Frosty mornings bring out all kinds of bush creatures. Driving to work today I saw a mob of wild pigs, two sows and fifteen suckers, two baby foxes who were dashing in and out of long grass on the side of the road, both red and grey kangaroos and some very inquisitive young emus. Not being of National Geographic photography standard trying to get a picture of wild life can be almost impossible. By the time I brake on the dirt road, rummage around the dash of the landcruiser for the camera and jump out, invariably the object of my ‘could have been a national photography award winner’ (not) has disappeared into the scrub.

Later this morning however a group of young emu’s trotted up the road to say hello. I first saw them when they were about six months old however they are at that really inquisitive stage and after I stopped the truck they trotted straight up the road to say hello. The pics aren’t that clear as I took them through the windscreen, however they are really fascinating birds to see up close. Locally some members of the Kamilaroy tribe call them moo moo birds and I have to say that the eggs are very rich and gamey to eat, best cooked with a good handful of bread crumbs. It’s said that one emu egg equals about 12 hen eggs.  The females have now laid and it is up to the male emu’s to hatch the eggs. If you come near a nest the male bird will stand up and run in the opposite direction to lead the intruder away. They usually nest in long grass and the eggs are sometimes quite hard to find.