I'm member of http://www.faunarescue.org.au/ a not for profit organisation that helps native animals in needs. So I receive calls to pick up the one or other little bird, lizard or possum. On 5. December last year I was asked to help a little bird that fell out of its nest. First I thought it was a black bird but its tongue made clear it was a honeyeater. A Red Wattlebird, pretty common in this region http://birdsinbackyards.net/species/Anthochaera-carunculata

I managed to feed it and it gained weight but from the beginning it showed problems with its nerve system. A kind of epilepsy that made the bird unable to fly and eat properly by its own. As soon as it is starting with any kind of action its falling on its side and shows signs of seizures. I was thinking of euthanize the bird but on the other hand its healthy and because it does not know an other live than that in a cage I will keep it, feed it and ... bath it daily! Honeyeater are fed with a special diet available in any pet shop here in Australia. It contents a lot of sugar and the bird its covered over and over with the sticky fluid.

Today desert feeling again: the hottest day since my arrival. At 3 p.m. we got 42,6*C and tomorrow 44*C are forecastet.

On Thursday the house I rented will be inspected by the Real
Estate manager who is checking whether I'm looking after the house and garden! Every 3 months they are coming and the rooms, windows, toilet, stove,... have to be neat and tidy. So I decided to clean up today and to wash my bedding too - in the heat of the sun it will dry quickly. That was the moment I discovered the following "housemate". The notorious creature was hanging in a messy net near the clothes dryer.



Here some interesting details about the Redback:

http://australianmuseum.net.au/Redback-Spider

My new workmate appreciates the eggs of my hens so I decided to purchase some more chooks. An advertisement on Friday: " Laying chook, 3 Eiser Browns. Mid size lay large brown eggs. 2 black bantam leghorns. Feeder watering cont. pellets incl. $ 150, 0423...". I wrote a SMS and asked whether they are still available. The response came in no time but at first some disapointment too. The owner was living in Brighton more than 70 km away. I was not willing to drive this far but the lady was eager to get rid of the hens. So she suggested to bring them to my place! Her daughter needs some more kilometers to drive to achieve her driver's licence. At lunch time the whole bunch arrived and now I'm the proud owner of 9 hens, 1 rooster and not to forget 3 peacocks.

When I arrived in South Australia 6 months ago I rented a little farm with some acreages. My first animals were ten chooks -obviously former cage birds. They were nearly naked and their beaks have been shortened to avoid extensive pecking. Meanwhile their amount is reduced to four - stray dogs, foxes and illness have taken their toll. Around Christmas I decided to make myself a gift: I bought three peacock chicken. I always wanted a peacock, I like the impressive bird, its colours and interesting behaviour. It is not possible to recognize the gender as long as they are small therefore I purchased three chicken so I increased the likelihood that at least one male peacock is amongst them. They are really cute with their little crown on their head.