Sunday Selections was originally brought to us by Kim, of Frogpondsrock, as an ongoing meme where participants could post previously unused photos languishing in their files.
The meme is now continued by River at Drifting through life. The rules are so simple as to be almost non-existent. Post some photos under the title Sunday Selections and link back to River. Clicking on any of the photos will make them embiggen.
Like River I usually run with a theme. The skinny one is visiting his sister and I am having a couple of blissfully quiet and peaceful days. Mind you, the quiet is interrupted early by visiting birds. And I don't mind one little bit.
The meme is now continued by River at Drifting through life. The rules are so simple as to be almost non-existent. Post some photos under the title Sunday Selections and link back to River. Clicking on any of the photos will make them embiggen.
Like River I usually run with a theme. The skinny one is visiting his sister and I am having a couple of blissfully quiet and peaceful days. Mind you, the quiet is interrupted early by visiting birds. And I don't mind one little bit.
The corellas arrive early.
They are followed by the King Parrots, who delight in apple which we put out for them. They also rip off the camellia buds. And flowers. And vandals that they are, are still more than welcome. Adult males have the red/orange head and females the green. Until they get their adult plumage all of them have green heads - but the males can be identified because their beaks have a pink tinge.
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| Despite the green head, this is a male, yet to get his adult plumage |
Then the cockatoos. This pair had a beak-off, jockeying for prime position.
Noisy, messy (spreading seed and bits of apple from Christmas to breakfast), incontinent, vandals - and so very welcome.
I especially enjoyed your king parrots but the cockatoos grooming each other was a treat too. I am glad the Skinny One is able to travel. Must be on the mend.
ReplyDeleteSue in Italia/In the Land Of Cancer: The smaller portion is improving. I am loving my respite though. And the birds.
DeleteWonderful birds! And you have all that extra time to gaze at them. Your pictures are sure fun. :-)
ReplyDeleteDJan: I spend a lot of time each and every day watching the birds. We all do, though our motives are different.
DeleteHow close do they allow you to get to them?
ReplyDeleteBirdie: Quite close. Each year some of the King Parrots allow us to hand feed them and almost all of the birds which visit us are quite happy six to eight feet away from us. Some closer.
DeleteAs always, I am loving seeing the birds we never have come to visit here! Enjoy your days of peace. I've got the house to myself today as well. I was going to garden, but it is thundering now!
ReplyDeleteSusan F.: I am considering going back to bed for a bit. An almost unheard of luxury. I hope to do a bit of gardening when I resurface.
DeleteI remember such birds when I visited friends in Brisbane and Sydney many years ago. I recall being bowled over by having such exotic birds in your back gardens!
ReplyDeleteCraig: Both Sydney and Brisbane see birds that I don't. I do love the ones that visit us, but will admit to some world wide avian envy. Almost everywhere gets birds which I would love to see in person.
DeleteI didn't know about the plumage colour change in male King parrots. We kept a pair in a large aviary when we were kids. With adult wisdom, it was probably quite unkind to have such birds in captivity. Cockatoos are such naughty but entertaining birds to watch. I saw a photo yesterday of them ripping some sort of tactile indicators for blind people from a train station platform.
ReplyDeleteAndrew: I will try and capture one in 'mid change'. They can look quite bizarre. Yes on the birds in captivity front. My mother had a cockatoo in a large aviary. He ate his way out, and fortunately stayed around. We never tried to cage him again. I suspect he suffered until he took his chance though.
DeleteWhen I see the damage that cockies do, I am grateful that they are not as intelligent as New Zealand's kea. Very, very smart, powerful and destructive birds.
A beak off--how funny. I have two chipmunks who occasionally encounter each other at the spilled bird seed pile. Certainly two males, for they go at each other running on back legs and chest thumping each other until one hides in the lilies, to raid the seed pile later.
