POND

One of the ponds in the Darebin Parklands, on an Autumn morning.

This post is part of the Roentare’s Water Meme

and also part of the Nature Notes meme

DUCK AND CREEK

A Pacific Black Duck (Anas superciliosa), a common and adaptable dabbling duck found throughout Australia, New Zealand, and surrounding islands.They are identified by their mottled dark brown plumage and a characteristic head pattern featuring a dark brown line through the eye, bordered by cream stripes above and below.Their diet is largely vegetarian, consisting of seeds from aquatic plants, but they also consume aquatic insects, crustaceans, and mollusks.

These ducks are widespread in Melbourne's creek and river habitats, in this particular instance, at the Darebin Parklands, through which flows the Darebin Creek. A quite clean and unpolluted waterway, home to many native species of flora and fauna.

This post is part of the Roentare’s Water Meme

and also part of the Nature Notes meme

HONEYBROWN BEETLE

This insect is a Honeybrown Beetle (specifically Ecnolagria grandis), also commonly known as a Brown Darkling Beetle.  These beetles are native to south-eastern mainland Australia and Tasmania. They are identified by their golden-brown bodies covered in very short hairs and a thorax that is noticeably narrower than their wing cases (elytra).

They typically have a golden-brown or coppery color, though some individuals may appear slightly more violet or metallic. Adults are slow fliers and are often found resting motionlessly on leaves or hiding among dry fallen leaves and grasses. They primarily feed on dead plant matter and fungi. These beetles are commonly found in forests, woodlands, heaths, and urban gardens.

This post is part of the Saturday Critters meme

DAWN IN THE PARKLANDS

At the Darebin Parklands in suburban Melbourne, about 6 km from the CBD.

This post is part of the Roentare’s Water Meme,
and also part of the Nature Notes meme.

AUTUMN'S ARRIVAL

This post is part of the Mosaic Monday meme,
and also part of the Seasons meme.

SUMMER POND

Beautiful Summer morning in the Darebin Parklands at Alphington.

This post is part of the My Sunday Best meme

DUCKPOND

This post is part of the Saturday Critters meme

DAREBIN CREEK

Fish ladder in the Darebin Creek, at Darebin Parklands, Alphington. A fish ladder, also known as a fishway, fish pass, fish steps, or fish cannon, is a structure on or around artificial and natural barriers (such as dams, locks and waterfalls) to facilitate diadromous fishes' natural migration as well as movements of potamodromous species.

Most fishways enable fish to pass around the barriers by swimming and leaping up a series of relatively low steps (hence the term ladder) into the waters on the other side. The velocity of water falling over the steps has to be great enough to attract the fish to the ladder, but it cannot be so great that it washes fish back downstream or exhausts them to the point of inability to continue their journey upriver. 

This post is part of the Roentare’s Water Meme

and also part of the Wordless Wednesday meme

and also part of the Nature Notes meme.

SUMMER WALK

This post is part of the My Sunday Best meme

RED VALERIAN

Valeriana rubra is a multi-stemmed perennial herbaceous plant up to 80 cm tall with red, pink or white flowers. The leaves are generally 5–10 cm long, the stem leaves being sessile and branch leaves sometimes having a petiole up to 5 cm long. The leaves grow in opposite pairs and are oval or lanceolate in shape.

The inflorescences occur at the tips of the branches, in multiparous cymes with a hundred or more flowers. Each plant has either red, pink or white flowers. Valeriana rubra 'Albus' (about 10% of individuals) has white blooms. The cultivar 'coccineus' is especially long-blooming. The blooms have a strong and somewhat rank scent. They are pollinated by both bees and butterflies and the plant is noted for attracting insects. 

Flowering takes place in early summer and, in cool summer areas, continues sporadically throughout the summer and into fall. Red Valerian is used as a food plant by the larvae of some Lepidoptera species including angle shades. Fruits have feathery projections similar in appearance to the pappus of dandelion seeds that allow wind dispersal, and can self-seed freely and become invasive if not properly controlled.

This post is part of the Floral Friday Fotos meme

DUCK

The chestnut teal duck (Anas castanea) is a dabbling duck found in Australia. Males have a distinctive green head.

