Nature's Place

Out walking in Billinudgel NR yesterday. It was about an hour before sunset and it was cool and shady with the sunlight streaming through in places. These places were usually occupied by fly’s.

Clouds of them. Whirling in spirals, up and down, around an invisible central column. Causing the column to appear to move slightly, this way and that. Dancing they were, chaotic, in the last light of the day.

Maybe their last day, they don’t last long in the nature once their function is filled. There were webs about the place too. Spider webs. And they were full of fly’s. Spider’s appetite was sated.

It was nice to be able to walk there again after all the rain, and the mozzies. Now the mozzies are almost gone, as an intolerable nuisance. It was a pleasure to walk there again.

When I got home it was time to feed the fish for the last of the day. I inherited him too, a beautiful blue Siamese fighting fish. They are fighting fish because they can’t tolerate company, any company.

I believe they originate from Siam, now Thailand – I think, where they often live in little puddles of rainwater. They can be born, live, breed and die in the same little puddle. Like some people that. Lol.

His expected lifetime in captivity is about two years, it’s almost up. He looks as healthy as a young one so he could live longer, the exception to the rule. There is always one, in fact I’d say the exceptions are far more common.

It’s just we people who like everything wrapped in nice little packages, like rules and numbers.

I was about to feed him his ‘premium’ anti oxidant, full of vitamins, pellets when I noticed what looked like an ant walking along the rim of the glass side.

When I put on my glasses I could see no better so I got the camera and fitted a macro lens to it and had a good look. It wasn’t an ant after all, just a look alike, from enough distance.

It was a spider, about a half cm long. Maybe a young one but it looked like it could take care of itself. It was small but it was fully confident.

I teased it for a few minutes with a small stick, to see how it behaved. And it was not afraid in the least. It just took appropriate action to avoid injury. Sensible creature.

It walked slow and deliberate, carefully inspecting the landscape as it went. Its mandibles were working overtime. It’s not often I see one working its mandibles so much. Then, it’s not often I get to observe one for such a long time as I did this one.

Little jumping spider, though it didn’t jump once. Up and down the rim of the glass then off to who knows where. Probably wandering about the place in search of spider things, food, shelter, etc.

Hmm! Just like you and me.

This fly was sunning himself in the last rays of the sun when I took the photo. Quite deliberately, it was on a green stick used to support plants. It always chose a spot in direct sunlight, never once did it choose a place in the shade.

I had to underexpose so as not to blow the bright spots, maybe a bit too much. All the colours are as it is. It is wonderful how all things enjoy the sun, in their own ways. Soaking up its energy.

The next fellow is all colour. In my quest to get the perfect pic of these neon creatures this is the latest best. I can quest after these fellows because there are so many out back of the house. At least for now, it is still warm. And not too cold at night.

If I am here next year I expect the place will be incomparable to the place as I found it. It was almost barren of wildlife when I got here one year ago, and overrun with cane Toads.

Now there are dozens of green frogs, and other gentle coloured frogs. At least one water dragon. A few lizards that I’ve seen. And there are many plants that weren’t here before. The two Jacaranda’s are four foot tall, from scrawny little throwaway’s I found outside a plant nursery in Brisbane before I came down here.

A few other plants around the place. Including Metropolis – where so many creatures live, different ferns, grasses, water lilies and more. Passion fruit and flower plant, tomato’s, and more.

All surviving because they are watered regularly. They are loved, you could say.

The grass got mowed today too.

All Copyright Reserved / Mark Berkery