The First

Alrighty!  A third of the month has past and not a word have I uttered...Firstly the warmest and best wishes for the new year. Better late than never, and you know I loves ya!
Do you want excuses or should I just get cracking into to this most informative post that i am producing.
Much and little has happened.
Generally I think my life is ho-hum , just the general day to day stuff. Time whizzes by and I dont seem to do anything and then....yep, you guessed it, chaos and heightened activity (particularly when family arrive for Christmas) and there arent enough hours in the day to get it all done.

The first of the year started off very early. My youngest had a cracking  start at the cafe ' in Brighton with a 0630 hours start. Although my husband did volunteer the early morning drive, i was awake anyway and took her. Seeing as i was already up with the birds I decided it would be a good idea to take some photos down at the Patawalonga River.

A very serene start to the new year or so you would think by looking at the glassy waters below

An early morning stretch to limber up and dry of these damp feathers

Not so serene looking to the south. Bushfires once again burning but in the opposing direction to Decembers fires. Makes for a hazy sky in such heat.

 Still not bothered!

Look to the left

Now look to the right

Sifting through the mud for a feed

And a more exuberant neighbour

Idle gulls

Preening duck

Oh how mortifying to be caught on camera!

Im guessing these guys are a cormorant of some sort

Sitting on the fence, the safe thing to do~

 Well that's first of the New Year done and dusted.
More tomorrow as i have been out with the camera. See you soon, stay cool! (That's for all my Aussie buddies whom are roasting in our relentless heat)

Pelicans On The Pat (take 2)

I've Been back to the Patawalonga River to visit these finely feathered creatures. I dropped Jordana off at school and kept travelling to the river near the airport. I was graced with presence of about five pelicans, three of which were within close proximity of the walking path. The numbers weren't as significant as my last visit look here but I was armed with a better camera . For once I came prepared and didn't have to make do with my phone camera.

These two guys basically didn't move from the spot they occupied the whole time I spent visiting. I'm sure if I had some fish heads I would have attracted some attention.

The cormorants were in their usual spot

I love the reflections in the water and the little duck sidling up to the two big guys

Just to break the monotony - a bull reed adds a splash of colour to all the grey.

I do love the yellow of the pelicans eyes, the dude below looks most serious. He actually became most fervent about cleaning up his appearance and really had a good dig under his arm pit. His side of the pond must be a bit stinky  to warrant such detailed and acrobatic attention to his hygiene!

Yep we are still standing here! Are you quite finished with all that preening?

Finally a bit of movement. Just a little. The guy on the left is scanning the water for delectable titbits and actually attempts  a plunge into the water with his head

Nope - no luck. Back to sitting and waiting

See you later !