We have had a week of storms. I love storms, and so do the
Storm Birds (nickname for Asian Koels).
The other day, as storms approached, so did my Storm Birds
to the trees behind my place.
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| catch me if you can |
I wandered down with the hope of getting a decent photo. I
have been trying for a couple of years to get a photo, but they have a knack for
hiding behind branches and stuff. Why
they’re remarkable, beside their bird calls, is what they do. They are what is
known as Brood Parasites. They lay their eggs in other birds’ nests, and those
parents raise the chick as their own.
Anyway, I’m standing under the tree it’s perched in, camera raised above my head – shutter ½ depressed to lock focus – for 10 or 15 mins. At this time a neighbour approached enquiring what I was doing. With cramps starting in both shoulders, I was glad for the distraction.
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| you move...I'll move |
I was explaining my efforts to get a photo of this bird in
flight, and what it was & what it did & blah, blah, blah, and it flew
off (Bugger).
As it turned out I was lucky to be down there, as a Nankeen Night Heron landed in the Mangroves behind the tree. I have only seen this guy 1/2 a dozen times in the 10 years I've been here.
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| Rare visitor - Nankeen Night Heron |
Back on the veranda waiting for the storm to hit, I noticed
a Lorikeet jumping thru the long grass.
Now this is unusual, so it caught my attention. I thought
poor bugger has “Runner Disease”. A disease where their tail feathers fall out
– and is fatal.
It then made that squawking “Feed me call” that young birds
do. I then realised it wasn’t a tail-less Lori, but a young bird that hasn’t
grown one yet. It could fly (as on
sunset it flew off with mum), but certainly was more comfortable walking.
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| these boots were made for walking..... |
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| Cedrick |
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| Cedrick, what is he doing? |
The next day he appeared in the same tree with his sibling. They were inseparable. If they sat, it was shoulder to shoulder. When one went for a bit of a walk the other followed.
And they were curious.
When taking photos of them they couldn’t take their eyes off
me.
Then we played a game.
I would move to get a better angle, and they would jump
& rotate so they couldn’t see me.
I would move to in front of them again, and they would again
show me their back. Not wanting to stress them, I left.
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| Cedrick, will you protect me? |
Now for my Family’s update;
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| Boss just loves a neck scratch |
They have all been hungry of late, well hungrier than usual. I’m
guessing the chicks are getting bigger and needing more food.
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|
Queued up
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In this video, I need an Air Traffic Controller. We have
Bashful who is doing “Touch & Go’s”, Boss, Brave Baby & Bully Baby all
on different flight paths. And it ends with Bully Baby taking out her wrath on
my finger.
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| It's the quick..... |
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| ....the near miss |
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| and the hungry |
Whereas they used to have a bit of a feed & fly with off with some, now they consume the lot. I can only guess that they offer up most of their catch during the day, before I give them a feed later in the arvo?
This is the call they make when they intend to take their morsel back to the chicks. Note how it excites Brave Baby & Bully Baby (both females) into chasing him.
I have noticed of late Bully Baby is more acceptable to being hand fed. She has always been aloof, tending to grab meat in the air (a trick she learnt). Most times if you approach her, she would fly off.
She has always been a headache for the others (truly suited
to her name), but of late she’s had the “Dirt’s” with everyone. No one is spared
her scorn.
Now she is trying it out on me.
And let me tell you, when she latches on she hurts. The
photos show she is so bloody obvious in her intentions.
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| sizing me up |
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| Sorry, I missed - twas an accident |
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| She is 1 determined bird |
