A SPRING DAY

Another Spring day followed on from yesterday and it was a beautiful, sunny, mild and fragrant day. One could not help but go out and find some sunny spot in a park somewhere to enjoy the weather. Many Spring flowers are starting to appear (rather early this year!).

This post is part of the Mosaic Monday meme

and also part of the Seasons meme

MALLARD DUCKS

The Mallard or Wild Duck (Anas platyrhynchos) is a dabbling duck which breeds throughout the temperate and subtropical Americas, Europe, Asia, and North Africa, and has been introduced to New Zealand and Australia. This duck belongs to the subfamily Anatinae of the waterfowl family Anatidae.

The male birds (drakes) have a glossy green head and are grey on wings and belly, while the females have mainly brown-speckled plumage. Mallards live in wetlands, eat water plants and small animals, and are gregarious. This species is the ancestor of most breeds of domestic ducks.

This post is part of the Saturday Critters meme

WINTRY

We are in the midst of our Winter here in Melbourne at the moment, but there is much to enjoy both outdoors and indoors.

This post is part of the Mosaic Monday meme,
and also part of the Seasons meme.

DIGHTS FALLS

Dights Falls is located in Melbourne, Victoria just downstream of the junction of the Yarra River with Merri Creek, about 2 km east of the City. At this point the river narrows and is constricted between 800,000 year old volcanic, basaltic lava flow and a much older steep, Silurian, sedimentary spur.

The area can be readily accessed from the Yarra River Trail. The rapids have been used many times for the Victorian Canoe Slalom Championships. The falls are a major obstacle to fish migration up the Yarra River. A fish ladder was installed in 1993, but subsequent research found it was not functioning adequately and would require modifications to improve its efficiency and effectiveness”.

Melbourne Water have undertaken works from the end of 2010 to replace the weir and construct a new fishway to address this issue. In 2024, although works have been completed, there are still issues left unaddressed and the area is partly closed off.

Nevertheless, we are lucky to have such a gem of conserved native parkland along the Yarra River in the midst of our City and accessible to so many people.

This post is part of the Wordless Wednesday meme,
and also part of the Nature Notes meme,
and also part of the Roentare’s Water Meme

ALTONA WETLANDS

The Altona Important Bird Area (IBA) comprises several wetland sites on, or close to, the north-western coast of Port Phillip in Victoria, south-eastern Australia. Collectively they total 1223 hectares in area and lie within, or adjacent to, the western suburbs of the city of Melbourne. They were classified as an IBA because they support more than 1% of the world populations of Red-necked Stint, Chestnut Teal and Pacific Gull.

This post is part of the Wordless Wednesday meme,

and also part of the Nature Notes meme.

SUMMER'S HEAT

We are finally beginning to see some Summer days and the sky turns that brilliant pure blue that highlights the green gold of the eucalypts and the red of the earth.

This post is part of the Wordless Wednesday meme
and also part of the Nature Notes meme.

WINTER TRIPTYCH

This post is part of the Mosaic Monday meme,
and also part of the Blue Monday meme,
and also part of the Seasons meme.

YARRA BEND PATH

Yarra Bend Park has been one of Melbourne’s largest expanses of inner suburban parkland for nearly 150 years. Yarra Bend Park and neighbouring Studley Park were reserved in 1877. Both park areas and several reserves were combined in 1929 to create one large park. The combined area became known as Yarra Bend National Park despite never being raised to formal national park status.

During the 1930’s additions included picnic and sporting grounds, toilet facilities and a public golf course. The Park provides a great open space for walking, bike riding, riverside cafes, golf, boating, BBQs, picnicking and a host of other leisure activities. Numerous winding paths provide plenty of opportunity for leisurely promenades in the natural serene surrounds of the park.

This post is part of the My Sunday Best meme

WILD MELBOURNE

Hard to believe that today's photo was taken about 4.5 km from the Melbourne CBD... Yarra Bend Park is a glorious bushland reserve within shouting distance of Melbourne city centre. One hopes that building development will not encroach on this truly magnificent nature reserve right within the metropolitan area.

This post is part of the My Sunday Best meme

WEB

This post is part of the Wordless Wednesday meme,
and also part of the My Corner of the World meme,
and also part of the Nature Notes meme.

WET, WET, WET

Melbourne has experienced quite heavy rain with localised flooding in some suburbs, especially those adjacent to overflowing waterways. Victoria has also suffered from extreme weather events and many country towns have been flooded out. It's good to hear from the weather report that we have some respite from the big wet in the next couple of days...

This post is part of the Skywatch Friday meme

LA NIÑA SKY

We are currently in the midst of a La Niña weather event in Southeastern Australia. Meteorologists predict that the current La Niña is looking relatively short and weak, likely to peak in late spring or early summer However, it is not the only factor that could push us towards wet conditions in the coming months, with tropical weather systems being driven southward. With catchments already so wet from the past few years of rain, flooding cannot be ruled out this summer...

Last night and today we had quite a few downpours in Melbourne, with flash-flooding and disruptions to traffic and local damage to property. It makes for spectacular skies in any case!

This post is part of the Skywatch Friday meme

BUTTERCUPS

This post is part of the Floral Friday Fotos meme

IN THE FOREST

This post is part of the Mosaic Monday meme,
and also part of the Seasons meme.

FENNEL SEED

This post is part of the My Sunday Best meme

FLYING FOX

This is an Australian Grey Headed Flying Fox (bat), which is  currently classified as a threatened species in Australia. Flying foxes are an example of the dire effects of altering our natural environment. Due to enormous rates of deforestation in Queensland and a greater food supply in south eastern Australia, Grey Headed Flying Foxes migrated down south and found a new habitat in Melbourne's Royal Botanical Gardens. Due to the public demand their removal from the Botanical Gardens, the State government coordinated a mass habitat relocation of the bats using sonar to direct them to possible habitats. The bats decided to choose Yarra Bend Park, where they now live happily!

This post is part of the Saturday Critters meme

BUG

This post is part of the My Sunday Best meme
and also part of the Photo Sunday meme

ON THE YARRA

At the Studley Park Boathouse in Kew, one may rent a rowboat and enjoy a leisurely boat ride on the quiet waters of the Yarra River. A serene spot of scenic beauty in suburban Melbourne. The many square kilometres of areas of conservation along the banks of the Yarra River provide a valuable environmental resource for Melburnians.

This post is part of the Wordless Wednesday meme,
and also part of the My Corner of the World meme,

and also part of the Nature Notes meme.

NATURAL...

Walking along the Yarra River in Abbotsford, Melbourne, enjoying the vast areas of parklands and nature reserve along the river. This is amazing as these vast tracts of natural bushland are within a stone's throw of the bustling city centre.

Melbourne has a population of over five million people, so I consider myself very lucky to have such splendid conservation areas within walking distance of my home. Furthermore, to have for neighbours so much native flora and fauna in their natural environment!

This post is part of the Wordless Wednesday meme,
and also part of the My Corner of the World meme,

and also part of the Nature Notes meme.

SPIDER

Came across this spider in the Parklands. Not familiar with it, any spider ID experts are welcome to tell us what it may be.

This post is part of the Saturday Critters meme.