500 at last!

When I reached 365 blips, I said it was hard to believe that I had blipped for a whole year. Now it is surprising to me that I have managed 500 blips. There were days when the blip cupboard looked very bare and I was lacking in inspiration!

Today it has been incredibly hot at 43C or roughly 110F for our friends overseas. The heat has ruined our plans to go up to Laratinga Wetlands for a bird blip, while Belair National Park is closed due to the extreme fire danger. Pity really as the park celebrates its birthday today, being 122 years old.

The special birthday party for our Friends of the Park tonight has been cancelled due to the heat. The Friends Group is 28 years old today so it was to be a double celebration.

However I still managed some feathers for this special 500 blip day, seeing that bird photos have always been my most popular blips.
Today I settled for a “whatever it is visiting the bird feeder” day. Late in the afternoon it was success, namely a Spotted Dove.

This bird is native to eastern Asia and was introduced into Australia in the mid-1800s and early 1900s and quickly became established. It is now a common sight around the major towns and cities in southern and south-western Australia.
It is particularly common around human habitation and can be seen in most parks, gardens and agricultural areas.

Lonesome dove!

Sharing with you my daily journal is also a good way to ensure that my former handwritten personal diary is not totally lost and gone forever. That is old technology now. The journal is the second half of the equation with blip, and a very important aspect in my opinion.

I know that many of you are going to read it. That makes another reason to try to find interesting and different things to blip and write about. I do try to make my images as different as possible each day.

I must say again how much Blip has sharpened my eye, (make that Blip eyes), my powers of observation and my inquisitiveness. It continues to help and challenge me to take better photos than I did a month ago.

Sometimes I look back at my past images (and journals) and it bring back to life some of the wonderful experiences that are otherwise soon forgotten. When looking at the blips from other people you are inspired, and get to see some unique and amazing images from around the world. You also get to meet some wonderful people in Australia as well as in overseas countries, often setting up life-long friendships.

It goes without saying that I now take a camera with me everywhere I go, however unimportant the occasion may seem to be. I specially want to thank Paladian for all her help and support on my blip journey to date.

Plus a special thank you to all of my blip friends around the world - for your comments, encouragement, stars, friendship and loyal support over the last 500 blips.

This journal has all been too long today, so if you care to take a look at my updated Bio, when you get a few minutes to spare, I have included the links to some of my favourite blips.