Wednesday, March 17, 2010

Kookaburra on the hunt

It was with some degree of relief that I heard a number of Kookaburra calling last week. Since then they have been making their world famous call each morning and evening.

A bird that I remember well from my youth ( I cared for one once while its wing healed), it has been sadly lacking in numbers over the years following.
Many bird species are on the decline due to a number of factors and I recall a recent report stating that the beloved Kookaburra was on that list.


A few posts ago I photographed a young Red Bellied Black snake in my backyard. This is not the only one I have seen. It seems that this years breeding season was a good one for snakes. Hot and dry.

It also seems that the Kookaburra, who are fond of snake for dinner, are aware of the fact.
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A shot of a Black Snake being swallowed whole is on my wish list.

Next time you see an inoffensive snake on its way, remember that a bird song we associate with all things Australian depends largely on snake populations.

Monday, March 15, 2010

Fun time for Fungi

All the rain we have had over the last month has seen an explosion in the number of fungi of late.



Fields that were inundated have seen a number of forms sprout forth.

While the variation is nothing like the profusion I have seen at places like the Robertson Reserve, with many species per metre squared, I feel it worth documenting nonetheless.

The local bushland may have further groups to photograph as cooler, damper and darker conditions lead us into Autumn.