Red Robin

The warmer weather have brought the birds back.  Walking the dog to their chirping.

Woodland Park Zoo

We had a week off before hubby had to start work after we arrived in Seattle.  We loved the zoos in Melbourne, so figured getting a membership was a good idea.  The first time we went it was still quite cold (entry fees are also lower in winter) and a few of the animals from warmer climates didn’t come out.

We finally got to see wolves.  They were a huge draw-card for the kids. Seeing meercats inside was strange, so used to them being outdoors, but it is way too cold here for them.  The kids had fun seeing Australian birds.  It brought back fond memories of feeding them in Sherbrooke Forest.

 

   

 

 

Hummingbird

I haven’t seen a hummingbird since I was really young (a long time ago in a land far far away!).  It was so great to see one again.  We discovered this one by the bushes outside our corporate housing.  Keen to plant some flowers that are friendly to them next spring.

Easter at Fox Hollow Farm

We arrived in Seattle near Easter time.  My hubby surprised us with tickets to Fox Hollow Farm for an Easter hunt.  It was such a fun day!  The farm is beautiful with lots of animals and spaces for the kids to explore.

It was spring, with all the trees in full bloom.

 

And of course there was the giant Easter egg hunt…

The animals were gorgeous, quite happy to get a rub.

  

The peacock not so much!

Spring was a beautiful time to arrive in Seattle, not the most practical, but definitely a visual feast.

Misty forest

When family came to visit, we took a drive through the Dandenongs.  It had been raining for days and the sky still dripped periodically.  It made for beautiful scenery and, ironically, it wasn’t cold at all.

It was amazing to see how green and lush everything had gotten with the unexpected amount of rain we have been getting.

Even the birds were wet!

Morning and evening

Every morning and every evening that the sun shines and skies are blue… the little Corellas come.  With lots of noise, feathers and destruction, they land everywhere and destroy anything that their beaks can get to.  They tear all the small branches from the trees and chew on the pipes on the houses.

This was taken at sunset in Narre Warren.  Some of these birds are seagulls.  The swarms we get in Berwick are even bigger (and don’t include seagulls).  A reason I am grateful for rainy days:  I don’t get woken by squawking!

So excuse me if I am a little grumpy today.  The birds started again early this morning!

Rude Awakening

In our area we have a lot of cockatoos breeding in the trees surround the farmland and in the parks.  This specific type is a Long-billed Corella.  I used to find them fascinating….

but after a few mornings of these huge flocks screeching over the house, I am not so enamoured anymore.

Today three flocks came flying into the park while the kids were playing.  Unfortunately I saw a little of the movie “Birds” as a kid.  Not a good combination.  The cockatoos are fast, like little torpedos.

They all landed in the branches, calling to each other.  They seem to be really social birds, though a bit rough and tumble at times.

Soon they will move on.  Then I can sleep late over weekends.  Oh I forgot… I guess with kids up early I will still not get to lie in!

Rabbits in the rain

I decided, rain or no rain, we were going to the park.  It was still dripping a bit when we got there, but the sky cleared within a few minutes.  The advantage of the recent rain was that almost no-one was around.  That meant the rabbits came out.  We had been to Westerfolds so many times, yet never before had we seen the rabbits.  And there were so many of them!

Very skittish creatures though, so I couldn’t get very close.

The rain had really filled the river.  The water was rushing and foaming down.

These little parrots were nesting I think.  They kept popping into an old hollow tree.