Colour and Texture

Well it’s been an interesting month.

I had my sisters (Chris & Sheridan) up for the weekend. Chris bought her boyfriend Colin.
Now Colin is an ex-pom. He was telling us of his previous encounters with Australian wildlife soon after arriving in Aus.
He bought a rural block and decided to take his boys hunting.
Now there is a rule when walking thru the bush. Look in front of you.
A theory he struggles with. As you will see.

Armed with a shotgun, trudging along looking at his feet, he finally looks up to see a spider about to envelop his face.

Reflex, & the spider was atomised. Does everything in the fucking country attack you? That was his last foray hunting.

"NO! NO! NO! Is this right Brad?"

"Just don't pull back Col"

He then went on to describe his first experience camping, again with his boys.

Camping at a camping ground, some distance from the amenities block, he needed to relieve himself sometime during the night. Trudging down the track with eyes half closed (Yeah. I hear you. When will he learn), he walks into a Kangaroo (a big Red). Literally. Head-butts it in the chest (Colin’s shortish). The big Red, hissed his disapproval & it was at that time Colin realised he didn’t need the amenities block any more. Does everything in the fucking country attack you? That was his last foray camping.

"What happens if I do?"

"You might lose a finger"

So at my place I asked if he’d like to hand feed some Kookas. You’ll know his first question before I can finish typing it. DO THEY BITE? “Na, you’ll be right mate, they’re as gentle as lambs”
Imagine his trepidation. He’s about to feed a wild bird with a formidable beak. He’s being assured by Aussies with a twisted sense of humour. And his experiences to date haven’t been text book.

OH CHRIST

It had to be Bitey that was the first Kooka to fly up. He’s 4yrs old and knows what the drill is. But he is somewhat short of patience. Just as he leaned forward, Colin pulled back & Bitey missed his treat. We encouraged Col to try again.

Once bitten, twice shy, applies to both Kookaburra & Human.

Colin re-presented Biteys treat and again pulled back a bit, but held steady. Bitey however, thought he was going to miss his treat again so lurched out and caught Colin on the finger. Does everything in the fucking country attack you? That was his last foray feeding. Maybe???
There is a video link at the end of this post.

I had forgotten that feeling of excitement I had, when I first fed Boss 5 years ago.
Feeding a wild bird with a very big beak. Would it hurt? Would I bleed? Could I lose a finger?
These are the questions in the back of your mind.
Something akin to hand feeding Great Whites or wild Lions.
I can only imagine Colin’s sense of anticipation ...
That first time. And you didn’t lose a finger.
The smile says it all.

Brad & Shiloh are back, but it's been almost 6 months since I've seen Angelina. I'm guessing it's a father & son thing now.  And not much of that. With Bowerbirds, Brad will mate with a few females  during the season, but then has nothing to do with parental duties. With all the visits they’ve made, they are never seen together.  Shiloh, the green son of Brad will turn black at 7 years of age.

Father

And Son

I'mm Baack!!!

So, as for the title, you're probably aware I use flowers to add to my photos. Well, I have camellias growing out the front. Dreadful cut-flowers as they drop their petals very quickly. So I have dozens lying on the lawn waiting for the lawn mower. I picked up a few that had fallen during the night.

They gave me some great photos, but by the next day had shed most of their petals.

One...

Two...

Three...

WHERE? Where do they expect me to land?

Bloody Flowers.

Bloody Flowers

I Like the Bloody Flowers.

A few days later I noticed how good the petals still looked. While the flower dies fast, the petals last a lot longer. And that’s what gave me the idea to utilise all those fallen flowers.

Make a carpet of petals. I thought it would make for an interesting photo. It would certainly give colour & texture. Plus, I hadn’t tried it before.

I’m pretty chuffed with the result. You might see some more of this in my next blog if they are still in bloom.

A Splash of Colour

on a Grey Day.

A love hate relationship.

Mal the Noisy Miner & his family.

I hate the way they are driving the other birds away.

I love the photos they give me.

And they say birds can't fly upside down.

Eye Spy with my little eye,

Something starting with Chicken.

OK. Give me a break. I'm a bird & not real good with games.

Here's Mal harassing the Bloody Flowers.

Finger Lickin Good

Oops. That's right. They don't have fingers.

It's not KFC btw.

So I gather we're not sharing Brother.

HANG ON!!!!

What's going on here?

I'm normally the prettiest thing at the Tapas Bar.

Let’s raise our heads and give thanks for thy bounty.
There’s one in every crowd.
“Over the lips & past the gums”

Ku Klux Klutz

Couldn't even get the mask on right way round.

Mal the Noisy Miner

has been a real pain of late.

Like a Saratoga Mozzie.

I’m telling you Bitey. It’s got worse.

 They’re giving everyone a hard time. OK, almost everyone. They’re scared shitless of you guys. They are even harassing the Judge over there & he doesn’t suffer fools gladly.

 So we came up with a plan.

 You eat them. Start with Mal. Make it look like an accident. You accidently tripped as you flew in and as you yelled your warning to Mal, that Noisiest of Miners, he jumps up straight into your mouth, like that Jonah & the Whale story.

 The Judge said he would see that as “Death by Misadventure” even if it takes 10 or 20 smacks to get him down.

As well as having Camellia trees dropping flowers, I have a Mandarin tree dropping fruit. Some of the fruit on the tree have been bitten, as have some of the fallen fruit. I suspect it's either King Parrots or Bats in the trees and Brush turkeys on the ground. But it gave me an idea for some photos. So I picked a few. Mainly to see if the Satin Bowerbirds were interested, but also knowing the Kookas would explore. Especially Boof.
Well Brad & Shiloh the Bowerbirds were a no-show. But's OK, because Boof and his siblings made up for it.

Will He???

OR, won't he???

Let me look closely.

Yep, "A" Grade sugar hit.

This should rock me.

WOW man…. Look at me me….I’m a Koobbit.

Gotta love Mandarin.

"What are you hiding Boof?"

"Nothing. Why?"

"You just look guilty"

"BUGGER"

"So, you like Mandarin do you Boof?"

"Yeah. A little."

"You do know you're a Kookaburra?"

I don't have to take this abuse.

By God they’re quick.
I’m no slouch, but this guy beat me by a mile.
I hope no one saw that. How embarrassing.
Beaten by a piece of fruit. Didn’t even know they could move.

Enveloped in Softness

So long, farewell, auf Wiedersehen, good night.

The Sun has gone to bed, and so must I.

Goodbye…Goodbye……Goodbye.

Bawahaha Christopher. I hope you enjoyed this.

Don't worry Colin. they don't bite.

https://youtu.be/ITpX4TihgXE

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 1^st 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.

https://youtu.be/iO8dyeK76YA