New Visitors welcome

Well belated Happy Easter to all..i hope everyone had a lovely time and got some relaxing in!

I hinted at a new visitor that had been spotted here on our property and i am now going to introduce you!

We have been here 5 years in August and this is the first time ever i have seen a Wallaby here..i cannot even begin to tell you how thrilled i was and especially as the visit came on the heels of a really sad day.

We had the Wildlife rescue out to sadly PTS a Kangaroo..he had a broken leg and had been eluding the folks in the street for two days..despite his serious injury the poor thing managed to get away each time.

I had no idea..i had been shooting a sweet family and then heard the news that this was about to happen.

The kindest thing to do is to end an animals suffering but i will never get used to the sound of a gunshot.

I was of course a mess..in tears and feeling miserable so i went for a wander with my camera.

A bit of nature therapy..i had not gotten far from the house when i spotted him..the Wallaby..my heart skipped a beat ,and as much as i wanted to clap my hands in the way that has hubby always laughing at me , i had to concentrate as i was scared my little visitor would leave!

I grabbed some shots and he took off but the next day he was back and hubby and i both got to spend some lovely time with him as he chowed down on those Hedge Wattles i despise!

Not only a beauty but also my new BFF for helping get rid of these rotten thorny beasts!

First some facts 🙂

.. The Swamp Wallaby (Wallabia bicolor) a small macropod marsupial of eastern Australia.

This sweet wallaby is also known (mainly here in Victoria) as the Black faced Wallaby, the black tailed wallaby, stinker (QLD), black stinker (NSW) due to it’s characteristic swampy odour,fern wallaby,black wallaby, and black pademelon.

The Swamp Wallaby is the only living member of the genus Wallabia.

The bicolor comes from the varied color that they have.

Typical grey coat of macropods varied with dark brown to black region on the back and light yellow to rufous orange on the chest.A light colored cheek stripe is usually present and extremities of the body generally show darker coloring except the tail tip which is often white.

Their gait is also different to other wallabies as they carry their head low and tail out straight.

The average length (height) is about 30″ or 76cm for males and 27.5″ or 70cm for females.

The tail in both sexes is approx equal in length to the rest of the body.

Average weight for males 37lb (17kg) and females 29lb (13kg)

They become of breeding age around 15-18  months and breed throughout the year.

Gestation is 33-38 days and leads to a single young which is carried in the pouch for 8-9 months but will continue to suckle until about 15 months.

The Black faced Wallaby is usually a solitary animal but will aggregate in groups when feeding.

They will eat a wide range of food plants shrubs pasture and native and exotic vegetation and seem to be able to tolerate plants poisonous to others such as brackens and lantana.

Rather than grazing like Kangaroos they prefer to browse shrubs which is unusual in wallabies and macropods who prefer to graze.

Their tooth structure means their molars differ from other wallabies in that they are designed for browsing and their 4th premolar they keep for life and it is shaped for cutting coarse plant matter (ie.that hedge wattle!)

Several characteristics both physical and behavioral make the Black faced wallaby different enough from other wallabies to place it in it’s own genus Wallabia.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Swamp_wallaby

And  now please welcome Wally who i hope feels safe and at home here on  our 11 acres, for awhile at least..get ready to squee as he is adorable 🙂 and yes a boy..i checked 😉

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I did say i wanted to go on a trip didn’t i ?

Well what an eventful few weeks..and the cherry on the cake of discombobulation was my little trip.

Yes i have been banging on about taking a trip…well ask and you shall fall..not quite the trip i had in mind!

I was lucky that hubby had gotten back from Sydney only hours before and our son and his wife were here..which they would not have been if hubby was still away..yikes..

I am still very sore but also very lucky i could have done some major damage as i hit my spine directly on bone when i fell, i have been able to sit up for awhile but then forced to lie down..tomorrow’s MRI for my sciatica ,which has not let up, will be an interesting moment i am sure..as i may have to be steam rolled flat before they can do it 🙂

Today Spring which was late in arriving..well it left..actually it left yesterday but today was hotter..by 10.30am ,which was really 9.30am as daylight savings kicked in, it was already 33C ..we got to over 38C today..this week we have been told will be nasty heat and wind..joy of joys.

Funny we never have a gentle easing into any season here..it’s bang ..

I was so happy to get emails and hear that some peeps had received their cards..i hope everyone else gets theirs soon as the mail is so random..

I never understand how different it can be,from one state to another one country to another..i mean my sister sends me something from suburbs away it takes a week..i send her something and she jokes she gets it before i sent it!