ReplyDeleteJoanne Noragon: I don't know which of us coined the term 'beak off' but that is what it is. Sometimes noisy too as the beaks clash. Love the image of your chest thumping chipmunks. Testosterone doesn't seem to change much from species to specie.
DeleteThey're cousins, uncles and aunts live up this way!
ReplyDeleteHave a great week, EC....cuddles to Jazz and Jewel. Stay warm. :)
Lee: And long may they breed. Lovely things. Jazz n Jewel headed outside this morning, said 'sod that for a game of soldiers' and have retreated inside to the warmth. Which I expect they will continue to do for the next few months.
DeleteLove your cooktops beaking off! That is so funny, and great to capture on camera. The king parrots are such beautiful birds. Love them.
ReplyDeleteCountryMum: Do the cockies and king parrots wreak much damage on your farm? I love them, but they can be destructive. And the cockies particularly come in some very large flocks.
DeleteWow, I love the looks of those red and green birds, the King Parrots, right. The one looks just like Christmas!
ReplyDeleteBookie: And the King Parrots will stay with us until Christmas too. They can camoflague themselves amazingly well in the camellias.
DeleteI know just what you mean.
ReplyDeleteI have a collection of garden birds which are messy and muck spreading and noisy and scrabbling all day long. And I constantly feed them!
Friko: I wish they wouldn't guzzle all the mulberries though. And it means that the bird crap is virtually indelible. There are some purple stains on the veranda that I cannot shift.
DeleteAnother year rolls around with the coming of the birds. I never knew that difference in head colour of rosellas. enjoy your visitors EC!
ReplyDeletecarolincairns: Young crimson rosellas are largely green too. And look quite scruffy when they are acquiring their adult dress. Love them all, and enjoy them more than most visitors.
DeleteAmazing birds and photos!
ReplyDeleteAlex J. Cavanaugh: We are very, very lucky.
DeleteDo you think this winter there are more birds around, I do.
ReplyDeleteMerle..............
Merlesworld: At the moment there are. We had over a dozen King Parrots this morning, and about the same number of cockatoos. I wonder whether food is scarce in their 'home' territory?
DeleteI LOVED this post!!
ReplyDeletefishducky: I am glad. I have loved rather a lot of yours.
DeleteBeautiful! I just love the colors. I bet the corellas are fun to watch!
ReplyDeleteTeresa Hennes: All of them are wonderful to watch. We spend a lot of time glued to the windows...
DeleteAs always, I love the corellas best!
ReplyDeleteSusan Kane: I knew they had won your heart.
DeleteSo very, very gorgeous - the birds, the flowers, and cerulean blue sky!
ReplyDeleteI'm glad you're enjoying a bit of rest and quiet. :)
River Fairchild: Today I was up early, fed the cats, fed the birds, looked at some blogs - and went back to bed. My to-do list is largely untouched. And I don't care.
DeleteWhen the Corellas arrive here, usually when the Cotoneasters are in berry, the noise is unbelievable.
ReplyDeleteJ Cosmo Newbery: We have at least some Corellas all year round. They are not musical, or quiet, but I love them anyway.
DeleteThey sound nicer than the blue Jays that have been tormenting our cats, who are convinced that they're soooo close to being able to eat little blue chickens.
ReplyDeleteRiot Kitty: Jazz n Jewel would want blue chicken too. Jewel has ambitions on a cockatoo - who are at least as big and as well armed (perhaps better) as she is.
DeleteHow wonderful, birds and blooms, and a few days on your own!
ReplyDeleteKaren: It is wonderful. Birds, blooms, books and bliss.
DeleteWhat beautiful photos and what lovely birds. I am so glad you are having a few days respite, you certainly deserve it.
ReplyDeleteI think I like the corellas best, but not sure why. The others are gorgeous too and I think the yellow crested are always having a bit of a barney.
You are so fortunate to have such visitors. We see and hear parrots fly overhead at times but they seldom settle.
Thank you for sharing such beauty with us, and that camellia too.
