A little birdie told me …

That I should take a break from posting about my European Travels and show the beauty of what’s happening around me in Australia’s Spring.

Melbourne is a big city but it has some havens for wildlife, especially bird life.

The Koroit Creek estuary is only a few kilometres from me and a wonderful place to see pelicans, spoonbills, egrets, herons, and swans

Laverton Creek estuary is a Ramsar site for migratory birds. There are so many birds there at the moment. I remember a couple of weeks back, a flock of red necked avocets flew overhead as I was cycling along. The sight took my breath away.

A short walk away from me in Newport Lakes, a beautiful urban forest with beautiful bush birds.

And a reptile or two as well.

Spring time is just so beautiful as nature comes to life. The heat of summer is yet to come, and warm dry days interchange with cooler damp ones.

Hope you enjoy this little interlude!

Where have I been???

Dear friends and followers,

It’s been a long time since I have written and many thousands of kilometres have been covered in that time.

Back home now in Australia, spring has sprung and its time catch up on tales my latest European Adventure before I commence this summers adventures.

But before I go into reflection a little local update.

Since arriving home I’ve bought a new motorbike, a beautiful Moto Guźzi v85tt.

Taking it to do a bit of show and tell at the Spaghetti Rally, a fantastic rally run by the Moto Guzzi Club of Victoia.

I’ll give a give a bit of a snapshot of where I went in Europe this year. Before doing more detailed posts on the destinations.

First, there was Sicily,

Then …

Puglia,

Rome

San Marino

Croatia

Bosnia-Herzegovina

Montenegro

Albania

Greece

Turkey

North Macedonia

Kosovo

France

England

I spent longer in some countries than others and especially in Greece and Turkey, only touched these large and diverse countries. But all this will be explained in future blogs.

For now, it is good to be home with family and friends. Its spring time and in my favourite places the wading birds are arriving nesting mating and having babies.

Lifes wonderful circle.

A birdyfull day at the Laverton Creek Estuary.

It’s a glorious late autumn day on Port Phillip Bay.

The Altona wetlands on Port Phillip is one of the 65 RAMSAR listed sites in Australia. RAMSAR sites are critical for supporting wetland and migratory birds around the world.

Today the birds were there in force many feeding up for migration north as the southern winter approaches.

The Pelicans hunting as a pack scooping up the shoals of pilchards in their huge bills.

Egrets were flying in to join the feast.

The Herons were also there for the hunt.

It truly was a very birdifull day to be out by the bay – to be out in nature.

Meanwhile back home summer time ends on a beautiful autumn day – time for bird watching

Summer daylight saving time has ended on the east coast of Australia.

The autumn sun and still mild days are welcome.

I took my long lens and bicycle and went bird watching on a near perfect day.

Hope you enjoy the photos.

White Faced Heron

Spoonbill

Australian Pelican

Black Swans

And some passing ducks

Back to Queenscliff to Swim with the Seals

Finally the strong winds that had been blowing around the Rip, the entrance to Port Phillip had abated and a date to swim with the seals fixed.

The evening before the swim, on Shortland Bluff overlooking the Rip, a Kestrel was riding the last of the wind as it hunted for prey

Then he spotted me and was off

As night fell the ships passed through the heads. Mechant ships going about their business and cruise ships sparkling bright in the night.

The next morning was still and the converted fishing boat awaited us.

Most of Port Phillip is marine sanctuary these days and hence a haven for wildlife. Structures have been built to give shelter to the Australian Fur Seals that reside in the Bay.