An ANZAC Tribute

The Lone Sentinel.
Lest We Forget

The Tapas Bar has been very quiet of late.

I have seen no Bowerbirds or Catbirds. My Monstera fruit haven’t opened yet, so I suspect I will see them soon. This time last year they had started to open, but we’ve had some warmer than usual weather for last 2 months, and maybe that has slowed down the ripening. But it won’t be long.

Red Wattlebirds.

They do add some colour.

The Lorries & Wattlebirds have boycotted the Tapas Bar. I’m mystified by this. The birds are here & obviously like the food. The Noisy Miners give the Wattlebirds a hard time lately, their numbers have bumped from 3 or 4 to 10 or more. A few of these are young birds. Dominance of the Tapas Bar may be dependant of who has kids at the time. Red & Little John the Wattlebirds, were giving it to the Miner birds only a few months ago, when they had a bub. It might an outbreak in bugs like aphids that has changed their diet. Who knows?

So my post is all Kookaburras & Miner Birds. And bird of paradise flowers.

I started this blog thinking I didn’t have much to work with. Then I started adding photos. Before you know it I have 30 odd photos. Enjoy.

Triffids are an interesting flower. They devour meat.

Stories of Triffids have been whispered for generations. Here is a rare photo.

A Saratoga Triffid about to eat Boof. I will miss him so.

Bugger. Who put that plant there.

This is going to look ugly.

Red Bull gives fruit wings

One drop did this

Two drops did this.

I'd show you what three drops do...

But it flew off

Double Trouble.

"Brother, what do you feel like getting into?"

"Well, I'm thinking I might take the head off that flower. What about you?"

"Yeah, thinking along the same lines. But I've got my eye on Headley"

No more photos as Headley (my camera) started to shake uncontrollably.

I was treated to an interesting arvo the other day. I had three of the family, and all left me with a different experience.

Pain, Comfort and Beauty.

Bully came in with a bad case of the cranks. She’s been like this for a few weeks now. While there’s been a lot of jousting between them, this is different thou. She bites. She’s always done this. That’s why she was named & it does seem to be more seasonal I think. She was a handful this time last year.

Today, she got a hold of my finger so hard, I had to pry her beak open.

She was then shooed off for behaving like a prat.

Bitey having watched all that was the next up.

He was the exact opposite. He saw my pain & it was as if he was stroking my face to comfort me. Now, I know what you’re thinking, but it’s my photo & I’m telling the story. Anyway, it was a first for me & quite an experience.

An  indescribable sensation

Surreal

The beauty was when it seemed Bitey gave me a curtsey. Again, my bloody story.

May I assuage your pain

with this beautiful curtsey.

Devil, my kitten bought me in a lovely cockroach he'd subdued. Devil then needed to be subdued, to release his catch, which was destined for a Kookaburra.

Bwaa, Bwaaaaa, Bwaaaaaaa.

I spy with my little eye....

Something beginning with.....

Dinner.

Here are a few snaps of my Noisy Miners. Aside from their objectionable personalities, they are quite a handsome bird.

A Grey bird on a grey day

"STICK EM UP!"

"Give me a break Mal, I nearly shat myself"

"Where are you going Mal?"

"TRIFFIDS. Fly for your life"

"Junior, don't listen to your father.

There ARE no such things as bird eating flowers called Triifids."

For ANZAC Day I wanted to see if could get some photos with my Kookas interacting with our Flag, with the hope of some photos that to me represented the feeling of ANZAC Day. I needed the birds to play and that they did. They gave me some great photos. A few I've sent to the RSL for them to use if they wish.

The Lone Sentinel.

Shadows left behind.

Nobody gets past.

Not on my watch.

Standing Proud

The KOOKABURRA MARCH

On Wednesday 12 January 1916 a group of 25 volunteers left the Mountain View Hotel in Tooraweenah. Calling themselves the Kookaburras the marchers spent their first night in the woolshed at Yarragrin where they were joined by some of the Binnaway and Coonabarabran men. They marched through Mendooran, Boomley Railway Construction Camp, Cobbora, Dunedoo, Craboon, Birriwa, Tallawang, Gulgong, Mudgee, Havilah, Lue, Rylstone, Kandos, Ilford, Capertee, Cullen Bullen, Portland, Sunny Corner, Yetholme and Bathurst. By the time the Kookaburras reached Bathurst the group included 100 volunteers.

Our Spirit is always with us.

As is customary, it was back to the Tapas Bar after the Dawn Service for a few to warm up the spirits.

Chef, caught up in the moment yelled "FREE TEQUILLA SQIRTS FOR ALL DIGGERS"

That idea nearly sent me broke. They appeared from everywhere & drank like fish.

Free Grog

Yes SIR

"Well little buddy, what do you think?"

"Yeah, this is a good way to sign off.

See you all next time"