Be Careful What You Wish For !

It seems only a matter of a few weeks ago, after one of the longest dry periods in Tasmania I can remember, that I made a pact with myself that I wouldn't complain about it raining ever again. But after more than a week of rain and drizzle, I'm having second thoughts! I've endured a garden inches deep in water, thanks to a nearby overflowing storm drain, and drizzle for the next week, enough's enough!
If your wondering what the shot of a Black Swan is doing here, well it's one of several waterfowl images missing from the archive of Tasmanian birds (accessed by clicking the "Tasmanian Species List link down the right hand side), and seemed somewhat appropriate given the weather conditions. Black Swan nest just about the whole year round here, providing the conditions are suitable. This one was photographed at Lake Dulverton, Oatlands, in May of last year. I've seen them with young in the middle of Winter even in the Highlands. Going back to the late 60's, there was a 2 day shooting season, but I seem to remember that public pressure eventually halted that. On the East Coast of Tasmania I do recall they were illegally shot, and locally, when talking about them, they were referred to as "Glamorgan Geese", named after the local shire . In the early days of settlement, they were often taken for the table, and the first bird protection act passed, in what was then Van Diemen's Land, gave the Black Swan limited protection.