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. And this week I am continuing my lazy streak. Just one of my obsessions this week. Birds. Real ones, and ones which live on our back deck.
A corella who visited last week. His crest is up to express interest/alarm. And it this case it was interest.
We had a little wonderful rain last weekend and more is predicted for this evening, and I really, really hope we get it.
I loved the rain - but did feel a little sorry for these poor wet galahs.
And some of the birds who live on our back deck. The first were given to me by the smaller portion some years ago - and we call them the quirky birds. There is a candle holder hidden beneath their wings, and they do look good glowing in the dark.
And the bone bird. This was a gift (thirty years ago?) to my father. I have no idea what sort of bone it is - but it was a big, big animal. I wonder whether it might have been a whale. And part of me cringes.
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. And this week I am continuing my lazy streak. Just one of my obsessions this week. Birds. Real ones, and ones which live on our back deck.
A corella who visited last week. His crest is up to express interest/alarm. And it this case it was interest.
We had a little wonderful rain last weekend and more is predicted for this evening, and I really, really hope we get it.
I loved the rain - but did feel a little sorry for these poor wet galahs.
And some of the birds who live on our back deck. The first were given to me by the smaller portion some years ago - and we call them the quirky birds. There is a candle holder hidden beneath their wings, and they do look good glowing in the dark.
And the bone bird. This was a gift (thirty years ago?) to my father. I have no idea what sort of bone it is - but it was a big, big animal. I wonder whether it might have been a whale. And part of me cringes.
Poor galahs..but if it bothered them too much, they could have found shelter.
ReplyDeleteSue in Italia/In the Land of Cancer: The poor things had the choice of going hungry - or getting wet. And did shelter on the feeder for a while after their hunger was satisfied.
DeleteThose quirky birds are definitely strange looking. And the old bone bird, probably it was a whale. They were hunted very aggressively for so long, and some countries are still doing it. I like that perky corella! :-)
ReplyDeleteDJan: Sadly too many countries are still hunting whales. We like our corellas too. Charming, cheeky chappies.
DeleteIt's amazing the birds that land in your backyard. The ones that are permanent are most interesting, especiially the bone bird, which I hope it's not a whale, but it probably is.
ReplyDeleteMyrna R.: We are so lucky with our avian visitors. And spend a LOT of time each day watching them. As do the cats. And yes, the bone bird probably was a whale.
DeleteHoping you get the rain you need. Nice soaking rain. Not deluge. Love the birds. Poor little soaked ones. Here they are all puffed up for the cold. We are inally above freezing today. First time in about 9 days. Early for us. But this has been a strange weather year. So why should we go out with normal weather. lol
ReplyDeleteTeresa: Some nice soaking rain would be wonderful. Lots of the garden has been crispified and the hills have gone brown...
DeleteIs that one, number 2, a real bird???
ReplyDeleteBob Bushell: It is. A real live corella, who visits us often. And is always welcome.
DeleteAs long it wasn't a bone belonging to that big fellow who used to live down around the corner! ;)
ReplyDeleteWe had a bit of rain from a storm the other night...Brisbane copped far more than we did...little though it was, it was most welcome. I love it!
I hope all the areas that need rain and are living under the dire threats of bushfires get rain, rain and more rain! A good week ahead for you and the Skinny One awaits...and the two Js are awaiting their cuddles. :)
Lee: Jazz n Jewel have had plenty of pats and cuddles. And are now trying to tell me that breakfast (their fourth) is in order. How sad, never mind.
DeleteA great week to you and the furry overlords as well.
lovely pictures as always. You live in a beautiful place ! Are the real birds afraid of the metal bird! ha ha ha
ReplyDeletemohave rat: The real birds are not in the slightest bit bothered by the quirky birds. The currawongs crap on them from time to time - but they crap on rather a lot of things.
DeleteWhat a treat it must be to draw back your curtains and peer outside. Such delightful sights.
ReplyDeleteI also love the bird ornament. I bet it looks magnificent with the candles going?
Wendy: There are two of the quirky birds - and they do look good illuminated. And I need to remember to light the candles more often.
Deletei love the style of your garden!
ReplyDeletei have tried to get that same kind of vibe going with candles and statues and so on but all i manage to do is make it look "bitty". Ofcourse everyone else's detritus doesnt help. groan
Have a nice sunday!
kylie: The garden (and the house) is a bit of a hodge-podge. Things I like or the smaller portion likes or we both like, fitted in. Somehow.
DeleteAnd a great Sunday to you.
That bone bird is impressive...do wonder too what its source was!
ReplyDeleteBookie: It probably was a whale. And my father loved it.
