rain

Post #149 Saturday 24 October 2020 – shrike thrushes

October 23, 2020 by MG

Saturday 24 October 2020

It rained steadily all last night, which is just wonderful. I had the window open because it’s not cold, and I could hear the rain when I woke occasionally. Apparently there was a great thunderstorm with dramatic lightning in Sydney overnight.

In the morning I was up early and the rain had stopped. The shrike thrush was visiting in the trees close to the house. It was such a nice surprise because she hasn’t been around forever. And it reminded me I need to do this post.

A while ago I promised to post a little video I had made of the shrike thrush calling. I had posted this clip way back in June on the Twitter account, but had not then posted here as well.

This video was taken from the front door. It was early June 2020 and the recorded temperature was – 2 (might have been -3, I am a bit rusty). At that time the shrike thrushes were the dominant residents in the trees close to the tiny house.
It’s a lovely call isn’t it? I’d post the longer version of the clip but I don’t think my website likes the data load required for video.

xx MG

Post #124 Tuesday 18 February 2020 – after the fires: floods… and frogs

February 17, 2020 by MG Leave a Comment

Posted in: Animals, Country, Letters from America, Video, Wildlife

Letters from America

Tuesday 18 February 2020

Following on from my recent sad post about the NSW fires, here is an update. January 2020 drought:

February 2020, rain:

I have never seen so much water in the weir. We had more than 400mm rain in about a week. Should we be standing by for the pestilence now?

This is the new roaring sound a paddock makes :-):

Flooded paddock, with rushing sheets of water coming from two directions.

And we had a welcome expression of joy from the local RFS:

And comparable expressions of joy from the frogs:

xx MG, so grateful for the rain.

Post #64 Wednesday 29 November 2017 – November trip to Canberra

November 26, 2017 by MG Leave a Comment

Posted in: Adventure, Art, Letters from America, Travel, Urban landscape, Wildlife

Letters from America

Wednesday 29 November 2017

It was a lovely visit to Canberra this month. On the morning I was due to leave Canberra it was raining very softly, exactly the way it doesn’t rain in Sydney (where it shamelessly buckets from all directions). I took a walk near where I was staying and saw many lovely things including this fine sculpture – an enormous sheet of steel unfolding up the hillside. And this trip, when I walked in the evening, I saw more bunnies on the lush Canberra lawns than I have ever seen anywhere. It was like walking into a Beatrix Potter story. The Canberra bunnies were out and about, mostly in pairs, quietly feasting in the dark. They were so fluffy and almost tame. Back in my day I think it was a bit of a heavy myxomatosis scene and there just weren’t a lot of bunnies anywhere at all (sigh). Such a treat to see them abundant and healthy now in a place where there is lots for them to eat.

xx MG
enjoying gentle vertical rain in Canberra from time to time