The post storm tidy up is largely completed - the task this afternoon was to pull down a suspended Sheoak - the one that just missed the woodshed. Initial removal had left a large portion suspended in some adjacent trees. Using some wire and the wire fence strainer it was successfully pulled down to the ground for cutting up with the chainsaw. It was too dangerous to leave where it was and it looked unsightly.
We collected the tamarillos and managed to use about 50% of them - they were bottled in a sucrose based syrup:
The other afternoon whilst having a cuppa on the verandah we noticed a flock of Olive-backed Orioles (Oriolus sagittatus) in a nearby tree - usually we only see them in one's or two's:
They are probably feeding on the Ficus benjamina (Weeping fig) that is on our property - the Flying foxes are certainly visiting this tree at night at present also. Another bird spotted (there was a pair) also probably feeding on this tree was a Channel-billed Cuckoo (Scythrops novaehollandiae). We didn't manage to get a photo so this is from elsewhere:
They are a big bird with a distinctive call a little like part of a kookaburra call.
Finally when out walking in the Mt Petrie reserve a few days ago spotted a flowering weedy looking plant :
Unfortunately the flower is out of focus - I think it is Tephrosia glomeruliflora (Pink Tephrosia) but will need to go back and take a better look. If it is the case it is an exotic weed and should be removed.
