At the footy yesterday our team, the Melbourne Demons, had a big win over the Kangaroos after a tardy start. We were 20 points the worse at halftime but ended up winning by 50. 'Flash' Davey and skipper Neitz set it up with scintillating play in the third quarter.
On my morning walk today the sunrise was red (or deep pink) which is the 'shepherd's warning'. We certainly need rain. The charts in the window of the post office show that rainfall for June and July were very much below the 30 year average (I can't recall the exact readings) and I believe Melbourne's water storages are at 47% of capacity with no snow melt runoff likely in the months to come because there is very little snow, so it is serious with the prospect of a long hot summer ahead.
Lately the birds are noisy before I leave the house for my walk. Raucous wattlebirds and the 'whip crack' of the male Eastern whipbird, followed immediately by the answering sharp whistle of the female, draw me hurriedly out to join them in celebration and thanks for the new day. This morning a bird I don't usually see flew up from the gravel in front of me on Quinn Rd, taking refuge in a cotoneaster. It's movement was 'soft' and it was about the size of a blackbird. As I passed I slowed and looked into the tree seeing a superb creature with a grey breast and darker wings and tail. It's eyes were coal black. I assume it was a grey thrush but I'll have to ask Jod about it later.
