October flowers in all its glory

October is  a lovely time of the year in Queensland.  The weather is beginning to warm as we move towards summer, but is still pleasant. There are a few showers around and the garden is blooming. The Jasmine tails off this month, but the Grevilleas step up a notch and a combination of scents from the Brunesca, Sweet Peas and Gardenias are sweet and heavy in the air.  There were some nervous moments in the first week of the month as a relatively large bush fire was burning near Canungra, only a few miles away.  By day we could see columns of smoke rising, and the hill seemed to be steaming, but at night you could see the flames and then things became a little worrying. It took a few days, but the fire service eventually took control and put it out.

One of the joys of this time of the year is the number of juvenile birds appearing.  The Welcome Swallows flew their nest in the garage

Ohh Mum, it's a bit scarey out here.

There, made it to the light thingy!

Keep going son, you can do it.

Aaagh!  That was a long way (about 7 metres).

The swallows weren't the only ones and over the month we saw a number of juveniles including Magpies, King Parrots, Sulphur Crested Cockatoos and Olive Backed Orioles.

The garden was in full flower with the Bougainvilles resplendent in their cloaks of petals.

I love this spot, where the Bougainvilleas shine over the reed beds, which in turn provide shelter for the Dusky Moorhen and the ducks.

Variegated leaves and double coloured delicate blooms.

One of the classic pinks.

These hardy and thorny shrubs provide little food, but lots of cover and are their thorny branches are firm favourites with the finches.

I know that they aren't natives, but they're as tough as old boots and give you a massive splash of colour. At the other end of the dam, not to be outdone, the Irises and Gladioli pitched in.

Looking back over the reeds toward the Sedge and Iris beds below the stair.

Wouldn't be an Australian garden without at least one Gladioli!

The common Flag Iris is still difficult to beat (and very hardy).

Still, enough of the plants, lets get back to the important stuff...the birds!

Regulars  (seen at least 5 days in the week)

Australian Magpie

Aww cummon da, let's place chase the leaf.

Bar-shouldered Dove
Black-faced Cuckoo Shrike
Bronzewing
Double-barred Finch

I know I keep snapping them, but they're gorgeous!

Forest Kingfisher
Galah
Laughing Kookaburra
Little Friarbird
Magpie Lark
Mallard
Noisy Friarbird
Olive-backed Oriole
Pacific Black Duck

Pacific Black Ducks

Peaceful Dove
Pied Currawong
Rainbow Lorikeet

Feed me mummy!

Spangled Drongo

Love the eye!

Sulphur Crested Cockatoo
Yellow-faced Honeyeater
Welcome Swallow
Wood Duck
Torresian Crow

 Common (Seen at least twice a week)

Bush Turkey
Dollarbird

The extremely wide gobbed Dollarbird.

Eastern Whipbird
Grey Shrike Thrush
King Parrot
Noisy Miner
Pale Headed Rosella
Red-backed Fairy Wren
Spotted Turtle Dove
White-necked Heron
White-throated Honeyeater

Uncommon (Seen two to five times during the month)

Brown Falcon
Brown Goshawk
Brown Honeyeater
Brown Thornbill
Channel-billed Cuckoo
Collared Sparrowhawk
Golden Whistler
Leaden Flycatcher

Leaden Flycatcher

Lewins Honeyeater
Little Corella
Long-billed Corella
Red-browed Finch

Porky little fellow, or was it cold?

Sacred Kingfisher

Sacred Kingfisher

Scaly-breasted Lorikeet

A Scaly-breasted Lorikeet

Scarlet Honeyeater

Scarlet Honeyeater in a Honeygem Grevillea

Striated Pardalote
Variegated Fairy Wren
Wedge-tailed Eagle
White-throated Treecreeper
Yellow-tailed Black Cockatoo

Rare (Seen only once)

Blue-faced Honeyeater
Cicadabird
Crested Pigeon
Eastern Spinebill
Figbird
Indian Mynah
Little Cormorant
Little Wattlebird
Mistletoebird
Pale Yellow Robin (1st sighting)

Crappy shot, but it's a Pale Yellow Robin

Rufous Whistler
Varied Sitella

Which is 66-species; pretty damn good if I say so myself.

Next installment 'The Hailstorm' or "Bye,bye garden"