To My Surprise...........

To my surprise a few of the plants are making an unseasonal show of flowers. Try as they might to send a colour burst through the garden, the heat is so intense that their petals wither and dry out so swiftly. With yet another week of extremely hot weather expected keeping the garden hydrated is a bit of a mission.

A few galahs and ring necked parrots were hanging out in the larger trees, watching no doubt whether I was going to be putting out chicken seed. A watchful eye was kept on me as I had a morning meander.

To my utter delight my little family of striated paradotes were flying around the garden with their babies. Normally these tiny birds follow me around the garden when I am watering and will fly close to me to prompt a spray bath. When the mist of the water fans out over the tree they are in, they all sing as they refresh themselves with a cooling shower. The glee they exhibit while they enjoy a communal shower is infectious, I always smile contently as I spare a few moments to watch them bathing. They are quite difficult to capture with a camera as they flit from tree to branch nonstop. These little birds either nest in a earthy tunnel, objects found in a garden or a hollow tree trunk. Like the yellow rumped thornbill they often create a small group in breeding season to help defend the nest against predators and raise the young. They will also feed in small groups for safety. 

Seeing this thriving family everyday is uplifting. It also serves as a reminder of how as the garden grows the more food it provides for a vast array of local birds, insects, amphibians, lizards and small mammals. 

It's a dream come true......