Monday, 18 April 2016

What a difference a day makes


I started this post last night with not a lot to say. While I had some pretty good photos, and worthy of my blog, they lacked unusualness.
Well that was remedied today. Seems my birds wanted to show off.

As with most of my posts, I’ll let the photos tell the story.
This I’ll start with Devil my kitten, getting the shits with me.
He proudly came in to show off his latest conquest. A big live coach roach. This was immediately confiscated & placed in a Chinese container for my Kookas.


My boys chillaxin.

That's Devil on the bottom

being consoled by Hyde at the loss of his cockroach.



Devil spent the rest of the night with his back to me.



You can run.




But you can't hide.




Devil, can you see me?



UP YOURS

Bwahahaha

There is a term “the Hand of Man”, and what it’s referring to is mans impact on Nature. I know this because I entered a few photos in the National Geographic photographer of the year comp, and that was one of the categories.


Way too deep for me. But I liked the term, so this is my take on it.

The art in catching a Kookaburra is stealth.

No I mean real stealth. Disguised in camouflage, creep millimetres at a time. After an hour or so, if he hasn’t flown away, you should be close enough for him to hop on your branch (arm, remember your disguised as a tree).

Or…you could just charge in.



God was pleased with his creation.
But it needed something.
“Let there be Birds”
And His creation was complete.




What about the "Hand of Bird"?

Surely they've had an impact.

They certainly do around here.



I have a lot of Monstera Deliciosa plants growing at my place. They’re a Mexican native plant. Big green elephant ear leaves. They are also called the fruit salad plant. Which is interesting considering every part of the plant is poisonous. The leaves, the stalks, the fruit. All poisonous.

Yes it has fruit. Large Banana shaped fruit ensconced in what I can best describe as scales.

The fruit takes about 12 months to ripen, and that’s when the magic occurs. It becomes edible. When you snap the green fruit off the plant it still has a couple of weeks to go. Then those scales start to fall off a bit at a time. The house fills with the smell of fruit salad. That’s when you can start eating. BUT only the parts where the scales have fallen off. The other end is still poisonous.

It’s a bit like eating Fugu. I say it’s like eating Fugu, because you lips & tongue are left with a tingling sensation for a while after you’ve eaten the fruit. Just to remind you that it was once dangerous. So you eat the fruit an inch or two a day. When the scales fall off they reveal a kernel similar to corn. These taste like a mixture of banana & pineapple.

Well the Satin Bowerbirds & Catbirds love the fruit & I’m prepared to share, so we do. I haven’t seen either for a while, but I expect I will so as I have a couple of dozen fruit that should ripen in the next 4 to 6 weeks. This is the 1st fruit & a lure. But alas no interest.

I’m always looking for unusual shots of my Kookas. I thought I might get some interesting photos if I placed a piece of meat on top to entice them. I was more than chuffed. I hope you are.

Warning to all.

NEVER, NEVER spill a can of Red Bull on a Monstera Deliciosa plant.

Not if you intend to eat the fruit.



Rarely seen & never photographed before.

A Kookaburra in full Head-Dress.



Saratoga Angel Fruit

Just don't fuck with it.




Just what makes that little old ant

 Think he'll move that rubber tree plant


 Anyone knows an ant, can't

 Move a rubber tree plant

But he's got high hopes, got high hopes

 He's got high apple pie, in the sky hopes



So any time you’re gettin' low

 'Stead of lettin' go

 Just remember that ant

 Oops there goes another rubber tree plant………



I always looking for that one shot, the shot that stands out.
The bird gods smiled on me today.
I think this nailed it.



Collision course.

You just know this is going to end badly.



When you’re a Noisy Miner your job, is to annoy the shit out all other birds.

But you quickly need to learn who to pick those fights with.

This Mal the Miner is demonstrating discretion in preference to valour.





Bullshit to valour.

Button would have swallowed him whole.



Another rarely seen and never photographed before photo.

A Koogle.

This hybrid is part Kookaburra part Eagle.


I hear the Monstera fruit is delicious. I'm told it's called the fruit salad plant.

I know this because I read. I've never been able to catch one.

They're like the "Golden Snitch" from Harry Potter.

Lightning fast

You’re on the home stretch, only a few more photos, and I promise not a Monstera in sight.



Fanning the Fire



This photo reminds me of Mr Peabody & Sherman.



If you’re old enough to get this, you’re probably 50 + years old.


I'm in deep shit if he goes to bash this on the fence.


"Well Boof, I guess that's it for this post."

See you all soon.




Oh, and to finish, a short video of Boof chatting to me, with subtitles for those that don't speak Kookaburra.