Laughing Kookaburra

This post speaks for itself I think but I will introduce it. 

Here is a handsome visitor to the tree just across the fence.

I could here him/ her and a mate laughing away and thought they were close by only to find they were a lot closer than I thought.

I give you the Laughing Kookaburra, a member or the Kingfisher family, hanging out, out the back.

 

Between the Tracks

 

Sweet Sunrise

The sugar cane is in flower. The soft feathery heads are waving above thick green stalks and leaves. Harvest is starting on some farm, the flowers showing that the cane is ready or nearly ready to cut. Sugar content is high and on clear mornings the sunrise turns those paddocks of cane golden. What a beautiful sight waving in the breeze.

 

These were taken as the sun rose the same morning as the last post. When I wake early (every day, thanks to Mr Sparky) I always look to the pre sunrise sky hoping it will be clear. When it is I have the enormous urge to head out and photograph things in the morning light and catch sunrises where I can.

Walking in a Winter Wonderland

June already, I can't believe winter is here. How fast is the year whizzing by.

I have started to spot blog posts about winter, about cool, wet, drippy days. Well that isn't the case here, although we have had a lot of drippy days recently. With the change over to winter there has also come some clear blue skies. At the moment it is a balmy 28 degrees celcious and the sun isn't as fierce but still hot. A breeze is visiting us throughout the day and but it will leave late at night meaning the fan will go on sometime around then. 

This morning I went for a drive to look around so I thought I should share some of Northern Australia's winter wonderland with you. 

(I even added some winter wonderland lyrics for up here, thanks to the original song found here)

Waves lapping, are you listening

On the beach sand is glistening

A beautiful sight, we're happy today

Walking in a winter wonderland

Gone away are the stingers

Here to stay are the swimmers

We soak up the sun as we walk along

Walking in a winter wonderland 

 On the beach we can build a sandman

Then pretend that he is Parson Brown

He'll say, "Are you married?" We'll say, "No man"

But you can do the job when you're in town

 

Later on we'll confide
As we sit on the beach side
All the dreams that we have, as last rays hit the sand
Walking in a winter wonderland

Cockatoos squawk, are you listening

On the beach, sand is glistening

A beautiful sight, we're happy today

Walking in a winter wonderland 

Walking in a Northern winter wonderland.

 

Jojo the Entertainer

Now I have shared Cockatoos and in particular Jojo the Cockatoo from the Wildlife Dome a few times (maybe a few too many). On my last trip to the Dome a couple of weeks ago Jojo was in fine form, preforming for us, playing and just plain showing off.

He even did some dancing for us much to everyone's entertainment.

Sometimes he is in an utterly foul mood and spends his time telling everyone off, trying to bite if you touch and digging holes but often food and fooling around can change this and will capture his interest in a more positive way. 

Well obviously us playing around with food worked and he was on a role, even showing off his wings on command. I think below is an awesome caption photo. What would you caption it?

On the other hand here are some of his wild relatives hanging around the corner from our place.

I love hearing them around in the morning and some evenings and never get sick of watching them.

They certainly are smart and inquisitive AND know where the food is.