DeleteLive birds and quirky ones, I love them all... but the bone bird? Methinks it would give me icky, squicky nightmares.
ReplyDeleteJacquelineand...: I would never have chosen the bone bird myself - and have some reservations. My father loved it and cherished it and I keep it as a memento of him. He had it inside - and I have it outside. Where it will stay.
DeleteThe bone bird is impressive. I probably could live in close proximity to it, as its alternative live may be the land fill. Have you ever investigated? Perhaps a museum could explain how it came to be.
ReplyDeleteJoanne Noragon: Thank you - that is a brilliant idea. When the Christmas rush is over I will look for somewhere to take it.
DeleteYour heart comes through in your photos-
ReplyDeleteALOHA from Honolulu
ComfortSpiral
=^..^= . <3 . >< } } (°>
Cloudia: Thank you.
DeleteLove your visitors.
ReplyDeleteAuthor R. Mac Wheeler: So do we.
DeleteThe corella crest is somewhat modest compared to the sulphur crested. The bone looks like a bull's head.
ReplyDeleteAndrew: The corella crest is much smaller than the sulphur crest - as are the birds. They challenge the cockies though - and frequently win.
DeleteI am pretty certain that the bone isn't bovine. Wrong shape. And not dense enough to be a skull bone.
I like old bones, though I prefer their owners to have relinquished them naturally.Yours looks whale-ish;vertebra I think.At one time I had a piece of bleached whale rib, washed up hundreds of years ago.
ReplyDeletedinahmow: Thank you for expressing so elegantly what I couldn't. It is the thought that the whale (if whale it is) was slaughtered for our wasteful selves which causes me concern. Part of me is happy that the bone is not 'wasted', but the other part wonders why we need to kill so many things.
DeleteSuch lovely birds. It's dark here, wet, windy, winterish approaching. I wish I could visit quickly for a few days.
ReplyDeleteDon QuiScottie: It is hot, hot, hot and nasty here. Windy with temperatures over 100 today. And they have shifted the promised rain as well. Sigh. Showers tomorrow. Perhaps. After another day when we will nudge 100. Winterish sounds good to me. We obviously need to swap.
DeleteWhat beautiful birds! How nice to have such colorful company greet you on your deck!
ReplyDeleteJulie
Empty Nest Insider: The birds are a daily joy. Noisy, messy - and a joy.
DeleteYou have such fascinating birds in your backyard.
ReplyDeleteMason Canyon: We do - and the cats and I love them - though our motives are very different.
DeleteMy wife would like those ones with the candles. Always be sure to light fire to the correct bird!
ReplyDeleteAlex J. Cavanaugh: I will be very, very careful.
DeleteLooks like a whale bone, but don't cringe, like ivory ... it is horrible to think that something died, but you are honoring the memory of the animal now, and somehow that seems better than throwing it in the rubbish, if you get my drift.
ReplyDeleteLoving all your birds, I too have some sculpture ones in my yard, maybe I will share next Sunday.
Hope the day is treating you well and you continue to be blessed by many feathered friends popping in to visit. xxx
Kakka: It is better than throwing it in the rubbish. Much better. And I like that the bone has been sympathetically enhanced with just a little subtle carving. And yes, it is horrible to think that something died to create a work of art - when the living animal was that already.
DeleteI would love to see your bird sculptures.
Oh dear those poor Galahs but at least they did not go hungry. Love the Corells with their crests up.
ReplyDeleteMargaret Adamson: There are not many birds that go hungry round here. Seed, apples, water - and plenty of native plants. And the carnivores are more than welcome to our snails.
DeleteOh that Corella is so lovely - I swear he is amused by whatever he's looking at. Such characters!
ReplyDeleteAlexia: Corellas, like the cockatoos, frequently seem amused to my anthromorphic self. And I hope they are.
DeleteThat last one does look like whalebone, it also looks like very dry driftwood. Perhaps it wasn't an illegally killed whale but one that died naturally and the carcass washed up somewhere and pieces from it traveled the world. I love the candle bird and those poor soggy galahs need a towel.
ReplyDeleteRiver: We can live in hope about the bone bird. And I would have been happy to towel the galahs down - but suspect they wouldn't approve.
DeleteLove your quirky-birds, and the real ones! A lovely selection EC!
ReplyDeleteRose ~ from Oz: Thank you - I am always pleased when people enjoy my obsessions.
DeleteOh goodness even your quirky birds are adorable, especially the first one. You sure have some extremely lovely, live birds that come to your deck, they are just incredible. I wish I had such lovely creatures stopping by.
ReplyDeleteKaren S.: I suffer from birder envy at birds the world over - and love the ones we do see.
