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Category: Western Australia

Sunny April afternoon, strolling on Swan’s edge (1 of 2)

 

 

As you can see, on 18 April 2023, Perth and its big estuary – the Swan River – were bathed in bright sunlight.

It was a perfect day to enjoy good things which are not so readily available  – all, within just part of a single day – to most urban humans.

Where else would convenient, uncommonly cheap public transport (free, to “seniors”, outside “rush” hours) deliver you to one of Australia’s better pub lunches, after which the nearby riverside presents you with kilometres of glorious, publicly-accessible, uncrowded foreshore?

Even if you simply zip down to-fro the nearby jetty, you will enjoy a splendid vista and – almost certainly – a close encounter of the pelican kind.

And if you bother to walk along the foreshore….

 

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Aliens land in world’s most isolated metropolis (teaser)

 

Pictured above is one of several “flying saucers”.

Apparently, all were abandoned, shortly after landing.

They were recently discovered and photographed by Pelican Yoga’s Extra-Terrestrial Intelligence Unit.

If you believe this – let alone the endlessly-repeated but false claim that Perth is the world’s most isolated city/capital city/ substantial city – please discuss further with Father Christmas, the Easter Bunny, Donald Trump, and the Tasmanian Tiger of your choice…

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Three of the same (#11 in series: white-headed stilts)

 

The birds pictured above were formerly known as “pied stilts”, and considered an Australasian subspecies of Himantopus himantopus, “yesterday’s heroes” – see #10 in this series.

This post’s heroes are now generally considered members of their own species, Himantopus leucocephalus.

Their “preferred” common name: white-headed stilts.

Each of these three individuals has the full complement of two legs.

Stilts, however, often prefer to stand on one leg, with the other one neatly folded and  tucked into their lower feathers.

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Word power: Natalie Merchant and Walt Whitman

 

 

Natalie and Walt have just unwittingly delayed the promised leopard post!

(it will be the next one, I promise)

The photo alludes to one of my favourite Walt Whitman poems, from Leaves of Grass.

Most printed interviews with musicians are time-wasting, publicist-driven piffle.

A notable exception is The New Yorker interview, published today – worth reading, whether or not you admire/know Natalie Merchant’s singing/songs.

There aren’t a lot of people writing love songs to Walt Whitman.

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Footprints: literally, mostly (with musical bonus)

 

 

This post’s actual footprints come from bears in Alaska, birds on the Indian subcontinent  and continental Australia, a Tasmanian wombat, and humans in an African desert and Australian suburbia.

The musical bonus is courtesy of one of the greatest jazz musicians – equally so as composer, virtuoso instrumentalist and inspired improviser.

There’s also a metaphorical footnote which involves New Zealand’s largest farm…

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Winter walk, Ashfield Flats

 

 

If you confine your “nature walks” to places easily-reached without a car, and within 15 kilometres of Perth’s GPO, your worthwhile menu options are still surprisingly numerous.

Among them are the largest remaining river flats within the metropolitan area; Ashfield Flats’ nearer side is less than 10 kilometres from the GPO.

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