So, it’s been a while, eh? Time flies. Did you know?

Do you know what also makes blog-time fly? Photo-paralysis. I’ve got a bad case. I have so many photos that I think tell good stories. So many photos that I think are beautiful. But I’m scared to publish anything other than perfectly balanced, perfectly cropped…

BUT. Perfectionism is what drove me to have no life in high school, and guess what, if I had no life, I’d have no adventures, and then nothing to write about! Ahhh! I can never be happy! I know that I will rarely complete a project with perfected photos. So. I’m going to disclaim: please don’t think that all I publish is my best.

There, disclaimer done, maybe I can press “go” a bit more.

For now, a quick post about a bird.

Australian Ravens are one of favourite birds here in Australia. We didn’t know what they were, at the beginning, when we heard them for the first time. But they charmed us with their long, drawn out, bizarre cries. We identified them as “crying baby birds.” And then amended it to “dying cat birds” to be a bit more accurate.

This recording doesn’t quite do it justice, but it’s the best I can find until I make my own. Just imagine that last “aaaaaahhh” a bit lower and much more drawn out.

Recording thanks to the Australian National Botanic Gardens.

They have a lot of character. Ruffly black feathers, grey-white eyes, loads of cocky personality. They love to sit on top of light poles and stake their territory with calls and posturing.

On Rottnest Island I finally came across a raven in the setup I have been waiting for. For over two years. I love this bird.