This post is part of the the "Saturday Critters meme"

CURRAWONG

The pied currawong (Strepera graculina) is a medium-sized black passerine bird native to eastern Australia and Lord Howe Island. One of three currawong species in the genus Strepera, it is closely related to the butcherbirds and Australian magpie of the family Artamidae. Six subspecies are recognised.It is a robust crow-like bird averaging around 48 cm in length, black or sooty grey-black in plumage with white undertail and wing patches, yellow irises, and a heavy bill.

The male and female are similar in appearance. Known for its melodious calls, the species' name currawong is believed to be of indigenous origin. Within its range, the pied currawong is generally sedentary, although populations at higher altitudes relocate to lower areas during the cooler months. It is omnivorous, with a diet that includes a wide variety of berries and seeds, invertebrates, bird eggs and juvenile birds.It is a predator which has adapted well to urbanisation and can be found in parks and gardens as well as rural woodland.

The habitat includes all kinds of forested areas, although mature forests are preferred for breeding. Roosting, nesting and the bulk of foraging take place in trees, in contrast with the ground-foraging behaviour of its relative, the Australian magpie. Here it is seen in suburban Melbourne, in the Darebin Parklands in Alphington.

This post is part of the Saturday Critters meme

SUNRISE AT THE PARKLANDS

Darebin Parklands, in Fairfield/Alphington/Ivanhoe, is a pocket of natural bushland that is unique given it is only 7 km from the Melbourne CBD. There are hidden treasures within the park including remnant orchards and crops that were grown on the fringe of a growing city during the mid-1800s. A dairy farm, vineyard, quarry and tip site were all at times active industries within the bounds of the park, and clues of this can still be found if one knows where to look. Sunrise there is quite magical.

This post is part of the Skywatch Friday meme

DAREBIN CREEK

This post is part of the Roentare’s Water Meme

and also part of the Wordless Wednesday meme

and also part of the Nature Notes meme

KOOKABURRAS

Kookaburras are terrestrial tree kingfishers of the genus Dacelo native to Australia and New Guinea, which grow to between 28–42 cm in length. The name is a loanword from Wiradjuri guuguubarra, onomatopoeic of its call. The loud distinctive call of the Laughing Kookaburra is widely used as a stock sound effect in situations that involve an Australian bush setting.

These birds are found in habitats ranging from humid forest to arid savanna, as well as in suburban areas with tall trees or near running water. Even though they belong to the larger group known as "kingfishers", kookaburras are not closely associated with water. The genus Dacelo was introduced by the English zoologist William Elford Leach in 1815. The name Dacelo is an anagram of Alcedo, the Latin word for a kingfisher. The laughing kookaburras shown here are Dacelo novaeguineae (native to eastern Australia, introduced to southwest).

Kookaburras are almost exclusively carnivorous, eating mice, snakes, insects, small reptiles, and the young of other birds; they have also been known to take goldfish from garden ponds. In zoos they are usually fed food for birds of prey. The Darebin Parklands is a perfect habitat for these handsome birds and one may see these quite commonly right throughout the area of the park. Their laugh-like call is definitely a sign you're in Australia!

This post is part of the Saturday Critters meme.

ON THE WATER

This post is part of the Roentare’s Water Meme

and also part of the Wordless Wednesday meme

and also part of the Nature Notes meme

BLOOMING WATTLE

Wattles are  trees and shrubs of the Acacia genus, with the Golden Wattle (Acacia pycnantha), shown here, serving as Australia's national floral emblem. Wattles are highly resilient, fast-growing plants that play a crucial role in land regeneration, acting as a "nurse crop" for other plants. They are a powerful symbol of Australian identity and are celebrated on National Wattle Day, September 1st.

This post is part of the Floral Friday Fotos meme.

BIRDS OF A FEATHER

This post is part of the Mosaic Monday meme,
and also part of the Seasons meme.

BY THE POND

Still looks wintry by the large pond at the Darebin Parklands...

This post is part of the Roentare’s Water Meme

and also part of the Wordless Wednesday meme
and also part of the Nature Notes meme

PARKLANDS, LATE AFTERNOON

At the Darebin Parklands, late yesterday afternoon, as the sun was nearing sunset. A beautiful Spring-like day as we near the end of Winter...

This post is part of the Travel Tuesday meme