Category Archives: Lakes

Dragonflies

There are many dragonflies in the lower part of the lake at the moment—larger ones. Then, on walking round, on the northern-most border, under the figs and eucalypts, there are many smaller ones that spring up with our every step. With the increase of light and warmth they appear. And they appear with an increase of warmth and light.

Dead Duck

There’s a dead duck by the jetty today, with some of its feathers plucked. Some say foxes, some say cats. Some say it’s the second one recently. Some weeks later I find a few Pacific duck feathers by the eastern viewing area too; and then someone has stuck the bones of what appears to be a wing into the top of the fence line, maybe to keep it away from dogs.

Nyimarak Shoos

Back at the lake today and Nyimarak the Australian Shelduck—the biggest duck in these parts—is in no mood for wardong the crow, or even for feisty little kidjibroon the Eurasian coot, shooing both off, then flying away.

Yellow and Purple

Late August lakeside and noticing the appearance of both yellow and purple flowers— yellow wattle, prickly moses, parrot bush; purple wisteria, guichenotia, other things—so often together; more because of the other; complementary.

Other Side of the Ridge

Up beyond the lakes of Bali—especially Beratan—there is a ridge line where you can look back down upon the lakes, or keep going down from there on the other side to the ocean on the north side beyond. It’s like the lip at the top of a crater. And here, on the north side of the ridge, there is water that still flows; from where exactly, I don’t know—on first glance it seems higher than the lake below. But it flows down none the less, through the narrow valleys in little rivulets and waterfalls. People use it to irrigate hydrangeas—they’re also growing bananas, coffee, pineapples, bamboo. And further down—on the slightly wider, flatter lands—they’re growing rice: the Subak system here, or so I’m told, too. 

One island organism.

Quenda and Cooli

At the edge of the lake, between water and sedges and rushes and reeds, lives cooli the buff banded rail, and quenda the southern brown bandicoot. How similar they look: one with a long beak and short legs, wings folded back, rarely flying, mostly running—a kind of orangey and zebra black and white; the other with a long snout, strong back legs and short front ones (that it kind of hop-rests on), all browny black. They are both about the same size, both a very similar form, both living in this same zone by the lake’s edge; both fashioned by this same place, and fashioning it.

Turtle

Sitting on the jetty at the southern end of the lake: the sun is out. Suddenly there’s a break in the still surface water and something is poking through—a stick? Then I see it moving. I search for the corresponding concept. The small head of a long-necked turtle, and it’s gulping air. It then looks right at me…and goes quickly back under.

Shelducks and Raptors

Two shelducks in a mating dance, and shoo-ing kwirlam the swamphen. A bit later, all birds scatter and go on alert—wardong the crow is noisy in the trees; magpies too. Then a white bird flies out—a black shouldered kite?

If the Shoo Fits

At the lake today two swans dance near the gazebo—one breaks off to shoo a third swan away. Manatj the white corella shoos off a flock of small ducks—hard to see at this distance—most likely teals. Some other manatj swoop the purple swamphen. Even more manatj sit atop a dead tree within the lake. And then I see the faint hint of a turtle below the water. And, nearby, a male musk duck.