Those white cockatoos you see up the top were visiting my backyard a few months ago and smiled as I flashed the camera their way.

They actually look pleased to be there and were busy with their mates, chattering away the day they landed.

We have a wide array of birds who come to visit and in recent days its been amazing to wake up to the sounds of bird life as the sky lightens.

We have parrots who come to visit in the hot summer months......

We have maggies (perhaps an omen for next Saturday?), we have wattle birds and blackbirds, sparrows (flying mice) by the dozen, gorgeous little grey birds with a tuft of yellow on their tail feathers. We even have the cheeky little blue wrens from time to time who take great delight in checking themselves in the car rear windows and leaving a deposit each time.

You have to love this 'warming' time of the year when life begins to emerge from hibernation and the new breed of birds do exactly what their fore-fathers did before them.

Another thing I've noticed, just quickly before I go, is that of a night time, if you stick your head out the door, your sense of smell will delight in a heady array of perfumes as plants and flowers are beginning to release their scents with the warmer weather.

Once the heat of summer hits, that perfume will dissipate, but for now with the crisp coolish air hinting at a gentle warmth, the scent is there to delight and for that I am thankful.