A wonderful bird (1) …

It has been 18 months since the huge river that runs by our house filled – going from 1% (at the dam wall some 20 km downstream) and a completely dry riverbed, to the swollen, overflowing body of water that it remains today.

Almost every person that visits our house is taken aback as they come over the hill and is confronted by the huge sparkling ribbon of water that snakes behind our shed and yards. I admit that pretty much every time I drive down our driveway, I am struck anew at this miracle of Mother Nature.

It not only provides water supplies for our stock and water views for our soul, it’s also entertainment for some of the more adventurous amongst us. Like Dash, who never stops nagging his Dad to go fishing. He and a young mate had a win last week, with the search for worms near our rose garden the preamble for a fun (but fish-free) expedition.

Of course the river is also a massive stockpot for the birdlife which has been slowly building since last January – reflecting (I imagine) the burgeoning fish population beneath the surface. Ducks arrived first, along with shags and willy wagtails.

Then swans began arriving and creating glorious swan colonies. Now, finally, the pelicans are here. I knew this because Mr Incredible yelled out from the shed:

“GET YOUR CAMERA NOW – PELICANS!!!“

He’s quite direct like that. (I love that the sight of pelicans excites him, don’t you? He’s totally a keeper.)

So I dutifully grabbed the Nikon, my rubber boots (excellent anti-mud and anti-snake protection) and hiked towards the river bank. (Well, if you were looking on you would probably describe it more as a hobble. In my mind I was gracefully striding. Potate-ohs, Potart-ohs. Yes, I will get into the reasons for my lameness one day… promise).

Anyhoo… the sun was low and glaring off the water. The pelicans were quite shy (despite their duck escort).

But I DID record the Day The Pelicans Arrived.

Dingy in foreground.

Sun-warmed winter grass in the background.

Envoy of quacksters providing some reconnaisance.

Zooming and cropping – the photographer’s secret weapons! I leave you with an irreverent limerick (cause I am in a poetic licence kinda mood this week) penned by (President of the American Press Humorists Association) Dixon Merritt, often recited by my father.

A wonderful bird is the pelican,

His bill will hold more than his belly can

He can take in his beak

Food enough for a week,

But I’m damned if I see how the hell he can!