awesome aves

Posted on March 12, 2016 by kathy

Being surrounded by forest means we are visited by a multitude of creatures, some of the most fascinating are the birds. The yellow-tailed black cockatoos usually stop by for a drink at the stock trough.

I don’t know how she was hanging on but this one found the bark of a tea tree very tasty.

I love their mournful call, unlike the hair raising screech of their sulphur-crested cousins.

One of my favourites is the kookaburra, they have so many different sounds.

Returning from the forest with Poppy one afternoon, she found this young fella in a predicament.

10.kookie in fence

He must have dived for a tasty morsel and ended up with his head stuck in the fence. It was a rare occasion when Michael wasn’t around. I ran home and grabbed the wire cutters (and my camera) and cut him free. He was unable to fly so I made him comfortable in the possum trap

11.kookie in cage

and called a friend experienced in wildlife rescue. She took him home for a couple of days while he recovered from exhaustion and dehydration, then, because kookaburras are territorial, he came home to be released.

The superb blue wrens continually bob around the garden

and are handsome even in their eclipse phase.

The New Holland honeyeaters,

18.new holland honeyeater

eastern spinebills

and black-headed honeyeaters

22.black headed honeyeater

enjoy feasting on the flowers. These three were deep in conversation.

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Bath time is always a delight to watch.

The scarlet robins are gorgeous. It’s always nice to see them and to know winter is on the way.

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This pair moved in last year, I hope they return.

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The green rosella is a regular guest

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but herons are rarely seen. This pair may have been staking out the fish pond.

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Masked lapwings are a common sight. Often mistakenly referred to as plovers, they are much prettier. Notorious for nesting in the open and being very protective parents, I was privileged to approach this nest in our paddock without being attacked.

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Here is my reward.

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This cheeky chap joined me in the sunroom the other day.

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The starlings are a bit of a nuisance but they look good in silhouette.

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It’s not easy photographing birds, but I shall keep trying.

wondrous walk

Posted on February 28, 2016 by kathy

My favourite walk with Poppy is one we call the river walk. The Blythe Conservation Area meets our property at the eastern boundary. Across the paddock and through a gate, we join a walking track. A short distance along, I look to my right and am awestruck at the realisation we live in our own patch of Tasmanian wilderness.

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The view across the valley changes with the seasons.

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Now and then there is a little surprise

and the forest embraces from all sides as the track continues.

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Nature’s debris has its own beauty

and the trees reach for the sky.

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About a kilometre into the forest, the track descends steeply to the Blythe River,

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a serene spot for a few hours of fishing.

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The light reflects the natural tannins in the water.

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The best time of day to walk the river track is early morning, the rising sun glistening through the trees is spectacular.

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Just another day in paradise.

Gunns Plains

Posted on February 12, 2016 by kathy

Gunns Plains is a rich, fertile valley in northwest Tasmania. Named after botanist and early explorer, Robert Campbell Gunn, the Leven River winds through pastures, grazing stock and rich, red volcanic soil. Forty minutes drive from our house is George Woodhouse Lookout where George and his wife, Lurlie, are resting with a view of their beloved plains.

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The view is breathtaking, even on a cloudy day.

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It is a place we like to take visitors, building them up to this astounding vista as we get nearer. It was a little disappointing, one clear June day, to find the valley under heavy cloud. Still beautiful but not quite the same.

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The scenery is just as captivating once down on the plain.

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I love the poplar trees as winter approaches.

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Beneath this gorgeous landscape lies over 150 caves. The second largest was discovered in 1906 when a possum hunter’s dog fell into a hole. It was opened to the public three years later. The formations in the cave are magnificent, particularly the calcite shawls

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and the flowstones are so varied.

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Stalactites, stalagmites, columns and young shawls abound.

This cute little fungus caught my eye.

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The underground river still flows and is home to the endangered freshwater crayfish, platypus and eels. The delicate display of the glow worms can be appreciated when the torchlight is dimmed. We look forward to returning to the caves, maybe with our next visitors….

broken bridge

Posted on February 5, 2016 by kathy

Our latest project was a bit daunting, we’d put it off thinking it would be difficult and time consuming. There is a bridge over the stream at the bottom of the hill in the rainforest

1.before1

and the timbers have been deteriorating since we moved in. No longer was it safe to traverse in a tractor…….

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……the time had come. Michael had sourced hardwood from a local sawmill and it was already stacked and ready to go. After cutting them to length

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we laid them out to make sure we had enough

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and drilled the nail holes in preparation.

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The old boards were easily prised off

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and the new ones were dragged down the hill a few at a time.

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One by one, they were set in place

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and nailed to the supporting beams (old telegraph poles).

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We were pleasantly surprised at the progress we made

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and the old ones were stacked for future use.

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The last of the old ones came off

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and the new ones were all laid.

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It was hot work but the surroundings made up for the discomfort.

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Side rails finished off the edges and Poppy was on hand to give advice.

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We thought it fitting that she should be first to test the strength of the new bridge.

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After that hard work in the heat, there was only one way to get back up the hill.

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Hartzview Vineyard

Posted on January 29, 2016 by kathy

When my sister was here on holiday, we ventured on a girl’s road trip to Strahan and Hobart. Having sampled the produce of Hartzview Vineyard at Salamanca Market, we realised an expedition further south was in order. The complimentary lunchtime dessert voucher was added incentive. On a gorgeous overcast, drizzly day and after a few diversions along the way, we arrived at Hartzview in time for lunch.

1.Hartview