Just outside our garden stands this lovely eucalypt now bearing the prettiest of pink flowers.
Alas, the white cockatoos also find it very attractive. Whilst they may obtain a small amount of something edible from these trees, most of their activity is sheer wanton destruction. They can lay waste to a huge eucalypt, a tree bearing fruit, an ornamental tree in blossom, or your favourite shrub in a matter of days.
They are magnificent looking birds, but I'm not sure that this is enough to redress the damage they do.
However, Mother Nature always has a few surprises up her sleeve, like this very colourful frilled-necked lizard just sunning himself nearby.
How I'd love to be there in person to see that beautiful eucalypt blooming. As you know, those flowers take me right back to childhood, when my mother used to read "Snugglepot and Cuddlepie" (the gumnut babies) to me.
ReplyDeleteWhat a shame that the cockies are so destructive. Such bad habits would certainly make them unwelcome guests.
The frillneck isn't as pretty, but he's easier to have around :) Mum used to feed them minced meat (ground beef) in her backyard.
Inhale some of that spring air for me please Alice. We have some welcome rain here today. The ground was very dry.
Those flowers are such a pretty shade of pink, aren't they?
ReplyDeleteYour lizard is impressive! We don't get those in our backyard ... just the odd blue-tongue.
I have just been catching up with all your wonderful posts.
ReplyDeleteI have never seen a yellow Osteospermum before. The flowers are all so lovely.
We once had a frill necked lizard used to visit out backyard. We lived near a creek. Bluetongues would come to feast on the passionfruit that fell from our neighbour's huge vine.
Love the photos of the lizard -- what a treat! I wish that we had lizards in our backyard. Your photos of the pink flowers on your eucalyptus look a whole lot like the flowers on our flowering red gum trees (native to a small area south of Perth) that I posted about last week -- http://goodacres.blogspot.com/2008/10/green-thumb-sunday-red-flowering-gum.html. -- Good Acres
ReplyDeleteGorgeous pinks, Alice! What artistic photos you have (again) taken!
ReplyDeleteIt's taking me a little while to catch up - but it's a pleasure to re-visit your postings...