This post is part of the Mosaic Monday meme,
and also part of the Blue Monday meme,
and also part of the Seasons meme.

DESKTOP 3318 - SPRING LANDSCAPE

Spring landscape with a carpet of yellow Oxalis stricta, called the common yellow woodsorrel.

This post is part of the My Sunday Best meme

DESKTOP 3310 - CRESTED PIGEON

The Australian native Crested Pigeon (Ocyphaps lophotes).

This post is part of the Saturday Critters meme

DESKTOP 3281 - SUNRISE

"Nothing is more beautiful than the loveliness of the woods before sunrise." - George Washington Carver

This post is part of the Skywatch Friday meme

DESKTOP 3276 - SUNBURST

A taste of Spring today as we had sunshine and a temperature climbing to the mid-teens.

This post is part of the My Sunday Best meme

DESKTOP 3275 - COCKATOO

The sulphur-crested cockatoo (Cacatua galerita) is a relatively large white cockatoo found in wooded habitats in Australia, and New Guinea and some of the islands of Indonesia. They can be locally very numerous, leading to them sometimes being considered pests. A highly intelligent bird, they are well known in aviculture, although they can be demanding pets.

 

In Australia, sulphur-crested cockatoos can be found widely in the north and east, ranging from the Kimberley to as far south as Tasmania, but avoiding arid inland areas with few trees. They are numerous in suburban habitats in cities such as Adelaide, Melbourne, Canberra, Sydney and Brisbane. Except for highland areas, they occur throughout most of New Guinea and on nearby smaller islands such as Waigeo, Misool and Aru, and various islands in the Cenderawasih Bay and Milne Bay. 

 

This bird has a total length of 44–55 cm, with the Australian subspecies larger than subspecies from New Guinea and nearby islands. The plumage is overall white, while the underwing and -tail are tinged yellow. The expressive crest is yellow. The bill is black, the legs are grey, and the eye-ring is whitish. Males typically have almost black eyes, whereas the females have a more red or brown eye, but this requires optimum viewing conditions to be seen.

 

Their distinctive raucous call can be very loud; it is adapted to travel through the forest environments in which they live, including tropical and subtropical rainforests. These birds are naturally curious, as well as very intelligent. They have adapted very well to European settlement in Australia and live in many urban areas.

 

This post is part of the Saturday Critters meme.

DESKTOP 3261 - MYSTERIOUS

Is it a dog? Maybe a rabbit! Or is it a bilby? Perhaps a joey... Could even be a straying juvenile bunyip? ;-)

This post is part of the Saturday Critters meme

DESKTOP 3258 - FROSTY

This post is part of the Mosaic Monday meme,
and also part of the Blue Monday meme,
and also part of the Seasons meme.

DESKTOP 3240 - PERIWINKLE

Vinca major, with the common names bigleaf periwinkle, large periwinkle, greater periwinkle and blue periwinkle, is species of flowering plant in the family Apocynaceae, native to the western Mediterranean. Growing to 25 cm tall and spreading indefinitely, it is an evergreen perennial. Vinca major is a commonly grown ornamental plant in temperate gardens for its evergreen foliage, spring flowers, and groundcover or vine use. It can become weedy, especially in moister climates.

This post is part of the Floral Friday Fotos meme

DESKTOP 3234 - WINTRY SUNRISE

This post is part of the Skywatch Friday meme

DESKTOP 3229 - PATH

This post is part of the My Sunday Best meme

DESKTOP 3218 - FALLING RAIN

We're steadily progressing towards Winter and our days are shortening, the mornings are cold and the rain falls.

This post is part of the Wordless Wednesday meme,
and also part of the My Corner of the World meme,
and also part of the Nature Notes meme.

DESKTOP 3202 - FOUR SEASONS

The changing face of the big pond in the Darebin Parklands with the passing of the seasons.

This post is part of the Mosaic Monday meme,
and also part of the Blue Monday meme,
and also part of the Seasons meme.

DESKTOP 3181 - RAIN

This post is part of the Mosaic Monday meme,
and also part of the Blue Monday meme,
and also part of the Seasons meme.

DESKTOP 3165 - SHY DOG

He's very outgoing once he gets to know you!

This post is part of the Saturday Critters meme.

DESKTOP 3153 - AUTUMN ARRIVES

The Autumnal Equinox on the 21st of March in the Southern Hemisphere heralds the arrival of Autumn...

This post is part of the Mosaic Monday meme,
and also part of the Blue Monday meme,
and also part of the Seasons meme.

DESKTOP 3134 - NATURAL CITY

Hard to believe that today's photo was taken about 4.5 km from the Melbourne CBD... Yarra Bend Park is a glorious bushland reserve within shouting distance of Melbourne city centre. One hopes that building development will not encroach on this truly magnificent nature reserve right within the metropolitan area.

This post is part of the Wordless Wednesday meme,
and also part of the My Corner of the World meme,
and also part of the Nature Notes meme.

DESKTOP 3132 - BIRDS

A selection of common birds in the Parklands close to my home. Clockwise from upper left: Indian Miner; Rainbow Lorikeets; Butcherbird; Sulphur-Crested Cockatoo; Purple Swamphen; Pacific Black Duck; Crested Pigeon; Bronzewing Pigeon; Willy Wagtail.

This post is part of the Mosaic Monday meme,
and also part of the Blue Monday meme,
and also part of the Seasons meme.

DESKTOP 3110 - FINE DAY

At the Darebin Parklands on a fine day.

This post is part of the My Sunday Best meme.

DESKTOP 3082 - BRONZEWING

The common bronzewing (Phaps chalcoptera) is a species of medium-sized, heavily built pigeon. Native to Australia and one of the country's most common pigeons, the common bronzewing is able to live in almost any habitat, with the possible exception of very barren areas and dense rainforests.

 

Males of the species have pale-yellow to yellow-white foreheads, and pink breasts. Both males and females have an easily discernible white line around and proximate to their eyes. Common bronzewings also have patches of red, blue and green on their wings, a feature which is characteristic of all bronzewing pigeons. Young birds are usually duller in colour and browner than the mature common bronzewing.

This post is part of the Saturday Critters meme