Playing Catch Up With Myself: July 9th - Black Cockatoos and Flower Cellar

Black Cockatoos on Hahn Road, Aldinga

What luck! We'd been for a hike around the Aldinga Washpool and weren't quite sure if we wanted to go through to Flower Cellar for coffee (and/or hot chocolate) because the weather was inclement, just as likely to shower as shine. On a whim, we make the decision to go on, via Hahn Road, which is close enough to the airfield for the sky to be full of the drone of light planes. 

Out of nowhere, an enormous (and I mean, enormous!) flock of Yellow Tailed Black Cockatoos appeared from the vineyards, and scores of them landed in the tall trees off the side of the road. I got Dave Downes to pull over, and grabbed the camera. Got loads of really nice images ... here's a few of the best. From here, we went on to the cafe among the dormant, winter vines -- I'll post some photos from there next time. But, here's luck for you: I've always struggled to get the occasional halfway decent pic of a Black Cockie, and suddenly I have dozens. Neat! Here's a few of them...

After the rendezvous with the flock, we made the decision to go on to Flower Cellar. This was one of our favourite places ... so quiet -- an outdoor café set among the vineyards. Great hot chocolate, and absolutely the friendliest dog in the world. Her name is Stormy, because she was born on a "dark and stormy night." Flower Cellar Door do great food, too; and -- flowers. Dave Downes, Mike Adamson and I were there last week, a few minutes after we photographed the Yellow Tailed Black Cockatoos. The perfect way to spend a winter's afternoon. Alas, Flower Cellar is no longer a café, so though it's still there, you can't go there for a quiet coffee and a breath of fresh air. It's a function venue now... sigh. We'll just have to remember it as it was, and find somewhere else...