Red and Green Week
Everything seemed to be going red and green this week. I had three sets of Red Finches hatch at the RUC. There were four nests but unfortunately I saw a snake in one on Monday night and by the time I pulled it out (yes, you read that right) the finches were gone (I was sad but I guess snakes have to eat too).
But the others all fledged and are now healthy and chirping around the cane fields.
This cute little guy (below) opened his mouth when I was taking my shot. I wonder if he was yelling at me because I couldn’t save his cousins?
Here are their nests. The first is a ‘before it’s fitted out’ shot.
And the next one is ‘after the birds have flown the coop’ shot.
I bought the nests at a town & country shop close by for under $5 each. They’re pretty cute!
Now for some green
This little guy didn’t jump on me when I took his photo – so I was pretty grateful for that!
The Lichee trees are in full fruit and they’re very red and green!
The night of the election a spider jumped in my salad (I didn’t know if the spider or Trumps win gave me a bigger fright). I didn’t put the picture here because I thought it may freak you out too much – but I did tweet it if you’re brave enough to have a look. What a waste of a delicious salad! I had to have ice cream for dinner instead.
***Have a lovely week no matter what colour yours is!***
Dianne Gray author 
Well done on the spider ‘spoiler’ Dianne – I need to read your posts from behind the sofa sometimes 🙂 Nice, cuddly Red Finch shots though. Here we survived the short-lived mozzie and flying ant invasion and can breathe easily, critter-free, for months to come.
When’s your next book due out?
LikeLike
Oh Roy – I’ve been very lax in the book writing arena lately. I need a good kick! 😦
The spider was a beauty and very scary. Mozzies and flying ants can be a nightmare too. I’m allergic to flying ants and run when I see them. Several months ago one flew down my top when I was cooking dinner and I had to strip it off and put ice on my chest. Hubby tunred around from the TV and said “Dinner AND a show?” Haaaa 😀
LikeLiked by 2 people
I’m pretty good with spiders, but if that jumped into my salad, I think I’d become a permanent meatatarian! (Yes, I had to go look!) Lovely bird shots.
LikeLike
I’m usually okay with them as well, Suzan – but this one scared the life out me. Once it jumped off my plate it ran down hubby’s leg – he wasn’t happy either 😉
I’m glad you like the bird shots, they’re such little cuties!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Okay, I love spiders, but not in my food. I would have opted for ice cream too. 😉
LikeLike
Haaaa – I was really looking forward to that salad, but hey – I’m not one to argue against ice-cream for dinner 😉
LikeLiked by 1 person
That was a LARGE spider! I might be tempted to overlook a small one, but not that sucker!
LikeLike
Yes – he was very large! I couldn’t really miss him on my plate. Yikes! 😀
LikeLike
I love the little green guy!
I’m sure some of us are still freaked out by the Trump in our lives but a spider might come as a close second. 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
That spider may have been an omen on election night, Peter 😀
So glad you like the little green guy – he’s great at eating spiders! 😉
LikeLike
You know I had to peek at the spider. Ok, enough said. I’d have ice cream too! 😉 I love the red finches. So very pretty. xxx
LikeLike
You can see why I didn’t want to put the picture of the spider in the post now, Jackie (LOL) 😀
The red finches are awesome xxxx
LikeLike
Beautiful birds.
Loved the nests.
Cute frog.
Ugly spider.
And thanks for not sharing a photo of the snake!
LikeLike
You’re the first one to mention the snake, Nancy. I probably would have got a shot of it if I hadn’t acted so quickly to get the rotten thing out of the nest. It fell into the darkness and slithered away very quickly. I was too late to save them damn it….
LikeLike
When we lived in Maryland, we glanced at the underside of the wrap-around deck and noticed a big black snake coiled in a bird’s nest having an after breakfast nap. BFF shooed him away. The thought of walking under the deck and having a big black snack drop onto my shoulders shivers my timbers!
YOU are braver than me. 😀
LikeLike
It’s VERY scary! I’ve got a special glove I wear (it’s actually a welders glove) that I put on if there is a snake in the house – but you still have to be quick and I’m certainly not getting any younger 😀
LikeLiked by 1 person
Oh look, there’s a spider – somewhere in the world, there must be a spider. I’ll have to eat ice cream for dessert. Oh darn.
