Birds and storms

Posted on January 30, 2011 by pearlz

Butterflies, and birds that usually hide in the rainforest of bush seem to appear when there are cyclones and storms looming. Have you noticed this?

I’ve observed this. Some people think it’s because they are clever and trying to find somewhere safe.

We had large flocks of Ulysses Butterflies after Cyclone Larry. We seem to see them before and after thunderstorms as well.

Today I noticed a bird I had not seen before in the garden. I didn’t have a chance to photograph it. It was a yellow-green colour and the size of a sunbird. I will check my bird book to try to identify it. I wondered if it was escaping from a storm.

Our sunbirds have stopped nesting at the back. Their nest waits for them to return and add to it again. Hopefully the wagtails won’t smash it to bits. They did that with the last nest in our yard.

I was really happy with the above photograph of my beloved sunbirds feeding in the trees. I was actually following around a Cairns Wing Butterfly when the opportunity to photograph this presented itself. I still want to work on the wings- sometimes the blur is effective and other time it would be good to have a clear and sharp focus.

(c) Words and Images, June Perkins

Bird Quests

Posted on January 25, 2011 by pearlz

I took this photo of Rainbow Lorikeet just a couple of days ago after mowing the lawn. I am trying to photograph the birds I see around here, eating, flying, socialising with other birds – and if pertinent interacting with humans. Who knows what I may find on the bird quests! Observing our garden shows lots of interactions – birds nesting and protecting their young from much larger birds with utter fearlessness!!

Guardians of our Pets

Posted on January 13, 2011 by pearlz

Animals floating in the QLDs’ flood, stock and chickens, those images are so powerful. But there are so many animals sheltering and escaping.

This bedraggled kookaburra I captured one day in several days of rain up here in the North of QLD tells the story of all those other animals, both domestic and wild. Whilst people are the priority at present so many people are taking their pets with them, caring for them, and attached to and worried for them.

My son always brings his guinea pigs upstairs in thunderstorms – he thinks of them first. To all those pets affected by the storm, and all those native animals and others out there, hope you too find nature settles down a bit soon.

Well done to all those who helped with evacuation at the RSPCAs and I hope all the people, especially children who could, have their beloved pets with them.

(c) all words and images June Perkins.