Wet and Aggressive Corella challenges Magpie

Wet and Aggressive Corella challenges Magpie

Sunday 15 September 2013

Sunday Selections #137

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.

Like River, I generally run with a theme.   This week I again demanded a trip down to the lake to see the kangaroos and the swans.  And was lucky on both counts.

As always - click to embiggen.

First the kangas...





I have cropped this photo so you can see what a full pouch she has.  Goodness it must be uncomfortable.


And then the swans.  The swans were more wary than usual - because a labradoodle called Flame was determined to join them.






102 comments:

  1. You are right, that full pouch does look uncomfortable. But those swans, they are just beautiful! So pretty, EC.

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    1. DJan: The lake is less than twenty minutes drive from home and seeing the kangaroos and the swans ALWAYS makes me happy.

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    2. Can you swim in that lake?

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    3. Strayer: When there isn't a blue-green algae outbreak you can swim in the lake. There are a couple of swimming areas marked out (not that you have to use them) and in days gone by I swam across the lake to get to a park on the otherside my parents had forbidden me from riding my pushbike to.

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  2. Ah what lovely photos! Such a great selection. We have been home for about an hour and it feels so strange not having to call ahead to a hotel for the night, but oh so wonderful to be able to sleep in our own beds after five weeks away from home.

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    1. DeniseinVA: I hear you on the joy of sleeping in your own bed. Bliss. Even after a wonderful trip like yours, it is good to be home.

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  3. Don't think we have the swans up here. Lots of Magpie Geese.

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    1. And we have lots of swans - and I don't think we have the Magpie Geese...

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  4. That pouch really does look full and uncomfortable! Love the Kangaroo and Swan images EC.

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    1. Mia McPherson: It does look full doesn't it. I was amazed she didn't overbalance while she was scratching.

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  5. I feel sorry for the kanga on her side, with her pouch full of joey - she has that exhausted, resigned, long-suffering look of the mother with babies or toddlers...

    Beautiful shots, too of the swans on the lake.
    Hope you have a good Sunday.

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    1. Alexia: Her pouch looked overfull too didn't it. And yes, she did look tired and resigned. A common look for mothers - whatever species.
      And a happy Sunday to you too.

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  6. Poor Mrs. Kanaga. Hopefully Joey is off to kindergarten soon and she gets a much needed break.

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    1. Birdie: I think that joey was in hiding from his truant officer. He certainly looked big enough for 'big school'.

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  7. Great photos of the swans, Love black swans.
    Merle...........

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    1. Merlesworld: I love them too - despite their serrated beaks and greedy ways.

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  8. Heh...doodles just want to have fun! I have a Goldendoodle who's a clown. That pouch looks extremely uncomfortable! I'm glad you got to go out and enjoy the day and the sunshine. :)

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    1. River Fairchild: Flame was having a heap of fun - completely ignoring her young owners. Except when she came out, shook herself all over them and bounded back into the lake.
      It was a lovely outing. A short one, but restorative.

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  9. Thanks again for your wonderful array of Sunday photos, EC. You've helped brighten my day...and my weekend. :)

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    1. Lee: I am very, very glad to brighten your day. Thank you.

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  10. So awesome to see the kangas! I would just be so thrilled!

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    1. Letting the Words Escape: It doesn't matter how often I see them, I always smile.

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  11. Beautiful photos on what looks like a perfect day!

    A great way to spend some magical moments - thanks for sharing the magic :)

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    1. Vicki: It was a truly lovely interlude in a beautiful spring day.

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  12. Ah the wiley labradoodle! LOL!
    So fun hanging with you here :-)


    ALOHA from Honolulu
    Comfort Spiral
    =^..^= <3


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    1. Cloudia: Flame was having SUCH a good time. And the swans were quite safe.

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  13. I almost didn't see that first kangaroo standing there, he looks just like one of the trees.
    I love the black swans.

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    1. River: And there are at least three more kangas in that photo. Their camoflague is really good. We always have to look carefully for them when we go down to the lake. We are pretty certain that they are there but they can be hard to spot.
      I love the black swans too.

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  14. Hi EC Great photos of Kangaroos and Black Swans The Swans are very beautiful. I often wonder why the Kango's mother allows the Joey to keep going back into her pouch when they are so big. I once put my hand in a Kangos pouch. Itwas a very special moment.

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    1. Margaret Adamson: Human parents also keep allow their young to return to the pouch long after they can look after themselves...

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  15. Oh those pesky kangaroos! We have them by the dozen on the farm and they also have invaded my Mt.Lofty garden. They wreck the fences, if they cannot force a way through, they dig underneath with those strong hind feet and leave holes that small elephants can get through!!! The sheep wander at will. This morning there were 6 outside my garden fence.

    Thank you for being such a great support during this long, harrowing time. When you reach your lowest ebb, there is nowhere to go but up.

