A Bellingen Diary

The crazy Costa Rican …

Published on December 5, 2014December 5, 2014 by FJB1 Comment

Now, I have to admit that the Costa Rican Butterfly Vine was one of my most optimistic-masochistic purchases. It was an impulse buy, I actually bought it for its attractive leaves, and I really didn’t expect it to survive its first winter. But amazingly it did. So I was quite pleased when the first flower appeared …

Then more flowers appeared, what a bonus I thought …

Then I zoomed in on the actual flower hiding behind the purple bracts …

Oh My God, it looks like something someone on an acid-trip would dream up …

Apparently the yellow ball is a resin gland which is attractive to bees, who use it to build their hives. This is another bonus as I am expecting my native bee hive to arrive any day now and I’m hoping that Aussie bees like Costa Rican resin!

A venomous breakfast …

Published on November 28, 2014November 28, 2014 by FJBLeave a comment

There are at least four species of snakes in the general area of my garden. The Diamond Python, Coastal Carpet Python, and Common Tree Snake – all of which are non-venomous. Then there is the Red-bellied Black – which is not.

I see a Red-bellied Black from time to time sunning itself or wandering slowly through the garden, but as they are non-aggressive it doesn’t really bother me. Anyway, I always assumed they were just on their way to somewhere else. So a few mornings ago when I found a dead baby Red-bellied Black on the lawn I was a bit surprised.

One of the Kookaburras that frequents the garden will respond when I make Kookaburra-talk (not hysterical laughter you understand – just a coo-coo-coo sound!) So I called him down for a breakfast treat …

After throwing the baby snake around in the air a few times and trying to swallow it, the Kookaburra flew off with it into the trees. No doubt to bash it into manageable pieces.

Now, the question is, was it dropped by a night-time bird of prey, or is there a little clutch of Red-bellied Black eggs somewhere in the garden ??
I don’t think I will go looking…

At last … the elusive Catbird !

Published on November 13, 2014November 13, 2014 by FJB2 Comments

They’ve been taunting me with their cat-like calls from the tops of tall trees for weeks, but today was my lucky day! Forty minutes of sitting still with a cramp in my hip and mosquitos biting me through my clothes and I finally had a photo of a Green Catbird …

He seemed quite aware of my presence as he kept looking in my direction and cocking his head but providing I didn’t move, he seemed quite relaxed. Another photo for the Bird Gallery.

Meeting raptors …

Published on October 26, 2014November 10, 2014 by FJBLeave a comment

Words would be a bit superfluous here … so other than to explain that Kangaroo Island’s Raptor Domain is home to rescued, orphaned and injured birds of prey, I’ll pretty much let the photos tell the story.