Regent Parrots eating wattle seed, collecting Pine seed, a “sphexish” wasp and the return of the Black-shouldered Kite.

At this time of year, the Hopbush is looking spectacular. I have mixed feelings about this shrub though. On one hand, it hosts lots of cool insects and birds and is useful for erosion control. But it can be invasive, encroaching and then dominating vegetation communities.

The revegetation planted in 2008 now feeds Pink Cockatoos; Regent Parrots enjoying Goosefoot; Rainbow Bee-eaters eating bees; the amazing growth of the rare plant Cullen pallidum; and a stunning Velvet Ant.

The first stage of completing our conservation fence - removing the old netting and about 4000 Pine posts.

The lizards are out - a very yellow Central Bearded Dragon and a fierce Stumpytail. It’s Gazania hunting season. The White-browed Wood Swallows have arrived, and an attack of the Army Ants!

Bee-eaters are colorful birds that migrate to the southern states in Spring and Summer. How consistent is their early October arrival date?

This is Austral Bugle (Ajuga australis). Plants from Raakajlim will contribute to understanding the taxonomy of this species. But it looks like the Mallee plants are the grandest of them all!

Highlights from September included a Brown Striped Skink, Murnong (Yam Daisy), an Eastern Brown Snake and some Preying Mantids hatching from an ootheca.

We’ve received funding to complete our 13 km boundary fence! This will protect our 490-hectare conservation property from over-grazing and damage by goats, pigs and kangaroos.

My 2021 entry for the threatened species bake-off. The annual baking competition is held just prior to Threatened Species Day on September 7th.

Dark emu is in the sky, the emus have laid their eggs, but I’ve been looking at their poo.

The weirdest-looking seed and swarms of bright red bugs.

Casey the excavator is used to treat rabbit warrens, for fencing, and precision weeding of Spiny Rush.

A mob of 53 Pink Cockatoos feeding on native Pine and … grapes

A rare chance to see the bats of the Mallee up close.

Well, we made it to number seven. But I’m not sure the list of Australian butterflies most likely to go extinct is a list that you want to top.

Tree planting is complete for the 2021 season. Our planting technique this year involved an excavator and one tonne of pelletised worm castings!

Fleas that stick to bogans, and make the dog wear boots right? Not quite.

If you’re a cicada, this is the last thing you’ll see before half of your head is ripped off. This Katydid is a unique example of “aggressive acoustic mimicry”.

Finally we have the trifecta of Fairywren photographs! These three beauties are all found on Raakajlim.