Botanic Gardens walk

Jack (my blue heeler dog) and I went walking in the Botanic Gardens late yesterday afternoon, where I spent some time trying to get a good photo of the Jabiru (black necked stork) and the pelicans and other birds feeding on the other side of the lagoon. I was not helped by the fact that someone (quite illegally) had let his dog off its lead not too far away from the birds, but thankfully he disappeared after a while. We frequently have the pelicans, moorhens and ducks and ibis, but the Jabiru has beome a very infrequent visitor. I love watching them, especially when they fly, as they have a big v shaped white patch under each wing. They look so aloof stalking their prey in the shallows.

This lovely flowering shrub is a desert rose, and I am sorry but I can't remember its proper name. I know I have another photo somewhere with the proper name on it, but I think I have about a thousand images stored now of flowers in the Gardens and I have not catalogued them properly - never enough time - (and always lots of much more interesting things which of course need doing right this instant).

These two kookaburras make their home in one of the wharf logs which are in the shade garden. they have had a couple of successful breedings but I don't think they have tried this summer yet.

I love these cycads, especially now they are all getting their new shoots. One (not pictured) is over 700 years old. it was donated to the Gardens when some graziers were clearing country on their cattle property south of Mackay. This is much better than just destroying it. I love asking school groups how old they think it is, some of the answers are so funny, and range from 10 years to a million!

On my way home I had to take a photo of these gorgeous orchids growing in my next door neighbour's garden. I have no idea what their name is, I only know they came from rainforest in far north Queensland.

I think I had better go and rescue stuff from my workroom, Bill is being very rude about not being able to see a flat surface in there at all! Mind you, I think he was just hoping to find one in there to do some work of his own, there is absolutely no flat surface available in the office - and that is not my fault (or not much anyway).

Hopefully there will be some samples of Maggie's course to show soon.