Yellow patch

porcelain

The seasonal stream of Yellow-faced Honeyeaters heading north north-east began three weeks ago. In the last few days, as it was this morning, the aerial passage has increased to large liquid flocks of up to 50 and more moving through all day. By mid morning, many hundreds have passed overhead, a visual and aural procession of tiny birds calling in ephemeral, fluttering lines.

In the past few days, Golden Whistlers have also moved into the farm area's remnant patches and corridors of cover. Males, in crisp bright yellow, black and white plumage, lay out full vocal repertoires from high branches in the still-warm mid-April sun. It is likely this is another seasonal movement from higher altitudes and more southerly areas as the autumnal chill descends. I listen to them, a surround-sound of complex vocal confidence and subtlety, through an open studio door.

The upland air is still and cloudless this morning, but an overlay of avian fluidity draws shifting lines across all dimensions, physical and temporal, like the higher altitude jet contrails of white against the upper deep-blue chamber of atmosphere.

porcelain