The weather is slowly getting warmer and as it had been a mild day we left the windows and doors of the cabin open. It grew darker outside and the light of the cabin attracted an unusual collection of moths and bugs from the surrounding dark hills. To encourage the insects outside we switched off all the lights except for the one outside the door. This was to the delight of a Tawny Frogmouth who sat on the car and consuming his insect supper. In the morning, and despite our efforts, there were still plenty of insects - moths (including a very tatty and windblown? Emperor.Gum Moth), crane flies and one Eucalyptus leaf beetle on the walls and windows.
The wind blew strongly last night. It sounded like a train was running through the tree tops (even the dog was unable to settle). Surprisingly at ground level the wind was not so bad. Perhaps the cabins themselves are a little protected by surrounding trees and hills. I was told that wind was nothing - I should be up there when it was really blowing a gale. I was expecting some destruction in the morning, but all was fine. No large branches blocking the road, only the usual sticks and leaves including flowering capsules /buds of the Mountain Grey Gum (Eucalyptus cypellocarpa) with their distinctive ridges. Their white flowers are just starting to show (flowering January to June and October to November). 'Banga' the Bangerang word for wind. An aboriginal communities (from up near the Murray River). I will have to do some more research to find our local aboriginal Brayakouloong community. Something to consider for NAIDOC week.
As I ate breakfast crimson rosellas, currrawongs, kookaburras and black cockatoos flew overhead. Below the cabin magpies wandered. A parent and her young, the juvenile calling insistently for attention and food. Walking down to the lake I noticed some small blackberries and thistles. Must get around to removing these. Luckily there is a working bee next weekend.
At the lake we disturbed two Great Cormorants with their big black bodies and yellow faces. They circled the lake for at least five minutes before deciding to fly off elsewhere. Hopefully they had not been eating too many trout. Near the lake and behind the cabin there was Handsome Flat-pea (Platylobium gunnii) in flower. Last time I was here I thought I missed its flowering - I was wrong. Hazel Pomaderris (Pomaderris aspera) and I think it is Rosemary Everlasting (Ozothamus rosmarinifolius) are both about to come into flower.
Back at the Cabin there is work to be done. Chain sawing, picking up sticks before the area below the cabins is mowed and burning branches from the tree removal around the sheds. I stop picking up sticks when I come across a black snake under cabin 7. Another black snake (and a couple of frogs), are disturbed when we burn the branches near the shed. It is clearly snake season. Tread carefully. The branches and the surrounding grasses alight easily, bursting into flames.
In other news the logging appears to be almost finished. The area of destruction can be seen from the road to icy creek. The area does not seem so vast from the distance.
An afternoon swim with the dog in the surprisingly warm lake is a great way to end a lovely few days.
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