This are the seeds of the Umbrella Tree flower. They turn black after flowering and when you leave them for a while the seeds lose their black skin and become brown. I am not sure how it works seedwise, but I love the shape of these little balls.
A few years back around this time the Black Swans had already babies, but this year is late. They are still courting, that's maybe why his feathers are so immaculate.
Lake Claremont on Sunday morning. The water level is low, not yet 3.5 while it was almost 7 a few years ago in August 2005 when the little swans were already there as well.
During the walk around Lake Claremont yesterday morning I came across this wattlebird sitting on a lower branch of a tree enjoying the honey from the eucalyptus flowers. He wasn't disturbed by anything around him, it must have been delicious.
This is a tiny little leave or a seed(?) in a far state of decay which was laying on the concrete tiles outside. I kneeled to pick up something otherwise I wouldn't have seen it. How amazing is nature, look at all the veins coming from the inside.
I came across this photo on my other blog as it's an old one from July 2005. This huge caterpillar was sunning on our neighbours fence in the warm winter sun. Isn't he pretty, with his fur coat?
I just watched an interview with a Dutch scientist about how bad it is in the world of bees, that their excistance is under pressure, and thought about the wild bees in Stockyard Gully NP I photographed last year during our Easter camping trip. There were heaps of this kind of structures hanging on the cave wall which where all burned off this year when we were there end of April. Why?
One of my natives, a small scrub tree, has a huge tumour growing on one of the branches. I have no idea what it is, I took this picture last week so will have a regular look at it to see the progress. Maybe it's a nest of some insect?
Nothing can compare to the original shapes of flora and fauna. Life is beautiful and while wandering around I regularly have a lucky find of some real pretty things. I used to take them home but nowadays I take my digital camera with me and leave them in place. They are my inspiration!