Thinking about Spring

Although the air is still cold, as the above vapor trails demonstrate, rare glimpses of spring are already underway and an awareness of this is apparent with the behavior of various birds in the area.
Denis Wilson, a bird watcher extraordinaire, told me to keep an eye open this season as it is proving to be a time of great interest for such activity.

Water fowl are already pairing off, with great squabbles over prospective mates....




Magpies have already begun swooping other birds around the nearby nesting site they have chosen and are already gathering building materials.

The kookaburras think the whole matter one of great hilarity...



Creatures, such as this Millipede, have also been seen out and about during the warmth of midday ....




Yes, winter has not let go of its grip yet though many are anticipating its arrival as the days slowly get longer...


With a veranda that will serve as a perfect watch platform this year, I shall follow the progression with interest.

Winter forms making a show

A trip the the reserve at Robertson to observe fungi that are more prevalent in winter proved successful with a couple of interesting shots taken.

Mossy coverings on vines are doing quite well, as this photo shows, with the cooler weather and recent rainfall.

This delicate structure, a variety of Stalactite Fungus, grows in the darker recesses of the forest. It, due to the nature of its fine form, would possibly be harder to find in hotter months though is in relative profusion at the moment.

The tiny millipedes, pictured above, eat fungi and are purple in colouration. They are less than 5mm in length and can be seen on gilled fungus.

The following forms are relatively common year round, though are in profusion at the moment.