Well, it’s been a few weeks since my last post (& these are my sins. Sorry, that's the alter boy in me).
This post was going to be on the fickleness of my birds. I
have about 15 species of birds that visit the Tapas Bar with most of them being
resident. Except for Kath, Kym & Stormbird (a family of Eastern Koels),
these guys fly down from New Guinea for the summer.  |
| Kym - Dad |
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| Kath - Mum |
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| Stormbird - Bub |
So this post was going to be a bit of a bio on each, and
then blow me away, they all turned up.
So with that plan blown, that leaves me with just some
photos of what has happened at the Tapas Bar over the last little bit. Don't get me wrong, you have some pretty good photos ahead.
Some I feel are special. Taking as many photos of birds as I do, I look for unusual. Some perspective not normally seen. Well, there are a couple of them below, mixed in with the others. You'll know which ones they are;
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| They seek me here. |
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| They seek me there. |
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| Those Frenchies seek me everywhere. |
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This Stan the Grey Butcherbird.
One of the absentees. He hasn't been at the Tapas Bar for 6 months.
And what a first photo he's treated me to.
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Autumn = arvo storms.
And with that came some good photo ops. As usual, Boof was
around to model for me.
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I don't think Boof can get any wetter.
He always looks excited to see me.
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Just shake it off mate
Wet & woolly Boof
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Here sits Boof. He thinks he's weathered the worst of it.
Looking at blue sky, he is blissfully unaware that hell is approaching.
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"Why are you laughing Headley?" (Headley's my camera)
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Red the Wattlebird & his missus Little John have had an interesting few months. They raised Stormbird, the baby Koel above. I did a post on their story a couple of posts ago, so if you haven't seen it, I think you will find it interesting. Anyway, when they were raising Stormbird, the Tapas Bar was theirs. They visited every few minutes and if any one else arrived, they were advised to leave. The rearing finished and they slowed down to feeding 3 or 4 times a day. They haven't visited for the last month, yet they spend most of the day flying to & from the tree in the background. Well they returned as I started this post. Along with another bird. He/she was greeted with a little aggression from Red, so I took it for a male. But the other day it started courting Red.
Now this has me asking 'do females court males' or have I really mucked up their names. But more on that in my next post.
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| Who ever this is, they're putting on quite a display for Red. |
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The Autumn Racing Carnival is upon us.
The girls are out in their finest Fascinators.
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They say three heads are better than one.
Well actually, they say two heads, but that didn't go with the photo.
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| Stick em up |
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| Keyhole Photography |
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| Kookaburra Jousting. This is when one sibling takes on another in a kind of Kookaburra 'Arm Wrestle'. The aim is to 'Wrestle' the other off their perch. I think it's a pecking order thing. I've seen this so often, but never in front of Headley. So, how chuffed was I when Boof took on his 3yr older brother Bitey, while standing on my hand, and all in front of Headley. The downside was the blood loss. No. Not theirs. Mine. Bitey held on with a Death Grip. But don't worry abut me the bleeding stop after 45 mins or so & I'm feeling OK, jus a little light headed""""" |
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Never a dull moment when Cedrick's around.
Here he is teaching a young Crested Pigeon some Martial Arts.
So generous with his time.
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"I'm telling you for the last time.
The grapes are mine. If I catch one of you eating them again
Well, just don't piss me off.... or I might just piss on you."
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| Can't say you weren't warned |
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If I bloody well tell you to lift your right foot, you'd better lift it high.
Or you know what I'll do.....
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"Just as well these two are grass seed eaters and not interested in my grapes.
But I'm going to keep a close eye on them,
and if they eat any of my grapes, well......
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One of the absentees from the Tapas Bar has been Brad the male Satin Bowerbird. But I know why he's been missing. Vanity. Normally he is one of the most spectacular birds at the Tapas Bar, but once a year he moults, then without a doubt, he turns into the ugliest thing you've ever seen.
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The Ugliness Begins (Moult).
Brad came in one morning looking like he had been scalped
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The Ugliness at its height
I'd stay home too, if I looked like that.
Work on your Bower Brad. Make it look spectacular.
That's the only way you're getting laid.
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| The Ugliness is nearly finished |
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| "Who said I was Ugly???" |
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| Tornados in a dust storm |
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| High in the Himalayan Mountains I awoke to find myself alone on this snow covered peak. The night before there was 7 of us. 2 more in my party & 4 Sherpas. It happened just after dinner. That’s when we heard it. It was a cross between a blood curding scream & a growl. My heckles raised. So loud it echoed thru the valley. I knew it scared our guides. In the light from my lantern their eyes were as big as saucers. “Kookabunga, Kookabunga” they whispered. “What’s that” I asked... “A devil monster that protects these mountains” they said. “It eats any that trespass”. “If you see one, then that is the last thing you ever see” The other 2 in my party looked pretty rattled. I shouldn’t have been surprised that they had cleared out during the night. What did surprise me was the view when I stuck my head out of the tent. And the Sherpas were right. It was the last thing I ever saw……………………….. |
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You've heard of the 'Headless Horseman'
Well.... here is the 'Faceless Kookaburra'
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"OI! Give it up Boof. What's this all about?
Your beak's not out of joint because I pinched the last piece of Omelette you had been saving"
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"Well, what do you reckon Boof?Should we end this post with this?" |
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