While walking through a patch of bush near Sydney this morning, I spotted this quirky bird in the distance.

You’re seeing it here with the benefit of my camera’s powerful zoom. Even so, I bet you looked twice! Here’s a picture with more of the surroundings in view:

They’re actually seed pods of a Banksia serrata, one of my favourite Australian trees. The tree is fondly called Old Man Banksia, and often has an eccentric twisted shape and gnarled bark. The seed pods can look quite funny, due to their varied shapes and hair-like protrusions. These pods have had all their hair burnt off by a recent bushfire.

So now I can call my find an INFO (Identified Non-Flying Object) instead of a UFO. INFO is a nice name for a mystery solved. 🙂