So if you are still waiting i am super sorry 😦  seems the post is not as efficient as us bloggers at getting things done!

So i am off to bed..my back aching..and i have been trying to reply and catch up but when it starts singing i just have to ‘down tools’ as us Aussies say 🙂

So tonight i leave you with a most beautiful scene..i think so anyway..

I was in my kitchen the day before my tumble and looked up to see this sweet family to the left and behind our barn..so i crept out the back door..

Now this family i think is a new one as they have been hanging around but are very skittish when they see me..which is fine…keeps them safe and me safe and all is right in the world!

So i had to be super quiet..they do have great hearing despite what some folks think..i grabbed an outdoor chair and popped it against the fence and like a jack in the box only slowly i popped my head and camera up..yes i know i wonder why i fall..go figure..

Well they did spot me and seemed to be quiet cautious but did not take off..i got a few shots but the trees were in my way..so i went back inside and slowly out the front..a few took off but the others seemed content to munch the green grasses that will soon be gone..and i could see why..there were a few Mums with joeys in the pouch..and hefty sized ones too!! .. little monkeys having a great time while poor Mum lugs them around 🙂

I was so happy to see healthy happy families..so without anymore waffling as the back is getting antsy i present this gorgeous family..

Have a great week all..Loves Fozziemum

 

Oh hello..

 

 

Umm can we help you?

 

Time to move on maybe

Sometimes this is all you can do

So excited about giving my cards away folks.. you still have until Wednesday to comment and go in the draw! so go for it..my lens bag is filling fast 🙂

http://dinz1234.com/2015/09/09/well-it-was-on-the-cards/

I am super  busy with preparations for getting my cards out there..spending a good part of morning until 2am working through various things.

Funny as i will have to order more as all the sets i ordered i am giving away..so will be great to hear what people think.

This week will be a bit crazy..i will be on here with my winners on Wednesday and apart from that i do not know..

We are all healthy , pets included but some things are happening that require me to spend less time online for a little while.

I even have to step away from my photography this week i think too..

Changes can come when we least expect them and the timing for some things could not be worse..but this is life and as always we regroup and get on with it.

So please remember to enter the draw and do not worry …i will be popping in as often as i can..it is just a week that needs me to be present..

And i think my little friend here pretty much sums up how i feel 🙂

Have a great week guys..hugs Fozziemum

 

Spring and the feeling is sunny..

Well we have been so lucky to have some beautiful days this last week..just as i thought Spring had given us the slip..the nights are cold..and in the shade it is still cool with the wind ripping at you now and again to remind you that Winter still has some scores to settle.

But when the sun comes out it is glorious..and it seems all manner of creatures are enjoying those moments.

Yesterday i looked up from the kitchen window to see a small mob of roos having a snooze out the front..i grabbed the camera ,snuck the pups in the laundry so as not to start barking..and then in what can only be described as a military operation i snuck out the side door..

Ok so i have my glasses on a chain..on and off all the time..but for photography i do not use them..so i swung the chain backwards..so they would not clack on my camera.and slunk down the steps..went around to the side steps and then..yep…belly crawled along the verandah..bare in mind i look like an idiot..a common occurrence for me…and inched my way along the verandah until i could get to a good vantage point.

Now the reason for this is not what you may think…yes i want to take a picture..i can’t help it..but the real reason is they were so enjoying the sunshine.

They were grazing ,some were sleeping..and so i did not want to disturb their enjoyment.

As it turns out they were less than concerned and when i was spotted they were as always wary but not distressed.

We have it seems three young Mum’s at the moment…all with Joey’s in pouch and one with a young Joey at foot..a couple of young but strapping boys too..and they all look healthy so i am very pleased..

Mum has a snack while Joey just hangs out  in the pouch

Goodness Mum has her pouch full with this Joey!

