Mirror Mirror on the Wall

Last weekend I thought I would set a mirror next to their food and film the birds’ reaction to seeing themselves.

It was interesting watching their reaction.



Mal the Noisy Miner clears out with
the arrival of Angelina & Shirley (female bowerbirds)

The Kookas & Noisy Miners ignored it, or at best had mild interest. Saying that, they gave me some great photos.



So this is a mirror...I like it...I really like it

Oh, we so need one of these in the loft

Our Inaugural Race Day - The race that stops a nation (of birds)
As they round the bend its Reflection by a beak to Bitey.
But wait, Bitey is biting down and found that extra reserve.
This will be close folks....
We await the results from the photo finish
BITEY WINS. BITEY WINS BY THE TIP OF HIS BEAK.



Showing off his prize

I was visited by a family of Satin Bowerbirds. The mums were a tad cautious at the beginning. The kids couldn’t give a rats as long as they got fed.



Who will make you....Gold........I will



Who will make you...... a golden mushroom....... a hippy from Nimbin




Huh, so this is a Mirror.................................

......Surely I don't look like this

But enough with the Mirror... I have a child demanding to be fed.
Angelina was the first in with her baby, then once both were satisfied, flew off to be replaced by Shirley and her young one.

Angelina with her bub

Shirley with her bub



A mothers love. The Gods smiled at this.

Hey Mum, here comes Dad

Towards the end, Dad finally turned up. He is a rare visitor to my backyard, & today of all days, well let’s say I was pretty chuffed. He was a little cautious, but after a minute or 2, he was relaxed enough to approach. Boy was I in for a treat.

Dad....Brad the Bowerbird

Brad watching Cedrick chow down.

That's good, just a few more steps

At about the same time, a neighbour out walking her dog, saw me sitting here and came up to say G’day.
Oh well, there’s always tomorrow.

Cedrick & Daphne (Lorikeets) couldn’t quite get their head around it. It didn’t seem to worry them, but they were curious. Cedrick burred up a few times, and would check behind the mirror. He just couldn’t work how this guy could just disappear like that. Daphne was relaxed with the whole lot.

I'll show this guy my "Buff" look. That should see him off.

How could he disappear like that?

Hey Cedrick, want to get Kinky? We've got a mirror & a camera. Want to make out?

Strewth Daphne. I'm game, but just let me check we're alone.

Then there were the Pee Wees, Pedro & Pernicious. They were a hoot. Pedro (he has the black chin) took it all in his stride. Although he showed no sign of aggression, he did do laps around the mirror. He would stop for a feed, walk around the mirror, have a feed, walk around the mirror have a feed.
It was like – who is that guy, I’ll check, oh look, food. – who is that guy, I’ll check, oh look, food (they say fish have short memories).

But it was Pernicious that stole the show. She was cool with it all morning regularly coming in for a feed.

But it was like someone flicked a switch after lunch.  She came back with a wild hair in her arse.

She would look at her reflection, challenge herself quite loudly, then quietly whisper to herself “bee bok, bee bok), Following the bee bok thing she did, she would flare up, and on a couple of occasions flew up to challenge herself. She does this every so often with my veranda doors, but I’ve never had the camera set up to capture this.

Girl, you need to get outa my face

Don't think I'm bluffing



Girl you're riling me

Well, that’s it for the Mirror, Mirror on the Wall project. It sure gave me some great photos, and for the birds, I think they enjoyed it. Something different in their day.

This would make a pretty good headdress

So would this