Sparks

A perfect day for a bonfire – no wind (an unusual thing in Melbourne!) clear blue skies and plenty of piled up gum leaves, twigs and bark, ready to burn.
I can't resist stoking the fire up again in the evening, after it has settled down... just love to see those sparks flying. I feel a bit bad having a love of bonfires in this fire ravaged land. It doesn't seem right, somehow. I always take lots of photos of the smoke and flames; they fascinate me.

The extra photo shows a tiny (10cm) brown thornbill in mid-air acrobatics. You probably can't see it, but there is a tiny insect sticking out the end of it's beak. These birds fly in small groups, often with silvereyes and fantails, moving from tree to tree catching tiny insects. I get a lot in my garden, but never seem to be able to catch them mid-air, as they are so darn fast. Except today!