Maybe there will also be a snake somewhere. Then I’ll have to live in the ice cream store. Oh darn.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Haaaa – it’s a great excuse Sharon! 😀
LikeLiked by 1 person
Great photos, Dianne! I always love your critter posts. The birds are beautiful! I hope you and the family are well. xo
LikeLike
All going very well, Jill. I’ve had a tough couple of months after stepping on one of the bones the dog was chewing and have gone through a series of doctors appointments and scans to see what is in the wound (tiny slivers of bone). Last week I was told I may have to see a foot surgeon if it’s not better within two weeks, but I think it’s actually getting better now! Phew xxxx
LikeLiked by 1 person
Ouch! That sounds painful, Dianne. I’m happy to hear it’s getting better. Watch your step! xo
LikeLiked by 1 person
I’m glad your foot is on the mend, Dianne. That way, if need be, you can run away from snakes, spiders, and scorpions!
LikeLiked by 2 people
Thanks so much, Nancy – I’ts been pretty annoying missing out of the daily dog walk. Nice to be ‘back to normal’ and able to run away from those snakes again 😀
LikeLike
Love the finches and sorry that the snake got there, but you’re right, they must eat too! I like your spider photo on Twitter. Not sure why you opted not to eat your salad–it’s just extra protein in there! 😉
LikeLike
Haaaa – my sister said, ‘was it tasty?’ LOL. It actually ran down hubby’s leg after that and I got a pic of it on his foot (he was very good staying still for the shot!) 😀
LikeLike
I saw your spider tweet last week and retweeted it. Probably lost followers for that. 😉
LikeLiked by 1 person
Haaaa – thank you so much for the retweet, Carrie! I didn’t know you had done that (I’m a bit thick when it comes to Twitter). Great to see you here – I hope all is well with you and the family 😀
LikeLike
All is well, thank you. 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
Such holiday colors–love it. I’m making the assumption that you knew that snake was dangerous only to the bird, not you. I’m impressed.
LikeLike
It was just a small tree snake – they’re not poisonous to us, but you wouldn’t want one to bite you because they can cause a nasty infection. I’ve got a special glove I wear, but I still have to be quick (my reflexes aren’t what they used to be!) 🙂
LikeLike
What??? You pulled a snake out of the nest. This story needs to be told. At least you saw the spider before you accidentally ate it, although that would also have been a good story.
LikeLike
Imagine finding that spider in your mouth! Yikes! I think it was probably too big to miss on the plate, but who knows what would have happened if it was tiny – Ick!
The snake was a non-poisonous variety, just the type that loves devouring little birds and/or eggs. I would never go near a poisonous snake (I’m a very fast runner when it comes to those ones) 😀
LikeLiked by 1 person
Dianne, a snake is a snake as far as I’m concerned. The further away it is the better.
LikeLiked by 1 person
You pulled a snake out of the nest? Well you must have known it wasn’t one of the many venomous snakes indigenous to Australia!! Love your photos (and wish you’d posted the spider).
Susan A Eames at
Travel, Fiction and Photos
LikeLike
I thought the spider would have made too many people jump without a warning, Susan 😀 Yes – the snake was a non-venomous variety (I usually run the other way when I see those ones!) xxx
LikeLike
In the midst of the red and green, I am BLUE over the loss of the finches. When I was 15 I got a red finch and a green finch in a cage. I had several finches after that, and they are such charming little birds. So sad. But not for the snake, I guess.
LikeLike
I was very upset over the finches because I could have saved them if I’d walk past the nest about five minutes before. In this sense I’m feeling a little blue as well xxxx
LikeLiked by 1 person
I’m sorry for bringing it up :(. But nature can be so dang cruel.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Oh, don’t be sorry! 😀 You’re so right xxx
LikeLiked by 1 person
Somewhere in the back of my mind I hear a little chant- ‘Red and green should never be seen!’ My Mam was full of such sayings 🙂 Funny how they stick with you. But your little finches are beautiful and we can hardly ban them from the fields, can we? And I like froggy too. Nuff said!
Enjoy your wildlife weekend! 🙂
LikeLike
So true, Jo! I was almost going to call this ‘Red and green should never be seen without a colour in-between’ because that little chant comes into my mind as well 😀
I’m having a wonderful weekend. I hope yours is going well xxxx
LikeLiked by 2 people
Good God! Spiders and snakes. You’re a braver soul than I. It makes me happy that today is the first snow of the season. Good-bye bugs and spiders. We’ll see you again in the Spring.
LikeLike
Our bugs and spiders are springing into life now, Alta so I’m a bit jealous yours are going to rest for the winter 🙂 Stay warm and enjoy the snow when it starts to fall xxxx
LikeLike
It started today–in a big way.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I made the mistake of clicking the link to twitter. Wow. Right on your fork, no less! Thank goodness you have such beautiful fruit and birds to make up for the snakes and spiders. I think the snake pulling off the nest story deserves further explanation.
