Rain and little jenny wrens.....

Finally some rain, not as much as some in the central west have received, but what a blessing, 15mls today - fortunately it came down gently and the possible thunderstorms and flash flooding predicted this morning didn't eventuate. It is our first rain since February 12 and while most of February was unseasonally mild, March could only be described as a 'mongrel month', mid to high 30's nearly every day....

Souvenir de St Anne's enjoying the rain

About six or eight wrens have finally arrived in the garden - hopefully to stay, my fingers are crossed that they like the range of facilities on offer. It is a challenge for small birds to venture to new gardens in broadacre farming districts like this, as they have to traverse open territory without the benefit of safe travel corridors.

In spite of planting 'bed and breakfast' plants, from day one, it was only last April, nearly 4 years on, that my first pair of honey eaters arrived - presumably from my nearest neighbours garden, nearly a kilometre away. My neighbours have a wonderful bird community, however I gather it took some years for the small birds to establish there.

But now it seems that the jenny wrens have bravely made the move too. I think they've been here nearly 10 days, and have explored pretty much every leaflet and petal in the garden. They move so quickly that I haven't had a chance to photograph them, but as they relax that should be easier.

I'd almost forgotten what delightfully distinctive voices they have, quite the little chatterboxes, so it is very easy to know where they are in the garden at any given time.....

and now it's time for Minky and I to have our late afternoon game of soccer in 'her paddock' - it won't actually be muddy, but it will be nice not to be kicking up dust at every move.