Monarchs coming out in the rain

 While we were away in Australia the monarch butterflies had a field day on the swan plants. 

We had dozens of caterpillars, and over the next few days most of them headed off to hang in a loop and moult, changing from larva to pupa. We found them in chrysalis form all over the place: under poppy leaves, on the blueberry and blackcurrant bushes, on sticks, under the picnic table (that must have been an epic journey across long grass).

This one is almost ready to emerge.

Today, in the rain, a lot of them have popped out. This one is hanging off the pupal skin while it pumps up its wings.

We moved the umbrella over to give them a bit of dryish air. Under here are six butterflies that popped out this morning and a couple of chrysalis that look like they're going to pop any moment. A bumper crop of flutterbys!

Hope the next batch of swan plants leafs up fast.

Local wetland

 Parts of our big local park, Queen Elizabeth Park, have been farmed and degraded over the years. But the works have begun to revitalise its more natural environment - wetlands and native plants on sand dunes. Cycle trails through the park now go past some new swampy areas.

Looking a bit Scottish here, but no bogs to suck you under. There's an Australasian harrier hawk in there somewhere, on the ground scaring the little birds. Saw black swans, Canada geese, larks ascending and descending, Australian eastern rosellas, silvereyes, misc ducks etc. Nice to see and hear the chorus as you cycle through.