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    1. Arija: How nice to see you again. You are right, eventually there comes a time when the only way left is up, but climbing out again is always harder and slower than the fall to the depths. Take as much time as you need and be kind to yourself.

      Fortunately we don't share the garden with the kangaroos. I do love them - which I would find harder if we shared space more intimately.

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  16. How beautiful are black swans, and so Australian!
    And kanagaroos - gorgeous. The few times I've seen kangaroos up close in the bush or the country, I've felt very lucky.

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    1. Jackie K: There are a LOT of kangaroos around Canberra and we see them often. And feel lucky every time.

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  17. Is there a cuter animal than a kangaroo? Love them. Glad to has finally come down under. Autumn is yet to arrive here but I'm waiting for it with both arms open (it is my favourite season, along with spring!). :-)

    Greetings from London.

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    1. A Cuban in London: There are lots of cute animals - but I have a soft spot for kangas. And wombats. And almost any bird. And the cats - big and small. And...

      Autumn is probably my favourite season too.

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  18. I should not like to be a kangaroo mother, although perhaps that one is dealing with a couch potato with a game boy.

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    1. Joanne Noragon: Couch potato is one thing - that one seems to be a pouch potato...

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  19. what a treat to see the black swans so beautiful and the eucalyptus have me missing the ones from our West coast,

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    1. Linda Starr: There is something about the smell of a eucalpyt isn't there...

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  20. Great pics as usual, both Kangaroos and Swans have a look about them, a gleam in their eyes that says they can be real mean if they're pissed off. This takes away nothing from how awesome they are mind. I am much the same in fact.

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    1. All Consuming: I am warier of swans than I am of the kangaroos. They are greedy eaters and snatch food without regard for fingers. Like all things they can be mean, but meanness doesn't seem to be innate to either of them. (Except to each other.)

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  21. I still cannot believe that you have kangaroos running around. Absolutely fabulous. Are they mean? Could you pet one? What do they eat? Do they come into your garden like the deer do in ours?

    LOVE!! Xxxx

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    1. My Inner Chick: Kangaroos do come into gardens. Not ours - for which I am grateful because they are herbivores. People can pet kangaroos but these are wild and I have never tried. And if frightened or cornered they have sometimes attacked people but very, very rarely. We are MUCH more dangerous to them than they are to us.

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  22. Fabulous kangaroos - I guess the full pouch must be as uncomfortable as I felt when I was pregnant with my daughter, especially the last two months...

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    1. Carola Bartz: I think the difference is that the joeys climb back into the pouch - for extended periods when they really don't fit. And their toenails are long and powerful.

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  23. Such gorgeous photos! I am in awe especially of the kangaroos. I love the photos of the baby in the pouch-- there is something so appealing about being carried around in a warm, fuzzy pocket. Lovely.

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    1. Raquel Somatra: Thank you. The joeys return to the pouch for a very long time. They obviously agree about the appeal of the pouch.

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  24. *Knock!* *Knock!* Who's there? "Kanga!" Kanga who?

    Amazing photos. Always a visual delight at your site, that's right. With that, I shall swan back to my blog.

    Gidday and goodnight!

    Gary :)

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    1. klahanie: Dear Gary, a visit from the punster always makes me smile. Thank you.

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  25. Living in the U.S., I don't think I've ever seen so much of a kangaroo's behind. That was a surprise and very funny this evening. Thanks, EC!

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    1. Jphn Wiswell: Possibly not putting her best side forward - but it made me smile too.

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  26. Nor me, John! Love the pictures, especially the swans, most elegant.

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    1. Gillie: It is a little outing I take as often as I can - and I am almost guarenteed kangaroos and swans - both of which melt my heart.

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  27. Awww, those kangaroos are so cute! And the swans very elegant. I've not seen either species close up and in person. Very nice!

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    1. Debora: Aren't they delightful? We see them often and love them every time.

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  28. I am always amazed that you can just go out and take these pictures, find these species.

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    1. Riot Kitty: So are we amazed - and very grateful.

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  29. Oh, I almost missed this post! I love kangas! Loved to go out spotting at night. And black swans...what can I say, fabulous!

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    1. Karen: I knew you went spotting, and thought you would enjoy them. And the black swans are a joy.

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  30. We are so lucky to share this country with amazing animals like kangaroos! Yes, that pouch looks full to bursting - poor old mum! I love the black swans, another reason to love this crazy country.

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    1. Carol: Poor old mum indeed. They do seem to be long suffering, like most mothers. And yes, I love the swans too....

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  31. Oops I missed these yesterday so my apologies. Those black swans are magnificent and the roos! You have to love them too and my word that poor mum does look a little overburdened with her youngster. It obviously is like a lot of youngsters these days, just doesn't want to leave home. Thanks for sharing.

