After weeks of dreary weather a warm calm day invited a trip round some local wetlands which fortunately proved to be so far unaffected by the H5 strain of bird flu. The privately owned wetland first visited was holding good numbers of duck species, Black Swans, Masked Lapwings, White-faced Herons and Pied Stilts, all too distant for photos. At Marlay Point, Lake Wellington was calm and peaceful, the breakwater piles were populated by plenty of Crested Terns, most taking it easy in the warm sunshine with heads beneath their wings, and the odd one preening. Some images will enlarge.

On then to a look at Lake Guyatt in Sale, a man-made wetland that can host a remarkable variety of native water birds, with Ibis predominating at the moment.

A small group of Straw-necked Ibis were displaying their finery in the good light, enlarge.

Photographed in the past on fungi in the bush, it was interesting to see several on clumps of fungi on decaying tree roots in the garden. Males guard their chosen fungus caps and when joined by a female they move under the cap where they mate and the female lays her eggs.

Male Tapeigaster annulipes on guard, click to enlarge.