My Burra Family 8 years on

This story starts with Boss. Boss is the patriarch of the family. He befriended me 8 years ago and since then, has introduced me to all of his off spring.  Boss & I had a special relationship that surpassed what I have with all the others. I truly believe he enjoyed my company.  I say “enjoyed” as I fear he & his mate Bashful have perished. I haven’t seen them for 18 months now. And with them gone, no mating pair. That means no offspring for the last 2 seasons.

Boss and I

Sad as that may be, I believe Boss has left behind his spirit.
In Boof.
Right from the get go she accepted me. Before we were even ‘introduced’ by Boss, she let me approach her while sitting on the back fence. Luckily I recorded both moments.

https://youtu.be/fKYRTAYfzy0

https://youtu.be/Za1-E0iVJ_4
Another similarity to Boss is her willingness to try new foods.

Is camera a food?

Most weekends I set the Tapas Bar with an assortment of fruits, rice & vegies for the various birds that visit my place. Mostly, I serve up stuff that shouldn’t interest a Kookaburra at all. Yet they are the first ones to check out the fare every single time.

What's this first in - best dressed bullshit.

She couldn't even wait for me to finish

Now sometimes they play with it. Other times they eat it. Like Boss, Boof tries everything. I think they use the Tapas Bar like a vitamin bar. Sampling more & more adds to the bank of knowledge.

This is play btw.

This isn't.
A little prezzie from my cats - reluctantly

Being a bird of prey, they get all sorts of vegetable matter from the gut of their prey. Their prey would also vary depending on the season, so I’m guessing they use fruit as either a supplement or a remedy.






Sampling a variety of things I think puts her in good stead for the future.

Mango

Grape

Banana

Another commonality they share, is their love for water.  

This is Boss looking like Gandalf.

He has sat thru 2 full squirt bottles of water.

Even waiting when I went off to re-fill it.

Of the 7 in the family, Boss & Boof absolutely love it, to the point of getting so wet they almost fall like a stone when they take off. Bitey, Button & Brave Baby also love it but with a lot more moderation. Bashful & Bully hate it.

This is only 5 weeks after Boss lead him to my back fence as a fledgling.

A Real water baby.
I'm hosing him late on a summers arvo

What kid doesn't like playing under the hose in summer

The possessed water baby

An Angelic water baby

A cat about to become a water baby

Did I? Or Didn't I?

Here’s Boofs first hosing

https://youtu.be/OB9GkwpmyKg

But the true similarity is our bond. Here’s another bird, like her dad, that just likes my company.

Hanging on my every word

Just Chillin

My Whirling Dervish

See you all soon (hopefully sooner than my last post)

For the Love of Baths, Food & Yoga

Mine is the backyard for the discerning bird. An upmarket resort for birds if you will. 

To start with, we have for their dining pleasure, the Tapas Bar.

Open early, our diners can select from the freshest of seasonal fruits, exotic rices & selected meats, bugs & vegetables.

Here, they are free to experiment with forbidden pleasures, without the angst of someone looking down their beak and judging them. All are equals. Birds of a Feather.

Kookaburras are free to eat fruits, Insectivores to eat eggs and Nectar-eaters rice. And all do........

Every now & then the cats present me with a Cockroach that made the mistake of heading to my veranda lights. Unfortunately for both the cats & the Cockroach (but especially the Cockroach), he is immediately placed in a container for a worse outcome in the morning. Served as a live treat to a very grateful Kookaburra.

Consuming the Cockroach was only part of his treat. His most favourite veg in the whole wide world was Chefs famous mash. No way was he sharing this with the others. Like the Cockroach, the mash was all his, his, his.

You can’t have an upmarket resort without a pool. At Kookas Retreat we have 2. 
The Tranquillity Pool is a shallow water pool heated by the rays of the early morning sun. Ideal for a morning dip, brunch from the floating Tapas Bar, or just a place to dunk your head after a big night.

Even reflections choose to dine here

Pedro thinks he’s an Ostrich.
And Ostriches stick their head in the sand.
What do you do when there is no sand handy?

The Tranquillity Pool is also a place of fun. When you’re over the stresses of the day and just wanting a place to hang and just be silly, the Tranquillity Pool waits for you.

Eye spy with my little Eye.

Who ever came up with the saying

"Water off a ducks back"

Never saw this

Splish Splash, just taking a bath.

Could this photo have inspired the "Headless Horseman" story

Koobbitism: A virus that infects birds.

How do you know if your birds are infected?

Check the photos below I took on the weekend. Notice they have transformed into evil little rabbits and their eyes have taken on that glazed-over zombie look.

What to do if you have infected birds? Lock yourself indoors, close all windows and hide under your beds.

Did you ever see the documentary by Alfred Hitchcock “The Birds”? It showed a towns bird population infected with the virus turning on their human neighbours. It scared the shit out of me, I’ll tell you.

At first it started in the Kookaburra population. Scientist are baffled by this new virus. Their biggest fear is that it may jump species. Well it seems their greatest fears have been realised. Below are 3 photos of a Satin Bowerbird. This first photo shows the UNinfected bowerbird looking on at an infected Kookaburra. The next 2 photos shows he has clearly been infected. God help us all!!

Now you can’t have a great Bar, Sensational food and an Ambiance that well, spells out L.O.V.E.

Without there being a little.

I think it’s touching that Cedrick & Daphne the Lorries, that have been together for so long, still get a kick out of just holding hands.

And have a look at Wallace’s (Wally to his friends) girlfriend. She just can’t take her eyes off him. Sheer adoration. Aint love grand.

You can see why they did a series of commercials about Rhonda & Ketut. 

Cedrick & Daphne the Lorikeets.

Love can be shown in just small gestures.

Love can also be seen in a look.

Love can be as simple as just sharing a meal.

The Tapas Bar & Tranquillity pool isn’t just about eating & drinking, although for some it is…

It’s also about relaxation. Here is Pedro Pee Wee taking us through some Yoga moves to burn off some of those excess calories you may have gained during your visit or just to center yourself.
Here are a few simple poses for beginners...................
The Mountain Pose;

The Mountain Pose;
Lift your arm to 90 degrees

Then extend your body on a horizontal angle while standing on tippy toes.

The Spinnaker Pose;

The Spinnaker Pose;
Center your weight evenly between you feet while extending your arm out at 45 degrees at the same time spreading your fingers as shown

The Scarecrow Pose;

The Scarecrow Pose;
Rotate your shoulder blades by extending your arms far behind your head, then move your forearms at 45 degrees

I did mention earlier on that we had in fact 2 pools. This is the latest addition to my yard to make my bird experiences more memorable. The Wrens Splash Pool.

While it might be heaven for the birds, the fish I got to eat the Mosquito wrigglers must think they have been delivered to some sort of hell. They were even visited by the yellow eyed Devil himself.

It only took 24 hours for Wallace (Wally to his friends) to discover the cool, soothing waters of the Splash Pool. He now visits it daily for a swim and a flutter.

They say Birds are one step removed from Dinosaurs.

Here Red the Red Wattlebird looks onto a Jurassic Park reflection from a  millennium ago.

Well that’s it for this post, except I’ll leave you with a thought;

Tapas Bar Life lesson No 1

When you expect someone to jump thru hoops for you…….

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Make it achievable