Our great southern migration

  This guy is as close as we get to a Pooh bear story and it probably isn't our wombat. Our neighbor took this picture. Amazing that it was that close to their deck and that it was out in daylight. Also unusual in that it does not seem to be mange ridden. It is possible it lives in our paddock but it is spending more of its time by their house - but probably not.  We do have some photos of our wombats but they tend to be shyer than the one above. This one couldn't be bothered to go into his den as we drove in.  And this one is a bit more red than most - he has obviously spent some time in the red clay! Yes, the image is blurry. You are just seeing how fast it is moving...  It has definitely been a few days that Roo would claim fits his song: The creek has risen noticeably but not about to come over its banks. Just a nice level of water. Once the rain let up, the birds came out in force. We saw lots of our regular friends but also heard (Erin) and then saw (Scott) glo...

  Apparently Scott hasn't been eating enough apples. All is good now! Above is the view from Scott's hospital window. Scott was diagnosed with a triple fascicle block (poor conduction in heart chambers). This put him at risk of collapse and other heart issues. Not great when you don't live in the country. His doc recommended a pacemaker.  He had been taken to the prep area prior to getting the pacemaker implanted when I took the photo. It was evening as his surgeon was running late and pacemakers are relatively easy to place so get scheduled after more major procedures. Apparently it was another 90 minutes before he actually went into the OR. Since it was late in the day, I couldn't see any updates on the scheduling link that was designed to show me his progress; not great for nerves. Luckily, they let me hang out until he returned to the room about 9:30pm. This made for a very long day since we started the morning in Cobargo, about 3 hours away from the hospital. The p...

  This olive-backed oriole was actually singing for breakfast. The song was so loud and the bird so persistent that I eventually found it (high up in the tree). This image is a little more identifiable: These birds are the size of an American robin but are well camouflaged unless you can follow their song!  I am starting to be able to identify some of the birds by their songs; it does help to know what to look for.  Some songs are much less melodious than others. The honeyeaters and cockatoos are particularly raucous.  We talked about the glossy black cockatoos in an earlier post. Now the more common yellow tailed black cockatoos have moved into town. They have a very distinct sound and are amazing to watch when they land in a nearby tree.  Still enjoying the sights and sounds of the area! Apparently our container is in Sydney and we are now awaiting inspection and release. Hopefully soon. Scott's sister, Kristy, also returns tomorrow and will likely be wanting ...