A lot of leaves had been ripped off trees and scattered on the ground by the recent Ballina hail storm, but luckily there were a lot left on high. An Australian white ibis (Threskiornis molucca) and an eastern water dragon (Physignathus lesueurii) shared a moment in the native water lilies …
Eastern water dragon and Australian white ibis
An Australasian grebe (Tachybaptus novaehollandiae) meandered on the small lake …
Australasian grebe in painterly pose
The lake is surrounded by paperbarks (a species of Melaleuca), among other trees. Meleleuca is the source of commercial tea-tree oil.
Australian paperbark trees are the ones with, err, the papery bark
A restless flycatcher (Myiagra inquieta) flitted around capturing insects, dashing back to the trees (not paperbarks in this photo) for shelter and to preen …
Restless flycatcher having a rest
Those particular wetlands are right next to a major highway, and it’s strange to hear the roar of trucks through the trees but not see them. Still, it’s an oasis of calm for all that, and you can still hear the birds call.
