We recently went to a wedding in the Hunter Valley, and we stayed in an AirBnB nearby. The AirBnB was a cottage set in an olive grove.
When we arrived a young kangaroo and his family were watching close by…
It was a very hot day, and the owner of the property said they had very little rain this year…never a good sign.
However the next morning the light was soft across the fields, and the kangaroo family had moved down to greener pastures.
We enjoyed the wedding, and had a hearty breakfast at one of the many places to eat in the Hunter valley.
We had planned a short holiday around the wedding, and the next day, we drove to the beautiful Blue Mountains…
It was a long and winding road to our next AirBnB, however, when we arrived we knew it was all worth it. We had a lovely spacious cottage, looking across to the wonderful views of the Blue Mountains.
Paul is looking very cheerful after our early morning walk around the vineyards. The views were breath-taking, and the mountain air was cold and clear. The verandah of our cottage gave us a beautiful view of the surrounds.
Every morning the mist slowly lifted across the vineyards and towards the mountains..
….. the day gradually cleared into blue skies..
During our time here we also watched the frustration of the owners of nearby vineyards…it is the season for picking the grapes, and a huge flock of cockatoos had flown by to help with the pickings.
Occasionally the birds could hear loud bangs, (known as bird scarers, designed to deter birds near crops) and they would rise up gracefully, and sit in a neighbouring tree. (it is against the law to kill most wildlife birds in Australia, including Cockatoos)
The above photo does not do justice to the amount of cockatoos waiting in the trees. The next morning we watched the fruit pickers and farm workers, as they got to work stretching out long netting and then lifting it carefully onto the vines and covering the grapes.
It is a tough job working in a vineyard!
Meanwhile we had a wonderful time watching the escarpment of the distant Blue Mountains, turning a deep colour red in the evening. A lovely place to relax.
Thanks for taking the time to read my post and best wishes for spring in the Northern Hemisphere, and autumn in the Southern Hemisphere…..the days grow shorter every week here in Canberra.
Copyright Geraldine Mackey: All Rights Reserved..
Great housing choices with great views. As for the handsome birds, it is really frustrating to grow a crop and have feathered friends arrive to take part in the harvest. I’m sure it takes a lot of cost and effort to harvest the crop before they get to it. Great trip.
Yes, I agree, we have quite a few birds around here that like to eat all the vegetables, fruits etc, and we are always on the alert for birds!
So true Judy, the cost and damage by Cockatoos, for those growing crops, unfortunately is very high.
Yes, a belated reply re the cockatoos on vineyards, yes, we are always alert for birds where ever we are!
What a place of beauty! Breath taking. But, how discouraging it must be to have to deal with all those birds trying to eat the crop. Sounds like the farmers have developed a pretty good system of detering them.
Yes, I think Cockatoos are generally very unpopular on farms and vineyards!
Beautiful views. You chose your accommodation well.
The cockatoos must be hard to bear for the wine growers.
Yes, they are unfortunately, very clever birds!
Looks a lovely place.
It was a lovely place to wind down.
It was a lovely spot.
Such gorgeous views. Gerrie. What a job it must be to keep those vines under cover and safe from the hungry birds! A battle of wits no doubt.
Yes, exactly Sylvia, “a battle of wits” indeed. They are very smart, and not easily deterred. Hope all goes well for you and family. My cousin is in Cape Town for a wedding this month, and then visiting her Mum in Umshlanga (aged 98 Years….getting towards your husband’s Mum!)
What did cockatoos eat before the vineyards ?
They eat any plants and flowers from trees that are native to Australia.
A belated reply Diana the cockatoos eat almost every kind of plant and vegetable!
What an absolutely gorgeous area. Next time I drink Australian wine, I’ll raise my glass to surviving the cockatoos!
It is a lovely area, and yes, if you are ever drinking Australia wine you will know there has been a big battle between vineyard grape pickers and wine makers!
Best wishes for your lovely weaving..