Part 3:
From my Grandmother’s diaries
1895-96 October to January
The weather has turned, there is a new heat, dry. The north wind blows and brings heat with it, something I am definitely not used to. The ground cover is already looking a little brown after the rush of growth over the cooler months. Magpies here are a little different than they are at home, or in China. Black and white they have a different pattern than our birds and they have a warble song that can be quite beautiful. The trouble is they are also very territorial when nesting.
I did take my painting things out to the bush and immediately fell prey to a swooping bird. I was lucky in that I was wearing a broad brimmed hat, if I hadn’t been, I suspect the bird would have had a chunk of my hair in their nest. I moved away very quickly but the monster kept coming at me. I had no idea this would happen, so was taken completely by surprise. Eventually, I was far enough away from its nest that it gave up. I did ask about this from my neighbour, Rose when I got home again and she told me it was normal this time of year. My first encounter with real wild life in the colony.