PIGEON PIE ANYONE????

Since installing my home made bird feeder in the crepe myrtle out front I have enjoyed sitting on the verandah watching all the different birds visit.  I may have to install another feeder to stop all the fighting though!  The rainbow lorikeets are the most frequent and are so bossy when they want to feed they just swoop in and everyone else scatters.  They are entertaining though and manage to get themselves in all sorts of positions. 

The pale headed rosellas usually arrive in pairs and are not bossy at all, although they are quite vocal.
I posted about the crested pigeons here and one day when I arrived home from work I counted 16 of them sitting in the tree politely waiting their turn while 2 others enjoyed what was on offer. Not a lorikeet to be seen that day.

These two babies waited nearby on the power lines to the house.

I'm also suddenly getting visited by white headed pigeons.  I thought it was just one but perhaps he was the scout because most days now there's half a dozen of them.  

They are much larger than the crested pigeons and turtle doves but just as timid really.

Although perhaps not quite as skittish as the chestnut finches, whose heads, at times, were barely visible above the rim of the dish.  For some reason, they reminded me of meerkats, the way their heads popped up and down.  We used to get flocks of these finches in the area but sadly, this is the first time I've seen any in ages and it was only three which were chased off by blue faced honeyeaters who aren't even interested in the feeder.

I have even had a couple of sulphur crested cockatoos visit. They are quite large birds and this one managed to reef the large seed block out of the feeder because he couldn't get in. 

Oops!  Lost it!

"Thanks very much," said the king parrot when he saw it.  

I eventually went down and put the remainder back in the feeder so the cats wouldn't also get a feed (of bird).

Yesterday, the tree was full of pigeons and lorikeets when a few cockatoos screeched overhead and everyone took off frantically in all directions.  The cockatoos were probably sounding a warning because high up was a hawk of some kind circling around looking for prey.  Shortly after, I heard a loud bump and out on the road, having flown into a parked car, was this.

Pigeon pie anyone?  

When I was a child we were very poor and my father was often out of work.  Whenever pigeons stunned themselves flying into the house windows, he would run out and get them for Nana to make pigeon pie.  Apparently.  I have no memory of eating it but then I guess I wouldn't because they wouldn't waste it on we children.  I've often had pigeons fly into my windows here but have managed to restrain myself.

ANYONE HOME???

 "Knock, knock.  Wake up, you've got a visitor."

 "I know you're in there, come out to play.  Hello?  Hello?"

"I'll be off then, rude bugger...."

I found the large snail (he was about 4.5cm long) when I was pulling out weeds and saw there was a snail inside, usually only find them empty. Then I found the little one in another garden bed so thought I'd see if he could tempt the big one out of his shell. But it didn't work.  I lost interest and also lost sight of the little one (they go faster than one would suppose).  I kept an eye on the big one all afternoon, going out to check several times but he didn't come out. Eventually, I put him back where I found him and checked several times in the evening and finally he'd gone.  My weak torch couldn't see him anywhere so I stepped down onto the pavers and .....  crunch! OMG! I was sure I'd killed him although the shell didn't look too bad and probably slipped out from underfoot before a lot of damage was done.  This morning he was gone (I actually dreamed that he was a brown and white spotted snail). Perhaps he only went to the snail graveyard but at least he was alive.  Maybe. Do possums eat snails I wonder? Pepe Le Possum lives nearby...

FLUFFY TASTY MORSEL? FAIRY FLOSS PERHAPS?

I found this leaf and it's occupant/s under a tree in my backyard, but have no idea what it/they are!

I've never seen them before....have you?

You can just see tiny white dense spots under the hair like mass in the middle pic, which I take to be the eggs or larvae of whatever made this amazingly interesting 'nest'! Or perhaps it's the anchor for the hairy strands and the insects are no longer amongst the mass!

I've tried googling it but couldn't quite work out how to word the search.  :)

Unfortunately, though I had left it where it was so I could follow the progress, all the rain we've had in the past week has more or less destroyed it all.  :(  as you can see in the last pic.

ANOTHER TASTY MORSEL FROM MY BACKYARD!

Such a delicate fragile looking little morsel is this one, but very common from what I've gleaned.

I believe it to be the Yellow Parasol, also known as Houseplant Mushroom or Flower Pot Parasol.

This one was growing all on it's little lonesome under our Tibouchina, though I think they commonly grow in clumps.

PRETTY TASTY 'MORSEL'

I say 'pretty tasty' but I've not tried them although I am more likely to eat them than any of Pam's morsels which are not so pretty.  The leaves of  portulaca are apparently edible and can be used in salads. The pink (and yellow) ones grow like weeds. I treat them like weeds and they're always springing up in what I laughingly call my lawn but perhaps I should be kinder and throw them in my next salad.  I'll let you know how that goes. We've had these plants growing for years and had no idea what they were called before I bought the double white which I love although not sure if it will be as prolific as the others.  My son-in-law's native bees love them.

LAMB'S FRY OR JUST THE BACON?

Well it does look a wee bit like liver doesn't it?  :))

The underside...... I believe this Tasty Morsel is a Ganoderma.

It's growing off the side of the stump that was a Fiddlewood tree.

ANOTHER TASTY MORSEL FROM MY BACKYARD!

Mmmm, I think not!

This little thing is only about 1.5cm wide and it's growing out of the soil around the dead base of  an old Fiddlewood tree that was cut down a few years ago.

They are very solid and hard to the touch but also wet and slippery. 

I'm fairly sure that the drops of liquid aren't actually dew, coz they've been there a few days now and they don't "do" anything when I poke something in them!

This larger version, about 6cm across, seems to be growing another "coat" around itself.

They also seem to be anchored quite well to the ground.

We have such an interesting array of fungus, mushroom and lichen varieties that appear in our backyard at different times.

Stay tuned for the next exciting episode of "Tasty Morsels from My Backyard".  ;^)))

ANYONE FOR HIGH DIETARY FIBRE, VIT C OR JUST PLAIN HIGH DENSITY NUTRITION?!! :)

Just joking of course, because this isn't Cauliflower at all! It's some kind of fungus I found growing in the remains of the base of a trunk of a Traveller's Palm that used to be growing in our back yard.

I suppose all the wet weather we've been having over the last few months has caused it's growth, coz I've never seen it there before.

Doesn't it look amazingly like the vegetable? Even the correct colour too!

mmmmm, yumm ;^)))))))

(Any clue would be appreciated)