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    1. Mimsie: Apologies not necessary. You are welcome whenever you arrive. I suspect the joey is like lots of young things - knows where it is most comfortable...

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  32. The kangaroos are amazing....what gorgeous little creatures!
    It must be like a fairy tale to enjoy them in person.
    And my lab, Libby, would have been in the water among the swans before I could snap the first shot:)
    Thanks for sharing these snippets of your beautiful life,
    Jennifer

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    1. Jennifer Richardson: Kangaroos are lovely. Really lovely. Flame was at the lake with three young girls - her family I assume, and was very, very excited to be there.

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  33. Awww - lovely shots. I'm always fascinated by black swans as ours are white.

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    1. ladyfi: And I am always fascinated by white swans for the same reason.

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  34. Amazing as always -- where do you find them all. You must feel you're on safari every time you leave your back door!

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    1. Dave King: Thank you. There are some very big pluses in living in the 'bush capital'.

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  35. Wow. Having kangaroos and those gorgeous black swans only a twenty-minute drive away must be amazing. What delights me even more is you don't take that for granted. Even though you could theoretically see them every day if you chose, you still appreciate them. Too many people seem to be blind to the beauty around them, but you seem to fully appreciate it... and better yet? You share some of it with us!

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    1. Susan: We have kangas even closer than that - and see them many times a week. No real place to stop, so no photos from there. And no, I don't take them for granted. At all. And happy to share.

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  36. Dear EC, I've never seen a black swan except on public television and in photographs. They seem so lovely. So peaceful within themselves and with themselves. And yes, that pouch must be so heavy. Motherhood is awe-inspiring always to me. Peace.

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    1. Dee: Swans are beautiful things and do indeed seem at peace with themselves. Which most birds/animals have all over us.

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  37. Black swans - I don't think I've ever seen one before, or a kangaroos full pouch either. You are right - must be uncomfortable.

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    1. Lynn: Kangaroos climb back into the pouch for a very long time. I suspect I would be putting up the 'no vacancy' sign... We are so accustomed to black swans (while I love them) that I think of the white ones as 'exotic'.

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  38. Hmmmm, seeing that full pouch makes me have to pee.

    Still can't get over that you can stroll into a park and see kangaroos. Too cool.

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    1. Ms. CrankyPants: It looks incredibly uncomfortable doesn't it? Mother love, with all its pains...

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  39. My sister has white swans on her lakes, but they are to be approached with caution. So far in my life I've been attacked by a turkey, and nearly attacked by a swan. I'll take anything over a turkey. Are the black swans aggressive?

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    1. lotta joy: Not agressive as such. Bullies and greedy with it. If you feed them they snatch food (not gently) from your hands. And have serrrated beaks. And don't think you can eat anything near them and NOT share.

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  40. Hi Sue :)

    I love your photos of nature - every time. So fresh, so beautiful.

    Looking at that pouch, I can't help imagine how so cosy it must be in there. Gorgeous.

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    1. wordsfallfrommyeyes: I am sure the pouch is cozy, but really felt for that poor mother...

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  41. Kangaroos... Very weird. Which may be what they think of us, I suppose.

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    1. Andrew Maclaren-Scott: No arguments. On either count. And the platypus is an even more improbable beast.

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    2. The weird things that evolution has done to us all... I get rather annoyed at evolution, sometimes. But at least I don't have to swim around with an over-sized duck's bill on my furry face scrabbling for food underwater.

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    3. Andrew Maclaren-Scott: I suspect the poison spur on the platypus's hind legs is to deal with any laughter its appearance may cause...

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  42. Woo hoo! More 'roos and black swans! I can never get enough of your 'roo and swan pics!

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    1. Paper Chipmunk (aka Ellen): Thank you - I never tire of them either.

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  43. Spectacular photography, EC! the Kangaroos and swans both looking beautiful and cute.. I glad that you visited at my previous post and now i just found Piquant Cuisines of Gujarat (India).
    Nice post, thanks for sharing..

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  44. I love the swans, majestic birds. I hope the labradoodle was quickly put in its place.

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    1. Friko: The labradoodle was in charge, not the young girls it had brought down to the lake. The swans were wary, but not too bothered - which I was very glad of.

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  45. All I can think is - poor mama! All those elbows and knees and claws ... I hope joey appreciates his comforts while he has them!

    I hope SP is coming along better these days - and that you are getting some much-needed rest, EC.

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    1. jenny_o: That joey looked way too big for his mama's pouch. I felt for her too - those toenails are long and strong.
      We are (slowly) doing better. More improvement needed, but a start has been made.

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  46. Oh My those swans are soooo beautiful....so graceful and sweet...

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  47. Swans can make even the biggest loudest dog regret his adventurous intrusion. So beautiful, though.

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    1. Susan Kane: The swans left Flame alone - which is more than she did for them. She wasn't aggressive - but completely fascinated.

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