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It’s 5.30 am and I’m off for my first mini-walk of the day. I’m grumpy and unwilling. I bop up and down stairs three times, delaying departure. The last bop is to pick up my camera, thinking “I won’t see anything to photograph, but just in case.”

There’s no sign of recent rain, except the clacking and shrilling of frogs in the swampy land near the creek, and the sky is clear and pink. The surf is up and the waves roll and crash. I head up Short Street, past my favourite Potato Point house to the seat near the wooden staircase, overlooking Jemisons beach. At the south end the waves erupt massively against the rocks, and the sun makes a blinding path across the sea.

Suddenly I’m joined by a rainbow lorikeet. It perches on the stair rail. It comes over to the bench. It hops towards me, blue head, orange chest, green wings, and beady red eyes. It explores the planks of the bench, has an tentative chew, and hops closer, almost to my hand, conversing in lorikeet all the time. It lands on my jacket, its blue almost the same colour, and then my shoulder. We eyeball each other briefly. Having finished assessing me, it takes up residence on my head.

Then a flash of rainbow and it’s off to delight someone else.

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I’ll keep my distance, and suss you out first.

Mmm. You look OK. Maybe I’ll join you on the bench. But don’t expect too much. I’m a bit shy.

Shyness butters no parsnips. I’ll edge a bit close and see what happens.

OK. No harm done. A bit closer. Your hand’s probably harmless, but I won’t actually hop on it.

That’s as close as I’ll go down here. I’ll hop a bit higher. But don’t think you’ve got me tamed.

Now maybe it’s time to put my best face forward. This?

Or this?

Ot this …?

Enough fiddling around. You’re harmless. I’ll hop onto your arm. Your jacket is a welcoming colour. And now for the final act of daring. Onto your head. That’ll surprise you!

This is my contribution to RegularRandom. This week DJ photographs chocolates, arranging them beautifully, against a beautifully considered background.