LikeLike
The nest is in the window on the first floor. I walked past it and saw the snake hanging from the top of the window with it’s head in the nest so I grabbed my ‘snake glove’, gripped the snake and then flicked it – it fell to the ground below. All the birds were gone 😦 I went downstairs (armed with a machete just in case) and couldn’t find the snake or any baby birds. The snakes that climb up to the nests aren’t venomous, but they can still give a nasty bite so that’s why I have a couple of long leather gloves to deal with them in case of emergency. It’s not the first time this has happened. The sunbirds and finches often build nests in the windows or on the veranda, but often by the time I notice them it’s too late to move them because they have eggs. If I’m lucky enough to see them building before they lay I shoo them away and dismantle the nest (because they attract snakes). Soon we’ll have screens on the windows and I’ll feel a lot better about that. Phew! I hope that makes sense 😀
LikeLiked by 1 person
Ew, not having screens is frightening! Great that you have snake gloves. Also, freaky that you have to have snake gloves! And a machete! Hello, bad ass!!!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Also – I bought the nests to encourage them to stay away from the windows. The ones in the bought nests have more chance of survival 😉
LikeLiked by 1 person
Smart. And very kind of you.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Maybe all the red and green is to help get you ready for Christmas.
I looked at the spider pic. Did it literally just land on your plate? Where did it come from? I probably would have tossed the whole plate across the room. I don’t mind little spiders, but that one was bigger and hairy than I can take.
LikeLike
I left the plate in front of the TV so I could grab my pillow and settle down for a nice dinner and movie and when I came back it was just sitting there – scared the life out of me! 😉
LikeLiked by 1 person
I can’t believe you pulled a snake out of a nest like that! And it’s a good thing you were paying attention and didn’t eat that spider. Thank you for getting me in the mood for Christmas with your red and green. I hope you and the creatures will have fun celebrating!
LikeLike
We’ll have a load of fun Sheila! I hope you and yours are well xxxx
LikeLiked by 1 person
Spider in your salad! Well did he eat that much to where you had to have for cream?
My big eater!
Ha!
🕷
And enjoyed the red and green as the holiday versions are already upon us!
LikeLike
Yes – the red and green is definitely a sign that Christmas in coming xxxx
LikeLiked by 1 person
Hi – quick note – I don’t think my joke came across here – partly the typo – but also hard to express humor at times.
But I was thinking of the joke where the soul eater says, “Waiter, there’s a fly in my soup.” And the waiter says “He won’t eat much…”
And so when you said you had to have ice cream for dinner – I inferred the spider 🕷 ate the whole salad (my attempt At humor) instead of not eating cos it was spoiled ….
LikeLiked by 1 person
Haaa – yes, I got it 😀
LikeLiked by 1 person
✌🏼️😊❤️️
LikeLike
I read this a few days ago and never had chance to comment, but your photos stayed with me those days. BRILLIANT. I absolutely love those nests – and your little green frog is too cute for words. Yes, cute. What personality he must have! Hopefully his long tongue caught your spider once it crawled out of your salad. :-0
LikeLike
Yes – those little frogs are definitely cute and the more spiders they eat, the better 😀
LikeLiked by 1 person
I just saw the new Harry Potter-ish movie “Fantastic Beasts,” in which a similar looking froggy creature plays a role. Hmm, wonder if he’s related to your little frog? 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
Oh I want to see that movie! 🙂
LikeLike
As a testimony to what a city slicker I am, at first I thought the birds “handcrafted” those nests themselves! That makes more sense that you purchased them.
Such a nice home for those little guys…we try not to do that here, since it’s torture for the cats. Years ago one of our neighbors had a bird feeder on their balcony and our cat leaped off our patio and plummeted four stories. She survived, but definitely lost one (if not two) of her lives! 😉
LikeLike
Oh dear! I’m so glad your cat survived Britt! 🙂 Yes – those little nests are certainly very cute. Apparently a retired gentleman makes them (he must have spent many years studying the way the birds did it) 😀
LikeLike
LOL…gimme ice-cream over salad any day of the week…although right now, only if the heating is on – it’s pretty cold here at the mo! Love the festiveness of the green/red combination…they really are perfect partners aren’t they. Those finches are utterly adorable! Thanks for sharing so much beauty and laughter as always! Love and hugs, Harula xxx
LikeLike
Thank you so much, Harula. I miss the cold and wish it was chilly here at the moment! Stay rugged up xxxx
LikeLiked by 1 person
Nature is lovely, but nasty too (snakes eating babies…). Politics, on the other hand, is most often nasty but more rarely lovely! But every now and then we have surprises. Let’s hope for some good ones in the future!
