Australia Day - the Kookaburra Way

I wanted to get an iconic Aussie photo to celebrate Australia Day.

What better than a Kookaburra & the Australian Flag.
I had a few ideas.
I set the flag on the veranda the arvo before for a practice run.

It was a bit windy and the flag spooked the guys when I called them in. But this was only a practice run to check Headley’s (the camera) position, angle & focus.

A few amendments to position & we’re ready for tomorrow.

All I need is fair weather, no wind & playful Kookaburras.
Well, I got all three.

Up early, I was greeted with Blue Skies, Calm conditions and 3 playful Kookaburras.

I wanted to get a photo of a Kookaburra flying in front of the flag.

So….
flag – set,
Camera – set,
bait - laid,
Coffee – set.
Let’s play ball.

He wanted to.
I wanted him to.
I needed him to fly in front of the flag to get his treat.
He needed to fly in front of the Flag to claim his treat.
A collaboration of sorts....
Seemed we both needed to give this more thought.
He couldn’t turn left because Headley was there.
I’ll admit he failed with grace. Realising he had nowhere to go he face planted the flag.
Then proceeded to slide down like a slippery dip. Sliding off the bottom he flew on his way feeling a little bemused.
He learnt from this.

Seemed we both needed to give this more thought.
He couldn’t turn right because Headley was there.
I’ll admit he failed with grace. Realising he had nowhere to go he face planted the flag.
Then proceeded to slide down like a slippery dip. Sliding off the bottom he flew on his way feeling a little bemused.
He learnt from this

OH...........

SHIT.......

WOOO HOOOOO...

That. Was. Fun.

Not knowing when the wind that was expected would arrive, I was keen to get on to my next idea.

For this I needed to coax Button to sit on the Flag.

He took to it like a Pro.

Setting the stage.
Last minute rehearsals,
Sound & Camera checked.
Lines gone over.
I think we're good to go live.

Quietly I whispered “I need you to show-off for me Button. Can you do that for me?”

I wasn’t prepared for the response.

He jumped on to the flag, and looked at me for approval.

"What a good Kooka you are Button.

Any chance for a profile shot?"

Like This?"

"What about a song" I asked.
"Songs I can do"

Hey True blue, is it me and you?
Is it mum and dad, is it a cockatoo?
Is it standing by your mate?
When he's in a fight or just Vegemite
True blue, I'm asking you

So, I had what I needed for the “Stand on Flag” photos and I couldn’t be more chuffed.

The wind wasn’t up yet, and I needed some more “Fly Bye” photos.
Again Button jumped at the opportunity.

"Look Headley. I think I came in a bit too low.

Stay loaded & I'll try again.

"What about this Headley?"

"You nailed it with that one Button"

After a couple of hours of fun, the wind came up. Time for a change of venue.

Now Kookaburras are an Aussie icon, but we have more than just Kookas.

I repositioned the Flag to the Tapas Bar to see if any of the other locals wanted their photo taken with the Flag.

A few did.

Reds neighbours had invited him over for a BBQ.
Being Nectar eaters they usually aren’t invited to these types of functions.
But Australia Day and all, he said he’d love to come.
“Good they said. Don’t bring a thing”
“Sweeet”..............

“I so need to take something. But what to bring?”
The solution was just down the reserve. Red knew the Tapas Bar was putting on a family day, and Chef would be there. He’d know what to take.
“What are your thoughts on this Red?” asked Chef.
“I was thinking a life size nectar jelly model of me…or…”
“May I suggest you grab a tender bit of steak instead? It’s not like you could take a box of Cadbury Favorites”
"Thanks Chef. Gotta fly"

From atop his lofty perch, Button spotted a new angle for Headley.
He yelled out “Here I come Headley, get a photo when I’m alongside the flag”
Button. Always looking to please.

"Keep rolling Headley" he said.

"I'll try & give you a good lift-off pose"

And pose he did.

Brad the Bowerbird was the next one wanting his photo taken.

If I'm having my photo taken in front of the flag,

I want to say something memorable.

Looking at the flag for inspiration, he turns slowly and says..........

Aussie, Aussie, Aussie. Oi, Oi, Oi.

Well that's how I celebrated Australia.

It will be hard to beat next year.

Kookas Enrichment Day

"Lord, why do you punish me so? When I said I'd like to be joined at the hips, this is NOT what I meant"
Lords reply, "What? Aren't I allowed a sense of humour. Bwahahaha"

My Sisters were up for the weekend, and is customary (& most times necessary) to serve Bacon & Eggs for brekkie the next morn.  I love visits from my Sisters and so do my Kookas, as it’s one of the few times I get to eat bacon. My Kookas get the rind - Bacon Snakes.
I would normally cut it up into mini bacon snakes, but decided today to leave them long so I could tie them to the table. I thought it would give them a bit of fun, and me some good photo ops.

I like to challenge them. I think they do to.

I think I was right on both counts.

Yeah Team! Someone's had a birthday.

Button was the first in. She always is. As soon as I start to lay the Tapas Bar, she lands on the fence because she knows what’s coming. Often I shoo her off because she wants to get in before the Camera's set up, as was the case this morning. Anyway I tied two Bacon Snakes to the table, laid some grapes & some prawn heads, and waited to see what happened.
Button returned and set straight into the Bacon Snake. Grabbing a beak full, she proceeded to play a game of Tug of War. The harder she pulled the tighter the knot got. She came to standstill.

