Litha 1998 Newsletter Editorial

Firstly, a big welcome to all of our new members, and a welcome to all of the people who read this newsletter by way of a friend, chance or library search (yes, we are in the National Library in Canberra in the serials department). If there is anything you would like to contribute, please send it in. Your contributions can be on the theme for each newsletter, or on a particular subject you are interested in. Perhaps over the December holidays, if the mood takes you, a drawing, poem or article might emerge?

Woohoo! I have some exciting news for those following our cuckoo's romantic intentions - he has a mate! They were both sitting on our clothes line one day showing themselves off to our house and garden. She is much smaller than he is, but still very beautiful. We hear their calls daily in the local area, and catch many glimpses of them in our fig and apricot trees. The apricot tree is still doing well to provide the local bats with a feed on their nightly visits. When the apricots have finished, they will continue to supplement their diet with the fruit of our fig tree, which is at the moment, heavily laden with fruit.

I was lucky enough to spend each November weekend in the Blue Mountains, and have sat and watched (at length) the sulphur crested cockatoos, rainbow lorakeets, parrots, pigeons, doves, minor birds and possums at play. While the Sydney basin is yet to experience the deafening song of the cicada, the mountains is playing host to thousands of cicadas, who have emerged from their earthly slumber. I have mainly seen the green grocer variety of cicada, but these always seem to be the first to emerge in summer. When, if at all, do they appear in your area? And what sorts of cicadas come out of the earth (e.g., pizzwackers, yellow Mondays, black princes or green grocers)? Cicadas are one of the loudest animals on earth, and spend up to seventeen years living under the ground. When they finally awaken, they crawl out of the ground, and climb up a tree. You may have seen 'empty' shells hanging on trees in your area, these are all that is left one the mature cicada has emerged. They sit next to their shell until their new wings have dried, and then it's on for young and old. The cicada has about seven days to explore the above ground regions, eat, reproduce and then die. I love collecting the empty shells to hang on my Solstice tree, another great reminder of the heat of the season!

The fishing in the harbour is, as some say, 'goin' off'. The harbour has had some good rain to stir up the feed and encourage the fish to bite. The full moons have been producing some big tides, with severe drop offs to the low tide point. This has helped the fish to feed hard on the rising tide. The summer runs of tuna, bonito and kingfish have started, and the fish are taking pilchards and live yellowtail.

I look to the Boxing Day Test to tell me that Summer is in full reign, where I might rest for a few days and conserve my energy. What do you look for in the seasons?

What's happening on your balcony, or in your backyard this season?

Blessed Be
Adrianne Harris (NSW Co-ordinator)