Mimsie: Deserved or not, I am loving my respite. And the birds. The cockatoos were indeed having words. Not serious though, and quickly resolved.
DeleteLoved those photos of the birds. I showed hubs, as he was an avid birder before his heart attack, and still likes seeing them. His favourites in our part of the world are woodpeckers. We visited the Audubon House in Key West, too, and were astonished at the hefty prices they charge for prints. Beautiful colour captured in your images and your camera work was sharp!
ReplyDeleteD.G Hudson: Thank you. Woodpeckers are an exotic I would dearly love to see. There are some marvellous bird blogs around, which I look at in wonder. If you think your husband (or you) would be interested let me know and I will send you some links.
DeleteSure, I'd love to check out those links. Thanks for the offer. Hubs can use anything that helps with neuroplasticity-or creating new brain connections, and learning is one the best ways to do that.
DeleteLink to a double woodpecker shot that was taken in the backyard of a previous house:
http://dghudson.blogspot.ca/2013/02/backyard-birds-woodpeckers.html
D.G Hudson: Three links to start with. All of them are very, very skilled photographers who mostly post birds. Ron and Mia post every day, and Bob most days.
DeleteRon's blog can be found here.
Mia's here.
And Bob Bushell's here. Bob had a stroke and his mobility is impaired, as is his reading but his photos, particularly of plumage and water, are a joy.
the king parrot is definitely king, enjoy your blissfulness
ReplyDeleteLinda Starr: He is - and I am. Lots.
DeleteI LOVE the jostling cockatoos. I don't see many around here any more. More of the trees have been cut down and the trunks removed, only one tree is left for the cockatoos now :(
ReplyDeleteRiver: Tree removal is always sad. And I suspect it will take a while for the cockatoos to find replacements.
DeleteThese are all beautiful birds and grat shots of them. I see in some years you can hand feed some of them that would be great. Sorry I did not have time while aaway (still away) to do the word/ story.
ReplyDeleteMargaret Adamson: I hope we can hand feed the Kings again this year. It is odd, because they are such timid birds, easily scared off by other birds, that they will (sometimes) eat from our hands.
DeleteHopefully you will be able to play Words for Wednesday this week.
After another weekend on the wetlands it's especially lovely to see pictures of birds that have only been shot at with a camera - thank you!
ReplyDeleteKim: I am very sad to hear that you are continuing to see birds which have been shot. Sad and bad.
DeleteBeautiful images of the Parrots and Cockatoos, lovely.
ReplyDeleteBob Bushell: A daily delight.
DeleteI would love to have these beautiful, incontinent, creatures in my yard also.
ReplyDeleteStarting Over, Accepting Changes - Maybe: I do. We do. And merely scrub and sweep the veranda often.
DeleteAhhh, the beauty of nature. That's the best thing about this time of year!
ReplyDeleteStephanie Faris: Just going into winter here - and they are still beautiful. And marvellous.
DeleteOOOOOOO, they are kissing :) xxxx
ReplyDeleteMy Inner Chick: Squabbling, rather than kissing. But lovely.
Deleteha ha...'vandals'...so beautiful. Loved the shots against the blue sky. Cool.
ReplyDeleteAuthor R. Mac Wheeler: Vandals they are. Houses are not safe. Light fittings are a toy. Plants are a toy. Vandals I am always happy to see.
DeleteI wish we had them here. Our birds seem bland by comparison. So I nominated you for the Liebster award and you probably hate those, and I know why now, because they're somewhat of a pain, but I did it, and I dutifully nominated six blogs, yours included. If you want to do it, you can see the details on my blog post today. No pressure.
ReplyDeleteStrayer: I envy you some birds as well. We also have some bland birds - but I am obsessed anyway. Thank you for the Liebster award, but no, I won't be playing.
DeleteI'm so jealous of the phenomenal photos you get of your visitors!!
