Wednesday 27 February 2013

Birds and Flowers


I am posting some photos of local birds for anyone who is interested and particularly for Michael Perchard who kindly posted great photos on his blog of beautiful Cardinals and Chickadees from his local area in the USA.
First a distraction though, with the above photo I took yesterday of our Red Cap Gum, flowering in all its glory. It almost looks as if the photo is upside down but that's just because of it's weeping habit. It often has a gaggle of feral Rainbow Lorikeets visiting but not yesterday when I had my camera at the ready. We used to get a lot of the Twenty Eight Parrots in our garden but since the unwelcome proliferation of the lorikeets we don't often see them in the back yard. They are still easy to spot in local bushland thankfully. Here is one below.


The Pink and Grey Galahs are amongst my favourite birds.  They have a wonderful sense of humour and are very raucous. I'm sure they even play chicken on the roads. We've had them waddle across in front of us, taking their time and swaggering with nonchalance, only to fly off with seconds to spare. They fly in flocks and descend on trees or grassed areas like a bunch of juvenile delinquents. Last year when driving through the wheatbelt we saw hundreds of them wheeling through the sky as one.  I'd forgotten how big their flocks could grow to in the open country. They nest high up in tree hollows.


Last but not least today is a photo of some Kookaburras from the kingfisher family - also ferals to our state from the East. They have been established here since before I was born and I was well into adulthood before I knew they were blow-ins.  They make the greatest sound imaginable. They laugh like hysterical maniacs when at full throttle.


4 comments:

  1. Wendy!
    Now I love Australia even more!
    So appropriate that I am the first to comment on this wonderful post!
    The flowers and the birds are so very beautiful! So different from what we have in New England! Thank you for taking the time to photograph, post, and write such enjoyable information! Now I am going to google Australia again. This time for its flowers and birds! Now I will be humming "Waltzing Matllda" all day!
    Michael

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    Replies
    1. I'm glad you enjoyed seeing the birds Michael, it is nice to have an appreciative audience!
      It makes you see things through fresh eyes when you know that people from other areas view your everyday surroundings as exotic.
      I'm looking forward to seeing a photo of your first hummingbird visitors in spring. Although, maybe they are difficult to capture on film.
      Happy painting!
      Wendy

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  2. Such wonderful flora and feathers...I love how unique many are to Australia...i always felt it was like another world within the same one:)
    The Ghala's are so pretty, and the lorikeets and parrots.

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  3. Yes the parrots and their ilk are very vibrant and pretty, but some of them - like the black cockatoo can't claim to have a particularly pretty call. I love the character of their squawks nonetheless. I would love to see some photos of your local Canadian birds if you should feel so inspired.

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