I was fortunate enough to witness a Red Wattlebird performing a courtship display before his intended the other day. He was 'singing' and bowing, wings flapping rapidly. She looked half-interested, but then he took off in pursuit of an intruder. Easily distracted, those wattlebirds. It's that time of the year. The next few months will be times of growth and plenty for life on the block. Birds are busy finding a mate or renewing bonds. A profusion of native blooms offers up nectar for the honeyeaters and attracts insects for other birds. They'll just need to keep an eye to the skies for birds such as the Wedge-tailed Eagle (a pair of these are nesting somewhere nearby) or Collared Sparrowhawk that are after a more substantial meal. If you want to enjoy many months of colour you really can't go past Grevillea and there are an astonishing 360 varieties to choose from. Most of the Grevillea here are native to Western Australia, which produces tough, drought-tolerant plants that grow quickly and flower generously - even in very poor soil, as long as it's free-draining. Another of my favourites is Correa - hardy, beautiful and no work at all. 11 species and 26 subspecies of this delightful native shrub with bell shaped flowers. A cultivar - Correa pulchella 'Orange Glow' - that I got as tube-stock has flowered for the first time and what a lovely colour they are. There's a large, spreading Correa in front of the verandah and I can observe bold visitors to its flowers. The New Holland Honeyeaters are at the edge of their comfort zones being a metre away from me, but it is the impeccably dressed Eastern Spinebill who dares most and is completely hidden by the shrub once inside. Fortunately bees are more accommodating for the camera. Next it will be the turn of the Bottlebrush to flower, and the Wattle.
Winter in Australia - bloomin' marvellous.
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December 2020
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