ReplyDeleteRaquel Somatra: Thank you. However, if you want to see amazing bird photography, check out the links in my response to D.G Hudson. True photographers. Who fill me with awe.
DeleteLove the birds. Spring migration is just about done here and the foliage is so thick it's hard to spot anyone. But we did discover some goslings in the little pond on our road. So cute.
ReplyDeletemshatch: Goslings? Ooooh. Baby birds are super cute (once they have feathers). Winter is coming in here, and the birds are grateful for extra sustenance. And I am grateful to see them. Win/win.
DeleteI'm going to camp in your garden one of these days, and have a visit with your feathery friends!
ReplyDeleteJacquelineand...: You would be more than welcome. Much more.
DeleteEnjoy your solitude! I'm doing the opposite right now, visiting my family in Florida.
ReplyDeleteThe birds around here are not as dramatic and the cockatoos and their friends.
neena maiya: Enjoy your family. Revel in them - as I revel in the last shreds of my solitude.
DeleteI'm glad you are getting a chance to have some rest and relaxation. Enjoy :)
ReplyDeletejenny_o: Only hours left - but I loved it. I wouldn't mind some more, but am grateful for what I received.
DeleteI can see why they're welcome, in spite of the somewhat dirty list you attributed to them. :) Real beauts!
ReplyDeletemail4rosey: I clean up after other things which bring me much less pleasure. The birds are more than welcome.
DeleteLove your birds, EC, just as I love mine, and celebrate the differences. So interesting to see how a few hours separation gives us each different bird life. Though we are both blessed with those charming vandals, the SulphurCrestedCockatoo! Can't beat them so we have to love them.
ReplyDeleteCarol: I am endlessly fascinated by the difference a couple of hours, couple of hundred kilometres can make. And love the big white vandals. Seeing them swinging from the rubber seals they peel away from street lights cracks me up every time.
DeleteWhat beautiful birds. You're so fortunate to have such lovely creatures in your skies.
ReplyDeletePhillipH: They are regular visitors here, and we do know how lucky we are.
DeleteI like the intensity of color of the red bird.
ReplyDeleteLux G.: Stunning isn't he?
DeleteGreat photos. The red and green of the king parrot are amazing.
ReplyDeleteCherie Colyer: They are even brighter in the flesh. In the feather?
DeleteCockatoos are very entertaining and get starring roles at amusement parks around here - at least, they did when I was a kid. But I prefer the red ones. They're gorgeous.
ReplyDeleteTake care, EC. Have a nice June.
Rawknrobyn: Cockatoos are entertaining. I prefer them free though. For some reason I think that caged birds are the saddest of all the caged animals.
DeleteA wonderful chocolate filled June to you too.
It must be amazing to see birds like these just out and about - they are all in cages here (which is sad to me.)
ReplyDeleteLove seeing them and reading your reading list!
Lynn: I agree with you about caged birds. A sadness. A big sadness.
DeleteGlad that you like these beauties - and my eclectic reading.
"Noisy, messy, incontinent, vandals" - sounds like my friends, hahahaha. I jest - mostly. Gorgeous pictures, such plumage! And the red flower too, it matches the birds, marvellous stuff.
ReplyDeleteAll Consuming: The King Parrots use the camellia as camoflague. Quite successfully.
DeleteIt seems we share some friends...
Well, they wouldn't look as cute with little diapers. I get it though. I don't get the beautiful visitors you do and I don't know the names of birds. But any who visit are welcome and I don't even mind cleaning up. I'm always memsmerized by your pictures, and a little jealous.
ReplyDeleteMyrna R: Birds in nappies//diapers? Shudder. I too suffer from bird and garden envy when I cruise the blogosphere. Often.
DeleteDelightful birds, lovely photos EC!
ReplyDeleteKaren: Thank you.
DeleteYour birds are sure showier than my birds. We do share camellias though.
ReplyDeleteSnowbrush: Perhaps your birds are just more skilled at hiding in the camellias? Ours blend in well - until they rip the buds off.