Mum Joey at foot and one on board

A face to make your heart melt

Such lovely family groups

Mum wants to go one way..Joey the other

So as you can see Spring is here now and all creatures are glad..and as for how ridiculous i look trying to get these shots..well here are some shots Hubby took today as i took him on a road trip far and wide..yes..i must look like an idiot ..but hey i have fun 🙂

Have a super weekend guys..tomorrow is Father’s Day here and so a big shout out to all those Dad’s out there..human and non human 🙂

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Fairytale Friday

 Underneath the mushroom cap lives a funny little fellow a curious chap

 

 

He dresses well in pants of moss, and a coat of feathers that the birds have lost

Quite by mistake i found this chap who lives beneath the mushroom cap

I took a step and then looked down and there he was, hands on hips and an angry frown

As i bent towards this curious sight he turned around and then took flight

Off he went ,up and around, behind the rock and then back down

He scurried under the mushroom cap,this funny  fellow,this curious chap

I sat quite still and waited a while hoping that he would see my smile

Sure enough his head popped out, left to right he looked about

‘I apologise… i said to this chap..if i woke you up from a lovely nap’

‘Well indeed you did ..he said to me..i was fast asleep under the tree’

He told me his name was Finnigan Jones and he welcomed me to his humble home

We chatted awhile of this and that, a curious me and a curious chap

He told of the life he loved to live, making the most of what the forest could give

‘There is life here that keeps me more than happy..indeed i am a satisfied chappy’

I told him that i must soon away as the night would be coming to steal my day

He bid me farewell and invited me back,this funny fellow, this curious chap

As i left very carefully aware of my path i am sure i could hear this little chap laugh

I found over the days that i kept going back, no sign of this fellow this curious chap

But i  think of him when i start to roam, and all of the creatures that call Earth home

Not always obvious  and plainly in sight, the forest floor holds many delights

So i watch where i step and place my feet, for i never know just who i might meet.

 

Bev Green

Wordless Wednesday

Bee nice

Last week by the dam i sat..watching as all manner of birds came at late afternoon for some much needed and hard to find water. The place becomes like a real social gathering,many species bickering and socialising all after that precious commodity that we all take for granted..except us in the bush. It is a great way to unwind, i can sit and watch as they fly over head diving in for a dip or a sip..some bathing others chattering to each other.all busy and all seemingly enjoying this afternoon ritual. This day i also spied three roos, what appeared to be a female with two young joeys..they were behind the pile of gorse we had ploughed out and were watching me with interest. The young female joey made her way to the waters edge and i was so hoping they would ignore me and have a drink..she looked at me as if suddenly she realised i was a little too close, i moved backwards closer down the embankment so as to not spook her..but soon all three were off.. I went back to the dams edge, you do not want to be near water if roos are around they can drown you if they feel threatened. Back near the water i spotted in the dam a bee..poor thing buzzing in circles with no way of escape. I do not like to watch something struggle..i can’t do it..so allergic as i am i offered a hand..well not literally! I found a small tree branch and leant over and put it under the bee..i placed it on the muddy ground and watched as the little bee gradually became less waterlogged and dried off.. My eyes were distracted momentarily by the baby snake neck tortoises poking their heads out…i turned back and the bee had buzzed off.. I wish i had seen it take off..but just knowing it had made my day..it takes nothing sometimes but a few seconds of your time to be nice..and the results can change even the smallest lives.

Wild on Wednesday rewind

I imagine you have all guessed I am offline a bit these past few days..i am in a flare up..tired sore and hence unmotivated!
But I finally found my video in the deep recesses of my computer..and thought I would share it as my Wild Wednesday offering..it always makes me smile to watch my roos and they have been not so frequent as the grasses dry up…so please enjoy the Ketchup Mob.
So turn the volume up and fill the screen and excuse my spelling errors..sheesh..

Spring on the wing

Spring is such a wonderful time …as busy as I am ..and I am up to my neck..i have been making an effort to really indulge in the changes around the property..in doing so I have spotted a few new species of birds that have made an appearance… become entranced with the Stumpy tail family that has taken up residence in my garden and have been loving the incredibly large group of bees that are collecting pollen from one tree in particular..

So today I am showing those avian friends that are busily preparing for or raising young…I hope you don’t mind the change from the Roos..

 

Busy bees

Superb fairy Wren

Dragonflies

Welcome Swallow

Horsfields-Bronze Cuckoo

Red Rumped Parrot

Kookaburra

Mistletoe

Wild on Wednesdays

Today was overcast..windy and very gloomy..in all I saw three roos today..even they have headed to shelter it seems..so I packed the camera and headed to a local Reservoir called Crusoe..

Here are some of the pictures I took today..not all brilliant as the lighting was shocking…and since my eyes were on birds..of course that adds to the complexity of getting a good shot…bad lighting..fast moving erratic creatures..wind…oh and a head ache 😉

Rufous Whistler

Black Pacific Duck..showing me his rear end

Welcome swallows had a nest under this floating pontoon

A section of pathway showing egg and bacon plants wattles and gums

Yellow Tufted Honeyeater

Grey Currawong

Caterpillars eating their weight in gumleaves