CM Simpson: Writer & Gamer

This great pied cormorant was sunning itself on a riverbank on a cold spring morning in Canberra. It wasn't overly fond of the camera, but it waited until I stopped taking photos before flying away. I've seen him frequenting the local lake, so I'll try for some clearer shots as we come into summer. You can find out more about great pied cormorants from the following sites: http://www.birdsinbackyards.net/species/Phalacrocorax-varius ; http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Australian_pied_cormorant ; http://www.birdsaustralia.com.au/bird-profile/pied-cormorant ; http://www.birdlife.org/datazone/speciesfactsheet.php?id=3677 .

I know I've written about magpies before, but I couldn't resist taking a few shots of some very wobegone-looking birds who came to visit on a very wet Saturday morning in August, this year. They looked much happier once the rain had stopped. For more information on Magpies, check out: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4858bWD-DPU http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Magpie http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Australian_magpie http://www.birdsinbackyards.net/species/Cracticus-tibicen http://www.environment.nsw.gov.au/animals/TheAustralianMagpie.htm http://www.climatewatch.org.au/species/birds/australian-magpie

Magpies are handsome birds, looking very dapper in their shiny black and white plumage, but their babies tend to look like they've been through the wash one too many times, even in nice weather. The parent is in the background, and its much greyer looking child is in the foreground. The youngster follows mum or dad around, learning to hunt. It's not as easy as it looks, but magpies use their keen sight... ... and good hearing to help them. And sometimes they meet with success. All under their parents' very watchful eyes. And when it's time to go, it's time to go.

So here I am, doing the dishes, when I spot this fine fellow out my back window. I just *had* to go take some pictures of him. It's a currawong, not a magpie. Still has the long beak, and most piercing of yellow eyes. It spots me as soon as I hit the back step.   Pretty soon, it's checking me out, just as much as I'm checking it out. And, it's not happy when I move closer. It left shortly afterwards, but I'm sure I'll see it again :-)