DeleteI'm glad you've had some rain, and feel for you in those temperatures. I am happy to have summer behind us here in Canada, even though it means winter jackets and boots now. Here's hoping you find ways to stay cool. What beautiful bird sculptures - and the real ones are lovely too.
ReplyDeletejenny_o: The rain promised for yesterday didn't happen. And the temperature climbed. Today is still hot - with a little incontinent pigeon rain. Splat, splat and no more. Fingers crossed for real rain. Soaking rain.
DeleteAnd winter jackets and boots sounds very very appealing.
surely that must have been a whale but perhaps it washed up dying of natural causes and the bones were harvested. We saw lots of bones when we traveled in Baja Mexico and they winter calf down there so it was expected
ReplyDeleteLinda Starr: I hope you are right - but the treatment we have delivered to whales makes me suspicious. Very suspicious.
DeleteYou have a plant like mine! The green and white one, I have no idea what it's called.
ReplyDeleteI like Linda Starr's explanation of how you got the bone-bird, a washed up whale, dying of natural causes.
I don't know why, but I think birds like rain, so maybe those galahs were happy.
I like those glow-birds!
Guyana-Gyal: The real name of those plants escapes me as often as I learn it - so we just call them stripeys. And have quite a number of them.
DeleteAnd yes, a washed up whale sounds good.
Does it send out runners with a tiny plant on the end? and sometimes along the length of the runner? It's a spider plant.
DeleteRiver: It does, and I have heard it called a spider plant as well, but it is the botanical name which escapes me. Always.
DeleteYes!! That's it!! Spider plant!!
DeleteSpiderus Plantus? :-)
The birds are a delight as ever, may the Small Gods send you more rain for one and all. The quirky birds are an excellent addition too, I love that some of them can light up, and sad though the whale bone is, at least it has ended up somewhere peaceful. It does look like a strange bird, the scale of it is quite awing.
ReplyDeleteAll Consuming: No rain yet. Sigh. Drizzle - and not much of it. I think there is more moisture in my hissing and spitting.
DeleteOur winter weather is creeping in and it amazes me how the various animals protect themselves from the elements .....or not at all.
ReplyDeleteGrannie Annie: Our summer is not creeping in. She has barged in. Blazing. And I hope that the birds and animals can find some relief from her fiery presence.
DeleteI loved the fourth photo top to bottom. I loved the effect of it. Thanks.
ReplyDeleteGreetings from London.
A Cuban in London: I liked the blurr to those wings too. Strictly speaking not a good photo - but effective.
DeleteI really like your garden sculptures. At least the whale bone is in a peaceful place, surrounded by nature and looked after by you. :)
ReplyDeleteThe birds might be happy with the impromptu shower (though I wouldn't be!)
River Fairchild: We have seen birds hanging upside down from power lines fanning their wings to wash their pits in the rain. Some of them do enjoy it. These looked a tad miserable. And I would like a lot of rain.
DeleteI am so glad the corollas and galahs are stain in your garden rather than attacking my ripening almonds. Your bone bird is is indeed a whale's vertebra.
ReplyDeleteArija: I suspected as much (on the vertebra front). We have no fruit trees at the moment (other than the mulberries) so the corellas and galahs are welcome.
DeleteWhat beautiful birds you have. Ours seem so drab in comparison.
ReplyDeletemshatch: I suspect your 'drab' birds would seem exotic to me. And I am almost certain they have nicer voices than ours - who are mostly shriekers.
DeleteI've never seen a corella. How beautiful!
ReplyDeleteStephanie Faris: We get a lot of them visiting - and welcome them. And, as I have said before, they do blue eye make-up better than any human I have seen.
DeleteI love to bird watch and spend lots of time on my deck watching all the beautiful birds that stop by. I love the shots you got of the corolla.
ReplyDeleteYour garden sculptures are so cool! :)
~Jess
DMS: Watching the birds is always a joy. And the corella posed very nicely for me.
DeleteThe snowy white bird in the first photo is the KING!!)))
ReplyDeleteLove from chilly Minnesota. xxxx
My Inner Chick: Chilly Minnesota? Jealous thoughts. Many jealous thoughts - and love.
DeleteThat bone bird gives me chills too.
ReplyDeleteYou have the most exotic of life over there. I love the galah. It's belly is redder than a robin's - gorgeous!
Be well. xo
Rawknrobyn: When dry the galah is a dusky pink - the water really brightened up its colours. And I love them wet or dry.
DeleteI just love the beautiful exotic birds in your garden... the corella is especially fascinating to me.
