Fruits

Not much in the way of ripe fruits at the moment although several are 'in the pipeline'.  This is a young Soursop - related to the Custard Apple (also known as the Sweetsop) - they grow on the trunk and it's always a battle to get the ripe ones before the Flying Foxes do!

The Jakfruits (which we don't like anyway!) are not doing well after such a wet season but the Malay Apples are in full blossom and the Honeyeaters are going wild.  Quite a few bunches of green bananas coming on and after Cyclone Yasi devastated much of Queensland's banana crop they are hugely expensive in the shops so we're looking forward to having our own lovely sweet Ducasse bananas again.  The Limes and Lemonade fruits are almost finished now but there are a few Carambolas (Star Fruit) and yellow Passionfruit around.

Orange Cruiser

We never imagined a month ago that we would be praying for rain!  But after only 12mm (half an inch) in 4 weeks the earth was bone dry and we've been running the sprinklers every day.  But last night some lovely gentle showers brought 7mm so all is fresh and green again, the dust on the road has settled and the butterflies, like this Orange Cruiser, are out in force again.  More showers forecast so it might be a catch-up-with-bookwork day!

Tree Frogs

It's been a while since we've had a visit from a Giant (or White-lipped) Tree Frog and this big guy spent the weekend on one of our front windows.  You can just see the white lip.  We love these guys 'tho they have a loud croak - especially if they get inside a downpipe from the gutter!

Orange-footed Scrub Fowl

We call these resident birds "the Roosters" 'cos they make the most amazing raucous call - usually outside the bedroom window in the early hours!  There were two of them feeding on fallen Carambolas (also called 5-Corner or Star Fruit) this afternoon and we think they may be the offspring of our previously-resident adults as they are still quite small - and quite tame.

They build up a huge pile of dead leaves for their nest - sometimes up to 1.5 metres (about 4-5 feet) high - and they regulate the inner temperature by rearranging the leaves and digging holes in the pile to control the airflow - amazing.