Wednesday 3 March 2010

fig visitors

http://www.alexareynolds.com/garden10/lorikeetfigs.JPGI know I spent a lot of time last year gushing about how much I love my fig tree.  But well, I do.  And it isn't just eating them.  I like figs - I don't adore them the way some people do, but I like them.  It's more that in fig season I suddenly have so many friends!  Family and friends and neighbours love them too and it makes me happy to bring them around to people.  And ofcourse they make the birds happy too!

The lorikeets are my favourites.  They always wait a few weeks until there are quite a few figs ripe before coming to visit.  But tonight I met some of the night time visitors who also enjoy the figs.

I'm pretty sure the fruit bats are visiting.  I saw them flying very low in my yard, usually I only see them high above flying between the large botanical gardens in Melbourne.  But when I got out the flashlight to see if I could spot some bats, this is who I found instead!
http://www.alexareynolds.com/garden10/possumfigs.JPG
It's our resident ringtail possum.  You can just see the white tip of her tail holding the branch below her.

I love my fig tree.  It provides more than enough for the birds, possums, bats, and for the humans.

2 comments:

Dot said...

Its refreshing to read a post by a gardener that doesn't mind sharing their bounty. I love the critter pics! Though I do hope they leave some for you too ;)

jo quirk said...

You might be happy to know blueberries grow quite well in Melbourne down the shady side of your house. Put down a gravel mulch to reduce the risk of mildew. Not far from you and your fruit bats and we also had a wonderful crop of figs to share with the lorikeets. Wait until you see them get drunk on over ripe figs. It's hysterical.