DeleteWhat beautiful birds :), i love your pictures.
ReplyDeletetotallycaroline: Thank you. I am glad - I love the birds too.
DeleteNice job with the camera. Your place and time seem very calming and peaceful even with the squawking of the birds.
ReplyDeleteJono: The garden is a haven of peace for me. Despite the work which it needs. Desperately. And the squawks of birds is preferable to rather a lot of human noise.
DeleteTo see these birds in the wild with you and know that here they are bought and sold as pets...surreal.
ReplyDeleteDonna@LivingFromHappiness: They are sometimes bought and sold as pets here too. Which I hate. I love them free. As they should be.
DeleteSuch beautiful birds! Glad the mess is worth it! I always enjoy watching the birds in my backyard and you get such different birds. Your pictures are just stunning. Thanks for sharing. :)
ReplyDelete~Jess
DMS ~ Jess: I suffer from world wide bird envy. I am glad that you like ours.
Deletealways always always love your birds!
ReplyDeleteThings Are Looking U.P.: I have been loving watching your fledglings - growing as fast as any superhero.
DeleteThis makes me laugh so hard, the way you describe these "vandals" - oh boy, I feel the same about my yard visitors, no matter how much they destroy they are still welcome. Aren't we a weird species? I love all your birds, I would welcome them for sure as well. I am so jealous!
ReplyDeleteCarola Bartz: We are definitely a weird species, but I was pretty certain that I wouldn't be alone in welcoming these noisy incontinent quarrelsome vandals. I suffer rather a lot of bird envy for some of your visitors too.
DeleteEnjoy your alone time! The bird photos are so delightful!
ReplyDeleteladyfi: I loved my alone time. And the birds.
DeleteI always found it amazing, whether it be fish or birds or even animals in general, the males always have the feminine flare to them to attract the females. Beautiful shots!
ReplyDeleteLovely photos. Amazing shots.
ReplyDeleteKelly Steel: Thank you. Lovely birds.
DeletePretty, pretty, pretty. I just love your photos. And I'm sure those birds love coming to your trees and feeders.
ReplyDeleteCarol Kilgore: I hope they love to visit. They can be remarkably insistent, when the apple has been gobbled or the feeder is bare. And I run to rectify my error.
DeleteI love the two fighting! Reminds me of my daughters. You are so lucky to have these beautiful birds in your garden, but I bet they get noisy!
ReplyDeleteLL Cool Joe: They can get noisy. They do get noisy. Something else in common with your daughters?
DeleteYour pictures are stunning and so uplifting. I needed it. Thank you, my friend.
ReplyDeleteSonya Ann: I am glad. Be kind to yourself in these difficult days.
DeleteI can see they would be messy but oh so welcome. They are so pretty!! I enjoy seeing these beautiful birds
ReplyDeleteKim @ Stuff could...: They are messy. And sometimes destructive. And I don't care. You are right, they are welcome. Always.
DeleteI would like to fly over your home sometime and hang out with these white fellows. I don't mind the noise. I actually could sing with them, hahaha. It would be quite a concert then. Dragon Hugs!
ReplyDeleteAl Diaz: Many here would not consider it singing - the birds are happy though which is enough for me. And dragons are as welcome here as the birds. Seen less often, but as welcome.
DeleteHugs received and returned.
Your birds are both gorgeous and glorious. What a wonderful way to be awakened each day. I don't think I would ever tire of it. You got some terrific pictures of them, too.
ReplyDeleteHappy weekend!
Susan: Not tired of them yet. Can't imagine tiring of them. Ever.
DeleteVery belatedly... I just wanted to say that your photos of the parrots are always welcome too. Always a day-brightener!
ReplyDeletePaper Chipmunk (aka Ellen): Never too late. Always welcome. There is a pair of King Parrots eating from my hand most days at the moment. Bliss.
Delete