ReplyDeleteDonna@LivingFromHappiness: You get some birds that I would love to see as well. Bird envy is alive and well. The corellas are not as well known as some of our other native birds - but are cheeky charmers.
DeleteI would love to visit a place where these were commonplace and right outside my window. It always seemed I would have to live in the wild to have these around. I love the bone bird.
ReplyDeletePractical Parsimony: Other parts of Oz (and the world) get birds which I would love to see on a regular basis - but I am very, very grateful for the ones which do visit us.
DeleteHi human, Sue,
ReplyDeleteYou get quite the collection of birds on your deck. Erotic birds, sorry, exotic birds, indeed. A Galah event, methinks.
Pawsitive wishes,
Penny :)
Penny the Jack Russell dog and modest internet superstar! How lovely to see you. I hope you are looking after Gary. And I am in awe at the quality of your puns.
DeleteThe exotic birds that visit you can only be seen here in a zoo! They are so beautiful - and I really like your "permanent" one too!
ReplyDelete(oops - permanent should have been plural!)
ReplyDeleteSusan F.: I can't tell you how grateful I am that other people hit publish - and then see an error. And I am also very grateful that our birds fly free. Less grateful for the clean-up that their visits necessitate - but it is worth it. So very worth it.
DeleteAnd the quirky birds and the bone bird only require cobweb removal. Which I must do again.
Extraordinary birds and I would love those sculptures in my garden.
ReplyDeleteDeniseinVA: I would love to have the sculptures (any of them) you featured in your post today.
DeleteI'm still giggling about his thing popping up when he's interested. Because you know, I'm really in the fourth grade.
ReplyDeleteRiot Kitty: Sometimes the fourth grade is the only place to be. And you would never be alone...
DeleteI always love the pictures of the beautiful feathered friends in your neck of the woods, EC :)
ReplyDeleteOptimistic Existentialist: Thank you so much.
Deletewhen i first saw your quirky bird art, i honesly thought they were real birds! i thought, man they always have the most awesome birds come visit them :) haha, they're still very very beautiful.
ReplyDeleteRaquel Somatra: I do love our quirky birds - and they are real to me.
DeleteComing for my weekly share of parrots! :D One of those candle birds would look very well in my garden. Shall tell the dwarves to build some for me. I'm reading Raquel's comment and chuckled. At first, I also thought the bird was real. Hahaha. Dragon Hugs!
ReplyDeleteAl Diaz: And, when the dwarves build you a candle bird you won't have to worry about lighting them. A short burst of dragon fire and you are in business.
DeleteDragon Hugs gratefully received - and returned.
That's awesome that the birds on your deck glow in the dark. You sure get some nice real visitors. You're lucky. :) We get some nice birds too, but none so colorful like yours (every once in awhile we'll get a Blue Jay or Cardinal).
ReplyDeletemail4rosey: How I would love to see a Blue Jay, a Cardinal or rather a lot of other birds from your side of the world.
DeleteAwe in your back garden always make me happy That bone does look like a very very old whale vertebra. Not that I know anything, but have seen bone in a museum:)
ReplyDeleteBy the way, I have listed you as one of my favorite bloggers I would miss if for some reason you stopped blogging. Don't leave.
Susan Kane: Thank you so much. I hope you are feeling better - and don't you leave either.
DeleteAnd yes, it seems my suspicions about the bone bird have been confirmed. Sad - but perhaps better use than land fill.
I love yard art!
ReplyDeleteLynn: So do I. I would like rather a lot more pieces...
DeleteThose are some awesome pictures! I don't know what kind of bone that is, either.
ReplyDeleteSherry Ellis: Welcome and thank you. My point and shoot camera has been very, very kind to me. Sadly the consensus is that bone bird started its life as the vertebra of a whale.
DeleteWhat lovely feathered visitors!
ReplyDeleteladyfi: Aren't we lucky?
DeleteYou sure do have some pretty visitors to your deck!
ReplyDeleteTerri: We do. Pretty, noisy, destructive - and welcome.
DeleteYour galahs look as though they've been swimming!
ReplyDeletekim: They do look miserable don't they? And I don't think they would have got much wetter if they had been swimming.
DeleteLove your quirky birds, they suit the garden well.
ReplyDeleteI also feel sorry to see wet birds, especially when they shiver in winter to keep warm. They are tougher than I.
Vicki: I am sometimes suprised that we don't see really wet birds more often. And yes, my heart aches for them in winter.
DeleteThat bone is extremely interesting. One angle I see a primordial spiked turtle. Another angle I see a huge pawprint. Maybe it was a bird dinosaur.
ReplyDeleteFurry Bottoms: My father treasured that bone. And yes, the angle changes what I see too.
Delete