I and the Bird on holiday

I and the Bird goes on holiday. No, it's not missing, it's off on a trip, courtesy of Trevor at Trevor's Birding, who rather smugly tells us

The mad holiday season in Australia begins with Christmas parties in the week or so before Christmas. Many Australians have an enforced holiday between Christmas a New Year. Some factories and businesses close for several weeks in the early part of January. Hoards of people flock to the beaches and rivers for their traditional break from the cities. ... Barbecues are almost compulsory, the weather is usually warm to hot and the flies are everywhere. Swimming pools are overused and the sun-screen is slapped on in dollops. (I just thought I’d rub it in a bit for all of you freezing in the northern hemisphere at present; you can have all that snow and ice to yourselves.)

Summer is a great time to go birding too. So let’s get on with our Grand Tour.

Well, the last couple of sentences make up for the beginning, don't you think? And he delivers with a spectacular around-the-world tour of birding bloggers... er, all around the world. Far too many great posts and pictures to try to single out any - relax and enjoy them all.

(Oh, I stole the picture from him - it's so cheery to look at such a pretty little bird in the cold.)