Pelicans at McNeilly’s Wetland Jackson's View Estate

A brief walk around McNeilly Wetlands in Jackson’s View Estate this morning, resulted in 33 bird species including a pair of Pelicans.

“A wonderful bird is the pelican,

His bill will hold more than his belican,
He can take in his beak,
Enough food for a week,
But I'm damned if I see how the helican!” - Dixon Lanier Merritt

The Australian Pelecanus conspicillatus is an ancient bird, with fossil records as old as 40 million years.

For such a large bird, the ability to glide for long periods is remarkable.

Thank you to Friends of Drouin’s Trees for permission to include a non-tree article from time to time – “Gouldiae’s Blog” will be shutting down presently.

Sale gardens!

A small party of FoDTers recently visited Sale Botanical Gardens and environs. Here’s just a few of the things we saw…

(Click on images and open in a new tab for a larger view)

Arresting, eye-catching vistas

Shady, inviting conversation zones

Clean, positive and to the point signage

Playground and picnic table shade from overhanging trees

Well constructed and maintained gravel pathways

Mulched and unmulched tree surrounds. No weeds or long grass

Observation decks on which to pause and ponder

The Sale community are rightfully proud of their public open spaces.