Well of course it is, the mince pies are back in the shops. No carols yet, though.
In Darwin, Australia’s most northerly state capital, the inhabitants from the dawn of time identified six seasons. Presently it’s Gurrung, the hot dry period, time to hunt file snakes and long-necked turtles. When the white fellah showed up he simplified matters to just two seasons, wet and dry.
Melbourne, the most southerly capital of mainland Australia, has four seasons … most days.
In my little patch of Victoria it’s spring. The last week or so of winter was very summery. I do occasionally see a long-necked turtle but I’d starve to death if I had to rely on hunting them. I tend to notice the passage of the seasons by the birds. I heard the first Rufous Songlark on October 29. The following day they were everywhere singing and displaying for all they were worth.
Horsefield’s Bronze-Cuckoos were hot on their heels.
No sight or sound yet of the Sacred Kingfishers.
They were all greeted by an icy blast. Since the calendar ticked over the weather seems determined to return to winter.
Despite the cool weather the first Brown Snake of the year turned up in the dog yard this morning.
My neck of the woods is nice and green. Winter rain was about average and the crops locally are looking good. That’s not true for inland Australia even as close as north-west Victoria it’s been very dry. This has brought a few nomads into the state. It was my chance to add Pied Honeyeater and Crimson Chat to my Vic List. To find them I headed to Goschen and I found them both within an hour or so.
Crimson Chat has to be the most gorgeous bird in the Australian Field Guides but they are rarely as attractive in real life as they are on the page but some of the males on this occasion were at their finest …
The Yellow Robin that showed up recently in the driveway is still around. I hold out little hope for it finding a mate however.
bobmcgee 