Backyard Zoology · 29 August 2019
2019-08-29T17:57:25+10:00
https://www.facebook.com/backyardzoology/posts/pfbid024sdxA8jcNyTbzycuf3afj1vGRnoLwnTQdLGAomYCt8XnFLr1untSsbwNUGncDUzql

In a case of pretty much perfect timing, yesterday was delicious and sunny which meant that my roof could be finished (hoorah!) and I could do a bucket load of washing - and get it dried - in the one nice day in a week of rain. Now I'm not an amateur so I only hung the towels and sheets outside in full view of the tradies, draping the rest over a clothes horse in the lounge room and by 'the rest' I mean my ridiculously large, ridiculously practical full brief knickers. Sure my tradies are totally professional but also very human and even the most professional of professionals might find themselves getting distracted at the sight of my large, brightly coloured undies flapping back and forth, back and forth, in the slightly salty breeze that we get around here 😂😳😂 I'll pause while you drink in that image for a moment.

Anyway. I did get out briefly yesterday and got to breathe in the sea air and watch some jousting Carpet Sea Stars which you all know I love and for a short amount of time the beach was all mine and the sky was this really clear, fresh blue and everything just felt fantastic. The couple of days of drizzle has really seemed to have woken up the wildlife again and the Green Catbirds were having a howl/meow after the tradies left, so the dogs and I went out the back, camera in hand hoping to find them (although I think the dogs were just hoping to do a poo in peace to be honest). And then out of nowhere there was this almost clapping sound, like a little smattering of applause, and while I don't recognise all calls and sounds, I recognise that sound, the flight sound of Eastern Spinebills zooming by. 

I followed that sound and the little sleek shapes chasing each other up and through the trees and shrubbery to the back corner of the yard and to a spot where we have jasmine and other flowering vines climbing over our fence and into the neighbours and back again, which the bees of course love but the Spoonbills seem to adore, hovering like little hummingbirds and dipping their bill deep inside the flowers and drinking up the nectar. The light was fading so I didn't have long at all with them but it was so nice to be reminded how lovely a bird they are. Full disclosure, we used to get so many of these birds that when we'd run outside and find 'only a spoonbill' we got to the point where we wouldn't even bother taking a photo and head back inside. Yeah, won't be doing that again. Not only are these birds totally lovely but you've got to admire anything that gives itself a round of applause as it moves through a space.

Eastern Spinebill
Northern Illawarra