On Friday during my morning walk I revelled in the soundscape of a flock of black cockatoos calling, and of a flock of rainbow bee-eaters trilling as they caught insects during their pre-migration feed-up. The only time we hear and see rainbow bee-eaters gathering in flocks is this period in late summer when they gather in bushland to prepare for the their long flight north. Their babies have fledged and learned to fly, and they are now preparing them for flying the long distance towards Papua New Guinea.

Yesterday, when I was on our balcony with Tom and Thea, watching the various birds who make our tree-filled garden their home, we again heard rainbow-bee-eaters calling as they fed.

This morning, Rob armed himself with his camera to catch glimpses of them before they left as we walked in Bold Park, but the park was eerily quiet.

They had already left:-(

The next time we will hear them, and catch the brilliant flashes of bronze and green as they catch insects, will be in spring when they return once more to make babies in the nests that they dig in the sand.