A Bargain

    We found one!  Amazing.  On Sundays, called Family Fun Days by the Royal Transportation Authority, Sydneysiders can ride the ferries, buses, etc. all day for $2.50 per person.  After a week full of rain, the skies were clear on Sunday so we headed off to explore some more for the grand transportation price of $10.
     First up, we took the bus from the corner to the Mosman ferry wharf, then across the Harbor to Circular Quay.  From there, we walked to the Royal Botanic Gardens and spent a couple of hours checking out the grounds.  The views are outstanding, as is frequently the case in Sydney, and we saw some new creatures along the way.



View from the Mosman Ferry

These are the huge bats, called Flying Foxes, that fly around after dark when we're out walking the dog.  There were thousands of them hanging from the trees, chattering.  Dare I say this one almost looks cute?

Cool tropical "flowers" made from recycled trash bags.

Eels live in this pond not far from the Harbor.  They sometimes eat ducklings, but the ducks eat the baby eels too.  This one was clearly used to being fed, as he appeared every time we got near the water's edge.  Not cute.

These Sacred Ibises are common around Sydney and seem to adapt well to life in city parks.

Mia didn't think this subject matter was worthy of a statue!

Rainbow Lorikeets are everywhere.

View from the east side of the Opera House across Farm Cove.

    Back home, there was a bit of wildlife worth checking out too.  The cockatoos, normally a very loud bird, were INCREDIBLY loud on Saturday morning.  There was a group of 10-20 screeching non-stop.  Turns out they were really distressed about a possum and her baby up in a fig tree next to the beach.  The birds had their wings fanned out, crests raised and were basically surrounding the possum screaming at it.  Eventually the possum and baby moved out on a limb, dropped out of the tree and ran for it.  The birds followed, swooping and screaming.  We have seen these posssums on the fence and railings in the back yard at night, but never in the day.  I don't know what was freaking the birds out so much, but they stopped when the possum ran under a car.  Wildlife control was called to pick them up.

 I think this baby is getting a little big to be hitching a ride!  These Common Ringtail Possums are much nicer loooking than those awful North American Possums.

    There has been one benefit from all the rain - rainbows.  We've seen numerous ones but this full one across the water was really neat.