How I love Bacon Snakes.

Come here my little treat.



She could pull no harder & yet the Bacon Snake wouldn’t move an inch.
It was dug in like a brown tick on a black dog.
All she could do was maintain the pressure & growl at it.
She then applied more pressure by flapping backwards.
Still to no avail.

I've got it this time.

Another approach was required, but what could it be? After trying Tug of War for a couple of minutes, she has a moment of genius.  “If I allow some slack, then throw myself backwards, that might break this Serpent from Hells back.  

I have your measure this time serpent.

Prepare to be bested.

Success, well sort of. It moved a bit. Each time she tried she got a little further. I couldn’t wait for that last jerk that was going to release the Bacon Snake from its vice like grip, and send her cartwheeling backwards off the table.  

I should have thought this out a bit more.

This is going to get embarrassing real soon.

FINALLY. She got her reward. But her method is flawed. It takes too long and invites the others to interject.
Expecting her to fly off with her quarry to smash it up. I was shocked to see her swallow it in one piece. I suppose that’s what they do with snakes.

Ha, I knew you'd give up your demon like purchase.

Eventually.

So how do you eat such a Devil Serpent.

Piece by ever lovin piece.

Aaaahhhhhhhh,

Think I could do another one of them

So, now there’s still one Bacon Snake left and she gets stuck into that. Her flawed method had consequences. Boss, who’d been sitting atop the tree behind, chuckling away, thought it was time for a lesson. Arriving, mid “Tug of War”, he lands with one foot squarely on the knot.

Looks like you have your beak full. I'll understand if you don't answer.

But let me give you a hand, Button.

Now look closely. One claw is over the Bacon Snake Button’s got a hold of, the other two however, dug into the knot & he grabs it ½ way along the Bacon Snake. A brief stare off with his daughter, while his claws dig deeper into the knot, then he took one step backwards & let gravity do its thing. Falling from the table, his claw severed the knot, the knot unravelled, the Bacon Snake broke where he had grabbed it, and he ended up with the lions share.

"I've been watching your progress Button. And it has one big flaw"

"Yeah. What's that Dad"

"You let me help.

I LOVE Bacon Snakes"

Now Bitey (Buttons older brother) had been watching intently. He goes to St Francis of Assisi Bird School and is the smart one.

“So the knot is the weak point” he thinks.

“Although Dad’s way worked, it still took too much time.” Bitey mused. He realised that if only the top part on the knot was pulled, the knot parted. Time to undo & eat was only seconds as opposed to minutes.

Could I apply Pythagoras’s theorem or maybe Fulcrums Law?

I need to study this closely.

By Jove, I think I've got it.

THE KNOT. The knot is always the weak point.

Well that's it for this post. I hope you enjoyed the read & photos.

See you all next post

Meet the family

Boss Burra

Boss Burra is my favourite. Boss is one of the breeding pair & the smartest of the lot.  It was thru his lead that all of this that follows, is possible. He was the first to; fly up to catch food, be hand fed, perch on my hand & be fed. I have a special bond with Boss. He will even accept a hug (although I’m not sure how much he enjoys that – I’ll let you be the judge of that).

These are the sort of vids I intend to post.

Often after feed time, he seems content just to sit next to my elbow, and enjoy the moment, as we look out over the view at dusk.

Kookaburra Feeding - Boss Burra#1                  

 

Bashful Burra

I believe this to be the Mate with Boss Barra. This one is much more timid & thus the name. A bit uncomfortable with the whole thing. She will land on the rail and be fed, but she flies off to eat. It’s the same with sitting on my hand to be fed. She is happy to sit there for a while with the promise of food, but once fed flies off to eat. And she is the least often to feed. I have a Spur tree opposite (where they all congregate), and quite often she will sit up top & just observe.




Bashful doing her thing video
Kookaburra Family - This one is called Bashful Burra 

       
Bitey Burra

This is last year’s fledgling. He was named for his ability to miss the food 90% of the time & bite my finger. To this day he still does it (although not as often). This one has a cheeky character. If I get distracted feeding another, he will try to pinch some food from the plate. I then took to laying a welding glove over the plate, and he still persists with trying to nudge it off.

Brave Baby Burra



One of this year’s fledglings (2). His name was obvious from the get go. So ready to do anything. I think he definitely has Boss Burra’s genes. He took to hand feeding straight away. Within a couple of weeks he was happy to perch on my hand while being hand fed, and now will also accept a hug. He is also happy to sit inside my elbow, which protects him from attack from his twin.

 

 

 

Bully Baby Burra

Boy, was this one different from the start. From fledgling stage he was aggressive to the rest. Most of the aggression was aimed at his sibling (Brave Baby), he copped the brunt of it. It wasn’t long until that aggression was shown to the others. He would even attack his parents. I think he has behaviour problems. When he attacks it’s not just beak jousting (normal). He grabs them from the neck, wing, whatever part he can get a hold of. Another vid I will post.  Yet he is the hardest to feed. Most timid, I’m not sure. On some occasions he will happily sit on my hand to be fed (only when he sees food), but most times not. He seems to have formed some sort of bond with Bitey. But even Bitey is not immune from his attacks, but when they fly up to the She Oak tree behind, most times he perches next to Bitey.

Bitey about to get a surprise from his little Sister