The Old Bloke's Pixels

Sunday, 19 March 2017

March 2017

I know this is not the end of March, but the final 10 days are planned and I may not be able to post.

March in Canberra . is normally a beautiful month, cooler, still bright and sunny and little wind. This year not so - cloudy and windy for most of the time, however I did manage to get out during some good weather.

Red-Browed Finches warming in the sun

Rocky Knob walkway (Coombs)

Enlighten across Lake Burley Griffen

Molonglo River along the Grasslands Walk

Yellow-winged Grasshopper

Molonglo River along the Grasslands Walk

Australian Magpie

Angry Bird - Rainbow Lorikeet bathing

Questacon - Enlighten

Walkway to the National Gallery during Enlighten

Water feature at High Court during Enlighten

Old Parliament House

Onyx & Molly sticking together

Sacred Ibis

Ginninderra Creek

Thursday, 2 March 2017

February 2017

SORRY - I forgot to republish this one after making corrections.

February is now done and dusted. It was a very dry month here. The gardens show it, the creek has stopped flowing and water levels in ponds have dropped.

One of a pair of Rainbow Lorikeets that regularly visit out garden.

A couple of hours was spent wandering around the outside of the War memorial in Canberra, There are many interesting exhibits including the bridge and a gun mount from HMAS Brisbane. Two sculptures that really caught my eye were Simpson and his donkey; and a soldier with his dog commemorating the dog handlers and the explosive detection dogs.

Simpson and his Donkey

A soldier and his dog

Following the AWM visit was a quick stop in ACTON where I took the opportunity to photograph from the footbridge over Parkes Way.

Hotel Hotel

Looking into Canberra

Damsel Fly resting in one of our Bottlebrushes

Weird clouds over the Brindabellas - no rain though.

Sunrise through the Bottlebrush

Lights near the ANU

Wanted to try a sunset at Parliament House. The sky was very blech and uninteresting.

Evening at Parliament House

When I turned around and looked in the other direction - wow!

Over Old Parliament House

And back to the current Parliament House

Looking for a different location for a morning's walk, I visited a small pond in Coombes (a new suburb).

Pipit

Galahs drinking

Grasshopper posing

Coombes Pond

Whilst walking around the pond, I noticed a walkway going up over a small knob - turned out to be the Rocky Knob Lookout over the Molonglo River.

Walkway

Rocky Knob Lookout

Back to my local patch, and when I thought the kingfishers had left, this guy turned up in the woodland eating Christmas Beetles.

Sacred Kingfisher with Christmas Beetle

Dusky Woodswallow

Molly seeing what needs 'rescuing'.

Magpie Lark aka Peewee strutting around.

Anyway - back next month, but may be late.

Tuesday, 31 January 2017

January 2017

January has been very hot and dry.

However, we have had a greater range of birds coming into the garden to visit the birdbath and seed tray. These now include Galahs (with begging young), Rainbow Lorikeets, Crimson Rosellas (with begging young), a lone King Parrot, Crested Pigeons, House Sparrows, and Sulphur-crested Cockatoos. I need to hunt the Cockatoos after a bit as they gorge themselves on the seed, and chase off all the other birds.