LikeLike
At least we understand the reasoning behind nature, Allen – politics is very confusing with little common sense and a lot of skulduggery 😉
LikeLiked by 1 person
The nests – and the creatures, red and green — are definitely cute!
LikeLike
Thanks Cynthia – have a lovely week xxx
LikeLiked by 1 person
Beautiful and vibrant colours in your garden. Love those birds!
LikeLike
Thank you! The birds are just SO sweet xxx
LikeLike
Lovely post. Dianne. Red and green is so suitable for Christmas month. Love that cute little froggie. I still have the picture of that spider in my mind’s eye. 😯 Such gorgeous nests you found, but poor little baby finches. *sob* So happy that some survived, though. I’m sure the one in your photo is shouting abuse at the murdering snake. 😦
LikeLike
They are highly suitable colours for Christmas, Sylvia! I’ve been too busy with the RUC to post for a while so hopefully I can get back into the swing of things in the new year. I’m loving your holiday snaps 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks so much, Dianne. I’m also rather busy to blog regularly. We were out with our excellent guide for 9 hours yesterday and again today. I’m glad you’re enjoying our trip. We certainly are. 😘
LikeLiked by 1 person
Dianne I love those birdy pics shame about the snake. I think we have one that eats all the poor ducks on the creek, they never seem to make it and if the foxes don’t get them the snakes do. But oh that eight legged monster! I would have died right there on the spot. Froggy is adorable I wish we had pretty green ones here, mostly little cute brown ones, still cute though.
LikeLike
Frogs of any colour are SO cute! They’re one of my favorites. We’ve got lovely brown frogs here that hubby calls Baramundi frogs – I asked him why they were called that and he said they’re used as bait for fishing (I wasn’t happy with that answer) 😉
LikeLiked by 1 person
Awe poor froggies I could never use them for bait. So if I hear that term I will understand. We have little brown ones sit on the glass and eat all the bugs after the rain. Love them.
LikeLike
It’s red and green around here for Christmas, but we’re having a bit of a fright because we still can’t believe we are about to have a reality-tv host for president.
The Red Man would have been horrified – as are the rest of us at Casa de Canterbury!
LikeLike
Believe me – we’re horrified at the results in Aussie Land as well. It’s like watching a really bad movie where you sit there and yell “noooooooooooooo!” 😀
LikeLiked by 1 person
It’s red and green around here for Christmas, but we’re having a bit of a fright because we still can’t believe we are about to have a reality-tv host for president.
The Red Man would have been horrified – as are the rest of us at Casa de Canterbury!
Do you have any room left in the RUC?? 🙂
LikeLike
What cute nests! Reminds me is a popular porch ‘pod’ chair.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Oh yes! And all the birds love them because they are so cozy 🙂
LikeLike
just came by to say hi – no reply needed = but hope your writing is going well
🙂
xxooo
sending virtual snacks for writing
LikeLike
Oh I’ve been so busy trying to get the RUC finished and approved by the local council – just a few more things to do and (fingers crossed) it will be finished. Thanks so much for the virtual snacks! xxxx
LikeLiked by 1 person
well I said a little prayer for you too – not to sound corny – but I knew you were hard at work.
doing what writers do….
hope you have a nice rest of January
LikeLiked by 1 person
Hi Dianne–wanted to let you know that I’m reviewing your book, Wolf Pear, on my blog (http://worddreams.wordpress.com) next Friday, February 10th.It should already be on Amazon and Goodreads. If you have a moment, please drop in to say hi!
LikeLike
Yes I’ve seen the review on Amazon and Goodreads – thank you so much Jacqui! I’ve been out of circulation because my husband has been in hospital. Things are starting to look up now and he should be home in the next few days and I’ll get back into my routine. Thanks so much for the review and for dropping by to say hi. I’ll certainly be coming over to your page to hi as well 🙂 xxx
LikeLike
Oh, heck! That’s not good news! I thought you might just be busy on the RUC/a book, but I see your husband’s been ill. Hope all is progressing well? Sending love! 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks so much for dropping by to send your love Jo – he’s out of hospital now thank goodness. I’ll be back to my normal blogging routine very soon xxxx
LikeLiked by 1 person