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…….

< 
< 
Make it achievable

Feeding Birds - Good or Bad #5 & last post for the survey

Well the National Bird Feeding survey has finished.

For the last week of the survey I moved Headley to the water of the Tranquillity Pool, to give the researchers a different photo perspective. And what a bonus both them and I got.

As well as some sensational photos, I had two new visitors, but more on them later.

23/8/16

Tapas Bar
Today’s Menu; Rice & sliced Grapes.
During the 20 minutes; Today's attendees were Mal the Noisy Miner, New visitor #1, Red the Red Wattlebird and Brad & Shiloh the Satin Bowerbirds.

Mal the Noisy Miner popping in for brekkie

before going off to do what Noisy Miner's do.

Hassle the shit out of everyone.

The bird on the left I Red, so named after his big red wattles.

The bird on the right is his latest beau.

Last years partners to Red was Little John.

They raised a Koel chick earlier this year.

Tunnel Vision

Red's new girlfriend really has some heart.

Not bad. Staring down a Pied Currawong..

She didn't budge an inch.

Unlike Red, who knows when discretion is the better part of valour.

Brad enjoying a very wet grape.

MINE!! ALL MINE!!

DIDN'T YOU HEAR ME!!

MINE!! ALL MINE!!

Visitor #1 was a Pied Currawong.

The Look that gave Headley nightmares for nights.

My next door neighbour’s palm has gone into berry. This has attracted a group of Currawongs. About 6.
They perch in the tree behind my place, and take turns flying over to pick berries. This flight path takes them directly over the Tapas Bar. They totally ignore it, which I find amazing.
Well a a couple of weeks ago I watched one annoy the hell out of what looked like a raw potato. Where the potato came from is a mystery.
This morning as I was sitting Headley in the Tranquillity Pool, I had fashioned some raw potato into a seat for Headley. His mount is underneath him, so he can’t sit on a flat surface.
Well just after, a Currawong flew down to the fence. He was queued up waiting his turn at the berries. Sitting on my veranda some 5 meters away, I grabbed a cube of potato and tossed it next to the Tranquillity Pool, hoping he would fly past Headley to check it out. He did better.

A Pied Currawong enjoying the fruits of my labour.

Now as luck would have it, one of those chunks landed in the Tranquillity Pool. What a photo I got. So I went down to the Tranquillity Pool to get closer & repeated. Well, I’ll let you be the judge. None of the splash photos weren't submitted in the survey.

Not a bad throw......

From 5 meters away.

A more controlled attempt;

An Implosion

An Explosion

An Ice Sculpture.

The Olympic Swimmer

The Tranquillity Pool. The Pied Currawong was the only one to visit, and gave me some great photos.

After hours were pretty quiet as well.

26/8/16

Tapas Bar
Today’s Menu; Sliced grapes, diced banana & rice.
During the 20 minutes; Today's attendees were Red's girlfriend, Mick & Mal the Noisy Miners, Pedro, both Brad & Shiloh and mystery quest #2. A Silver Gull.

Red's girlfriend & Shiloh sizing each other up.

Mal's mate Mick said he was flying in,

and would he like a catch up?

Mal says "no worries mate,

I'll get us a table at the Tapas Bar"

"Make sure it's on the water Mall"

Mirror Mirror on the water...

Who's the prettiest Pee Wee...

To never falter.

OK. YOU come up with better

Shiloh making a colourful entrance

Brad does like his grapes

Shiloh multi-tasking.

Enjoying a grape & seeing off Red's girlfriend.

Both Shiloh & his dad are partial to a bit of Banana.

Visitor #2. A Silver Gull.

This guy landed on the back fence. After yesterdays success with the potato & the Currawong

And having some left over potato, I tried again.

That caught his attention. He flew over and took interest

in a slice of grape one of the Bowerbirds dropped.

The Tranquillity Pool. Shiloh was the only one today.

Having a long cool draft

Not really

Birds can't suck in water like we do

They need to fill their beak with water and tilt their head back.

Except Doves & Pigeons. They're like us.

Not many animals can btw.

After hours were good. There were fights, plenty of drinking & sex.

The body language speaks heaps.

Shiloh's heckles raise on the back of his neck.

Direct eye contact.

Changes stance and gets......

A quizzical look

She even went eye to eye with the Judge

The Judge is drinking. Drinking like we might.

Good opportunity for Red's girl to grab a feed.

I once had someone ask me....

Have you ever had bad sex?....

NO! I replied.

But I've slept with plenty of women that have.

28/8/16
Tapas Bar
Today’s Menu; Sliced grapes, diced banana & rice.
During the 20 minutes. Being the last report, I decided to mix it up a little.
I started by hand feeding my Kookas, then set the Tapas Bar. Bitey & Bully the Kookaburras turned up for the hand feed. As did Stan the Grey Butcherbird Brad. For the Tapas Bar, Shiloh, followed by Red, Mal, Stan, then Bully & Button the Kookas. Pretty good last report.

Bitey enjoying some BBQ Chook neck.

His appreciation

He stroked my face with Gossamer Wings.

Stan the Grey Butcherbird

A real bandit

Brad. We know his preference......

As with Shiloh.

The Golden Snitch

Red's girlfriend

Red.

The rice is Mals size.

All he can do is lick the grapes.

Decisions, decisions.

What will take his fancy?

The meat of course.

Grey bookends.

This chunk of meat had Buttons name all over it.

He needed to get it first as Bully was hot on his trail.

A poor second prize.

Bully with the scraps.

The Tranquillity Pool. The Judge & Mal turned up for a drink, but unfortunately Headley was pointed elsewhere.

After hours the only photo worth a mention was this.

The predator is up there.
Circling. Waiting.
At last, and unsuspecting Wattlebird approaches the Tapas Bar.
The hunter needs to take its quarry on the wing. On land, he would never succeed as his quarry is many times his size.
Silently he drops. Wings tucked in. He is a rocket....
Levelling off at the last second, he will get only 1 attempt at this.
He must grab his quarry on the beak to avoid being injured or even killed by it.
Today Mal the Noisy Miner is successful, and flies off with the hapless Wattlebird in tow.

Well, that's the survey over. I've sent a copy of each of these 5 posts to Grainne. She's heading this project up.  My goal at the start of this survey was not only to participate, but to give detailed background that a photo doesn't give. I'm sure they've found it interesting. They have also been treated with some great photos. I'll look forward to their next survey.

Well that's it for now folks.
Stay safe & well.
Here's a video of me playing with Bitey
https://youtu.be/sN5-8lKZrGc