August — lives in the moment, not for all time.  And for holidays.

In August, my True Love and I finally embrace our inner wildlife photo-journalist (yes, I can hear you laughing, dear reader).  Wind, snow or rain shall not stop us.  Luckily the sun shines most of the time.  August starts with a bang.  (The following photo was actually taken in late July, but it missed the cut for my July wrap-up.)

swamphens
©Reflections of An Untidy Mind

One frigid day, we grit our teeth, hoist our cameras and huff and puff into a strong headwind.  As I pause for breath, I turn my head and observe that I am not the only one needing a rest.  Can it get any better than this?

intothewind

It is hungry work taking photos, so we stop for sustenance.

echidna
©Reflections of An Untidy Mind
swamp wallaby
©Reflections of An Untidy Mind (TL)

The early bird gets the worm.

male scarlett robin
©Reflections of An Untidy Mind (TL)

Or maybe it eats another bird?  My True Love and I debate this.  I’ll leave that to your imagination, dear reader, rather than my fertile one.

bbeating

We persist and are rewarded by the scent of an early spring on the breeze.
It is magnificent.

Love is in the air.  The excitement is palpable but it creates tensions

fightfight
©Reflections of An Untidy Mind

The rivers (and lakes) bring life — a siren’s charm.
I remind you, dear reader, that it is still winter here.  It was a mere 16º C when the following photo was taken.  Like I said — love, or something, is in the air.

swim

possible female darter
©Reflections of An Untidy Mind (TL)

Hubba, hubba.  (I can’t believe I wrote that!)

gc.jpg
©Reflections of An Untidy Mind

Like a shag on a rock.  (Keep it clean, ladies and gentlemen.)

youngmanpiedcormorant

Or a darter on a stick.

male darter
©Reflections of An Untidy Mind

Looking for love in all the wrong places?  Try fishing instead.

Soon there will be new life.  Life, however, can be ruthless.  The river of life also brings tragedy and for those that don’t make it — the rainbow bridge (not a term I commonly use, but hey, I’m going with the flow).

rainbowbridge

I’m not sure that I am cut out to be an intrepid wildlife journalist.  It’s harsh.   The swamphen was sitting on eggs, but she and the eggs disappeared about the same time we saw the rakali eating the bird (see Top Predator Of The Lake).  As for the fate of the red-capped robin (He – Red Capped Robin), who knows?  And yet, the things we see each day are amazing.  Maybe September days will be too.

What?  You’re still here?  Yes, I know.  You have to help us sing the song.

male superb wren

Sing it with me.

This is my response to The Changing Seasons — August monthly photo challenge hosted by the lovely Su Leslie of Zimmerbitch.  I am also linking to the Ragtag Daily Prompt — Enthusiasm, because I am nothing, if not enthusiast, for all creatures great and small.  Everyone is welcome to join in these challenges.  Why not give it a go?

Kind Regards.
Tracy

56 thoughts on “The Changing Seasons – August 2019”

    1. Thank you so much for your kind comment, Russell. I think that is either a pied or a little pied cormorant. I’m not sure which as I wasn’t able to get close enough. My husband and I had a short holiday in August and because tomorrow is officially spring, there have been so many birds out and about. My husband is the bird whisperer so I give his photos some space on my blog. 🙂

      Thanks for visiting. Regards. Tracy.

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  4. Oh wow! First of all, yes you are cut out to be a wild life photo journalist and secondly, you asked, “Can it get any better than this”…I don’t think so!!

    Liked by 2 people

  9. This is a beautiful month’s wrapup! I love your photos, and wish I could see some of the birds for myself — and the roo and the echidna! It’s full on summer here — September is our hottest month, and it will likely stay warm until November!

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    1. Thank you. September doesn’t sound pleasant in your part of the world. Many Aussies have started to dread summer so I sympathise. I’m glad you like the roo and the echidna. If you ever get the chance to holiday here, September is an excellent time to do it. 🙂

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    1. Thank you, Lani. Photos were taken over the month in a couple of different locations, however because my husband and I find it difficult to do mornings, they usually happen around the same time each day (mid to late afternoon) so the light is very similar. 🙂 Thank you visiting and your comment.

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  15. Pingback: The Changing Seasons, August 2019 | Zimmerbitch

  16. These are all beautiful images Tracy. I especially love the birds with worms — stunning.
    My attempt to sneak up on some kingfishers, zoom lens at the ready, has totally been consigned to the “instant fail” pile.

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  17. So much to see out there in the bush. Great photos, Tracy.
    I can’t imagine swimming anywhere at this time of the year, and certainly not around your area.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Thanks Jane. We didn’t go too far because we had to look after our little dog but still managed to see a lot.

      The young lady was swimming in the Murrumbidgee which flows down from the Snowy Mountains. Very chilly this time of year.

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  20. “Love is in the air…” I’m definitely having an ear worm now! 😀 Such wonderful photos and captions, Tracy! A wildlife photo-journalist – that would be great, wouldn’t it? But maybe it’s better to just keep it as a hobby that way we can choose if we want to go outside when it’s cold or raining or rather stay in bed. 😉
    And it’s definitely a worm – I reject the thought of cannibal birds at the moment! 😉 Love the echidna(?) and all the birds! Thanks for sharing your lovely impressions of August with us! ❤

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  21. OMG, Tracy, you have one very fertile imagination and one very handy camera and one very astute eye. Love your photos but they would be so ordinary a contribution without the wit of your writing. Well, perhaps not ordinary but you are definitely a photo journalist whether or not your pay stub reflects the status. Now I’m going back to enjoy this post again from the top. (And you do have such critters living near you in Australia. We’ve got crows – and some eucalyptus that found their way from your outback to our hinterlands.)

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    1. Heehee. Thank you, Sharon. I’m glad you liked it. You are quite right. They are not my best photos, but I wanted to use photos that would also convey the essence of August. I also had a bit of fun joining up the story. 🙂 🙂 🙂

      Our small city is well planned and most areas have some bushland nearby. I guess this is not so easy to accommodate in big cities.

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      1. Tracy, I didn’t mean to imply at all that your photos are ordinary – foot in my mouth even if it’s actually foot on my keyboard.

        Your photos are beautiful as always, but your thoughts and your writing are exceptional. I look forward to reading your take on the world.

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