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Some shorter outings

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The first shorter outing was to Port Melbourne, taking the tram to Beacon Cove and thence to Princes Pier.  The piles left from the full pier make an interesting snap. There were plenty of Silver Gulls roosting on the piles. A lone immature Pacific Gullwas the only non-everyday bird around: no Gannets, no Pied Cormorants. As we walked towards the Pier the array of containers bluffed me a little into thinking they were some form of artistic installation! The cranes and container handling equipment were surprisingly active for a Sunday. I was very pleased with this photo of the yachts quite a distance out in the Bay. The second walk was an evening tour of the gardens of Government House led by a member of the staff, supported by Michael, the Head Gardener (and quietly escorted by a security guard).  In the preview of the walk there was a lot of security information (bag checks etc) but in the event it was all very sensible. We did all have a visitors pass! A view of the House, ...
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Balloons of February

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 I sometimes see posts on a balloon site about upcoming flights.  On 14 February this posted that the next day's flights were 10 balloons flying from Royal Park to Fawkner Park.  We thought they would take off about 0630 and fly for about an hour so we should see them in the distance from about 0715 onwards.   This first image was taken at 0717 just outside the back gate to 505. There was already one down by this stage but this was the first down while I was in the Park. The collection vans, The flock descends. 10 in this image with 2 already landed. I asked the drivers how much control the balloon pilots had.  The reply was that they had control of up and down but had to remember wind directions at various elevations to get the horizontal moves they wanted. Flames to control the descent: I am unsure if the guy on the ground has a rope to pull also. This is on the oval out the back of 505.  The units which back on to the Park would have had a great vie...
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Werribee revisited

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 Having nothing else in mind to do on 14 February I decided to have another crack at the Barking Owl seen and reported by many observers at Werribee Park.  The latest observation I could find on eBird - it doesn't show Personal Locations - was from 12 February against the Bluestone Ford hotspot.  It was annotated that the bird was near the gate to the Historic Orchard, holding a former possum.   The drive over was OK until the turn-off the M1 when Google Maps told me again to turn right on to Duncan Rd.  This is garbage: go straight ahead on to K Rd.  However I had believed them and did the "2km and u-turn" approach, then turn right onto K road.  I did follow Main Drive past the zoo after checked the brassica alongside the road. This is a snip form eBird.  I parked near the rose garden (top left) and headed for the Bluestone Ford (yellow point 1)  as that is where most sightings have been posted.  As I neared the ford I spoke to ano...
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February Music

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 After the January silence concerts have stated up again.  We went to the Summer World Music Concert at Melba Hall on the 13th of February.  The two groups appeared in the opposite order to that shown on the website, possibly to make it easier to setup the Chinese orchestra.  We spoke with a group of Choir members at the station afterwards who explained that participation in these groups is done as a Summer course by the Conservatorium: the Choir meets twice a week for a 2 hour rehearsal over 6 weeks.  They achieve astonishing results for such a small amount of work. Before getting in to the Hall I checked out some material on the wall.  This poster was only interesting .. ... until the label was looked at when it became much more relevant. The stage was set for the Chinese Orchestra.  (They cleared all the kit off mid way through the event to allow the Choir to fill the stage.) The Chinese Orchestra was directed by   Wang Zheng-Ting  who be...
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