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Charm the Wonderdog
ever alert on a hot day!
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Creatures of Middle Path
wild
and
not
so
wild
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We built a trough at the railway carriage for birdseed during the lean winter months. Over the years it has become quite a social focus for many of the wildlife species who share the space. These days they insist on summer feeding rights as well - with our move into the temple, we have moved the feeding area closer to home.
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Firetail Finches at supper
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At dawn and dusk, and throughout the day the extended family of firetail finches come to feed at the trough. One of the few small birds the Lorikeets tolerate.
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Henrietta the bush turkey
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At the other end of the size scale, a bush turkey comes calling every evening - one of the messiest feeders with her strong legs which scatter the remnants of the day's seed everywhere.
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King parrots at breakfast
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Winter visitors, King Parrots, the males resplendant with their vivid scarlet livery, call frequently throughout the day.
Our alarm clock - once these guys start feeding no-one sleeps!
Uninterested in the seed, this possum quickly discovered the remains of the fruit we had put out for the parrots and would regularly call of an evening during winter.
The only wildlife that our dog, Charm, would get excited about.
She would quickly lose interest in us and return to examining the trough for traces of fruit (or anything sweet).
Rent a ratcatcher .... Percy the Python investigating the grape vine for titbits - he would come and stay for 3 months at a time - allowing the bush rat population to grow and then swiftly reducing it to 0 on his/her return.
First into the building - these fresh out of the nesting box swallows survey the world. Their parents hatched several clutches in the ceiling space of the main room during construction. We had to build a swallow condo in the verandah to persuade them to move out!
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Among the first visitors is Jack the water dragon - having successfully tracked us down from the railway carriage he (she?) appeared after food.
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Back at the old shed, we found percy II - there was a characteristic squeal from beneath the plastic when we first disturbed it and .... sure enough there was the young python snacking.
click pictures for a larger view
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