Negotiating the catacombs of the Museum of Old and New Art I emerged into a narrow corridor bathed in light. Ahead of me a group of Mona visitors blocked my way, They were gazing through what looked like a window, framed in steel. An art piece, an installation? I waited for the tourists to take their pictures and, moving into position, I was surprised to discover what they had been viewing. They had indeed been looking out of a window and the “art” object was a pair of … [Read more...] about The canary in the coalmine
Eagles eye pampered pooches
A flight of wedge-tailed eagles has been causing a fair amount of disquiet down the Channel south of Hobart. A dog-owning coupe report that the eagles have been casting hungry eyes on their beloved toy poodle pair. The Birches Bay residents contacted Craig Webb at the Raptor Refuge at Kettering for advice on how to keep their pooches safe, and he in turn referred the pressing matter to wildlife biologist Nick Mooney, an eagle expert with some wise words about both eagles and … [Read more...] about Eagles eye pampered pooches
Ravens and currawongs in a turf wars
The boyz are back in the hood now that we are firmly in the grip of winter and Gloria the raven is being left out in the cold. The “boyz” are a flock of black currawongs which descend on my neighbourhood from their usual kunanyi/Mt Wellington stronghold about the time the first frosts appear on garden lawns. The boyz, of course, include females and these 20-strong flocks appear as just one big raucous gang out to cause mayhem in suburban gardens. The forest ravens – … [Read more...] about Ravens and currawongs in a turf wars
Fantail arrives on cue
It was as though a grey fantail – singing a tinkling, thin song – had arrived on cue. Landcare volunteers were busy turning an old overgrown, log-strewn quarry into the latest addition to Hobart’s wildlife landscape. The members of the Waterworks Valley Landcare Group had already named their latest project Fantail Quarry and the fantail, flitting through the treetops above the volunteers’ heads, was giving their efforts a seal of approval. The work of the 13 Landcare and … [Read more...] about Fantail arrives on cue
‘Grey birders’ take flight
I’ve received a steady stream of mail from the “grey birder” fraternity following a column I wrote saying that bird-watching had been proven to slow the ageing process. It seems that many correspondents can confirm the finding by the American Institute of Ageing that for older people our feathered friends can be good for mind, body and soul. A reader in Claremont wrote to say in no uncertain terms that “bird-watching is great”, a view influenced in part by the sight of two … [Read more...] about ‘Grey birders’ take flight