My Articles

THE ROSE ROBIN SENDS A MESSAGE

THE ROSE ROBIN SENDS A MESSAGE

I was involved in a heated debate on a FB community site the other day. It was all rather pointless and a waste of emotional energy. In the midst of the fray I decided enough was enough and commented, ‘Well that’s it for me. I’m off to

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A COCKATOO’S REVENGE!

A COCKATOO'S REVENGE!

Now admittedly I have been conducting a campaign against sulphur crested cockatoos. Well not against the birds themselves, but against the artificial feeding of them. Over the past 15 years their numbers have skyrocketed in the Blue Mountains. They are now competing with other hollow-nesting birds here

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EDITOR DES- BIRDWATCHER!

EDITOR DES- BIRDWATCHER!

Despite living in a bird filled garden it hasn’t been easy for my associate Editor Des to become a successful birdwatcher. He is enthusiastic enough, but lacks the patience required. I mean, you cannot just nod off! 😨 It all began with our visiting kookaburras, Toffee and

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AN AUTUMN BLESSED BY NATURE

AN AUTUMN BLESSED BY NATURE

                  Wow, did we ever see such clear blue skies? Not that pollution is a problem in Blackheath, well apart from bushfire smoke. The birdlife has been extraordinary over the last couple of weeks. I think I see more

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SAME, BUT SO DIFFERENT AT BLACKHEATH

SAME, BUT SO DIFFERENT AT BLACKHEATH

A BRIEF BREAK FROM SELF-IMPOSED ISOLATION Yesterday I ventured past my driveway for the first time in ages to walk to the chemist in Blackheath village. My little camera is always in my pocket, so here are a few pics taken along the way. April is such

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WONGA LOVE…..ONE LAST HITCH!

WONGA LOVE.....ONE LAST HITCH!

This is a new chapter in the Blackheath Wonga romance, but first a brief recap. Last year our resident male Wonga fell in love with his own reflections in the shiny hubcaps of our house painter’s vintage VW van. It meant a long, lonely season, as he

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UNEARTHED ART AT LITHGOW

UNEARTHED ART AT LITHGOW

I made my first, post bushfires visit to Lithgow recently. This town has such spirit and resilience. Nowhere is it better expressed than in a laneway off the main street featuring art created from discarded bicycles. How’s this for sheer exuberance? The exhibit at the top of

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WEEDS, BUT A HAVEN FOR BIRDS

WEEDS,  BUT A HAVEN FOR BIRDS

About 30 metres below the Park Avenue gates in Memorial Park at Blackheath is a huge thicket of invasive weeds; blackberries, ivy, scarlet montbretia, red hot pokers etc. A lone Japanese maple struggles to survive in the centre. The irony is that satin bowerbirds, wattle birds and

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DAVE DOWNEY, DOING HIS BIT IN BLACKHEATH

DAVE DOWNEY, DOING HIS BIT IN BLACKHEATH

Just before Christmas, as the bush fires crept ever closer to Blackheath and we all suffered in the heatwave, I photographed a little tractor and water tank in Wentworth Street. I assumed it must be someone’s personal fire protection unit. Mind you, I did wonder about the

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SOJOURN IN SYDNEY FOR EDITOR DES

SOJOURN IN SYDNEY FOR EDITOR DES

Hello Peeps My elderly guardians Pauline, and Dr Bob went on a little ‘rest and recuperation trip’ to Sydney before lock-down, after a lot of building work at home in Blackheath. I believe it’s called a sojourn. I wasn’t allowed to stay home alone due to a

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