Wet and Aggressive Corella challenges Magpie

Wet and Aggressive Corella challenges Magpie

Sunday 3 January 2016

Sunday Selections #257

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.   One day last week we decided it was time we went to see our 'new' dam (which was completed in 2013 - where does the time go).  We failed.  We could see it in the distance but could not find our way to the viewing platform.  It was hot, so we gave up fairly quickly, but enjoyed our wander along the river and will be back later to track the platform down.  There is very, very little water in the river though.  Ankle deep.  If you have short ankles.






Loved the snake warning on the sign.  We didn't see any but they are certainly there.


And the last sunset of 2015.




A very hot cockatoo to finish with.  It sat on the feeder panting, and completely ignored the water I set out for it.  I hope it found some more to its taste quickly.  Seeing their tongue hanging out like that is very unusual.



I can't help myself.  Another photo of a corella too.  It was there shortly before the cockatoo and didn't seem in the slightest bit bothered by the heat.  Its sleek perfection is marred by the branch ruffling its headdress though...



88 comments:

  1. I love the beautiful birds of Oz!!

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    1. fishducky: So do we. And rather a lot of your birds too.

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  2. I always think the corellas look like they have come off worse in a fist fight ~ except they don't have fists.
    They are pretty funny graphics on that warning sign.
    I am glad someone thought to capture the last sunset of the year.

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    1. carol: That stylish blue eye make-up (which the corellas wear better than any human) does look a little like a black eye doesn't it?

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  3. Beautiful tour in the SUN, you are lucky, we have nothing but rain for at least a month.
    Your photos are tremendous, especially the last two, I could cuddle them.

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    1. Bob Bushell: Rain? I wish. It has been promised, but I am not holding my breath.

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  4. oh to be walking across that bridge over the water.

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    1. Linda Starr: There is something about bridges isn't there? And water. Many years ago we used to swim there regularly. I was smaller true, but the water levels were higher too.

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  5. The riverside does lend its self for a nice walk I feel. Great photos.

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    1. CountryMum: I am a big fan of water. If I had the money I would live beside a lake, a river, the ocean...

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  6. I loved all the warnings on the signs. I think only the snake was self explanatory. Well, maybe landing on your butt. I know that one too well.

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    1. Joanne Noragon: I have done a bit of base over apexing myself. These days once down I find it hard to get up again.

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  7. I like your friends. And you DID run with a sweet river! Glad the snakes never showed. Happy New Year my Dear Pal

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    1. Cloudia: I am glad the snakes were busy elsewhere too. It is their home territory, but I am NOT comfortable with them. Years ago I found myself swimming with one (further down this river). I sank to the bottom and held my breath till it went past.

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  8. Just cannot believe those are wild birds where you live. I would be birdwatching non-stop.

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    1. donna baker: We do spend a LOT of time watching the birds. Every day, in every season.

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  9. Thank you for this treat

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  10. Hi EC,

    Snakes are something we don't have to worry about in the UK - unless you work with them in a zoo, of course.

    :o)

    Cheers

    PM

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    1. Plastic Mancunian: I can think of three venomous snakes which could be beside that river. One of them the second most venomous snake in the world. Care is needed. Though they are as happy to avoid us as we are them.

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  11. Birds I love...snakes I hate.

    The southern states are copping much higher temps than we are up this way. I shudder (and sweat) just at the thought of the heat you've all been experiencing. I hope it all cools down very soon.

    Have a good week, EC...cuddles to your furry mates.

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    1. Lee: I know you don't like snakes - with good reason.
      Today is cooler (yay). We are being promised rain as well. I hope so. I really hope so.
      I hope you and the furry overlords have a wonderful weeks.

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  12. It looks as if you had a really pleasant walk, anyway. I loved the Deep Water/Shallow Water warnings! I suppose there could be times when it gets pretty deep, after heavy rain. Poor cocky!

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    1. Alexia: I learned to swim in this river, and part of it were often quite deep (ten or fifteen feet anyway). The current could be powerful too. A pale shadow of the river I remember.

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  13. Looks like a good paddling creek.
    Nice to wander along.
    Merle.......

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    1. Merlesworld: It is always nice to wander along the river bank.

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  14. What a refreshing looking stream. Cotter Bend sign could be much briefer by just saying 'all care but no responsibility. Please use your brain'. They are serious close-ups of the birds. What strange tongues cockies have.

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    1. Andrew: Cockies can be amazingly dexterous with that tongue (but yes, it is on the odd side). Our local government is addicted to signage. There is one beside the road which says something like 'Missing a call won't kill you. Taking it might'. And I always rack my brains thinking of a call which couldn't be missed...

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  15. What a beautiful and peaceful stream.
    Better to see than the huge, ravaging floods we are seeing here!

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    1. Bookie: Some world-wide weather moderation would be more than welcome. We could do with more rain, you could do with less.

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  16. I really enjoyed the photos you chose today. The river reminds me of the one where we used to swim as children. It was mostly shallow like yours, but with some deeper spots where we paddled around. Something so familiar - so far from here - amazing to me.

    Beautiful sunset. You have a lovely spot to catch the sun's last rays.

    Poor bird! When I get overheated sometimes I get too mixed up to know I need water too! I hope he recovered in your shade.

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    1. jenny_o: I learned to swim in this river. Parts were shallow and delightful to paddle in, and parts quite deep. My mother and I were wandering along the river bank in another nearby river, looking for somewhere to swim. It all looked too shallow so I stepped in to wade across to the other side. Stepped in to water well over my head. It was that clear...
      And yes, heat has made me silly(sillier) more than once.

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    2. Eek ... as a non-water-lover, that made my hair stand on end ...

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    3. jenny_o: I am a water lover. I understand it has never held any fear for me - even when it should. It was a shock stepping into that pool though.

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  17. That looks like a pretty walk. ;) We did a big one this week from Huskisson to Vincentia - pics next week. :)

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    1. Snoskred: I am looking forward to seeing pictures from your big walk. It is a very long time since I have been to Huskisson.

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  18. The river may be low, but at least the water is beautifully clear.
    Sad the cockatoo didn't drink, was he close enough that you could mist him with the hose? I hope he found water and recovered from the heat.
    Lovely sunsets :)

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    1. River: I considered the hose, but didn't wan't to stress the cocky out. I hope he did find water that was more to his taste. He spent quite a while just sitting in the shade before flying off.

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  19. I love your pictures as always. I am kind of giggling at your picture with the snake warning. We have poisonous water snakes everywhere there is water here and I have never seen a warning. Of course they arent particularly curious and tend to leave if people are close to them. (I do know your snakes pack a bigger wallop than ours do though)

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    1. Anne in the kitchen: It is the first time I have ever seen a sign like that, though our Botanical Gardens has some moveable signs about sightings of the Eastern Brown Snake. Our snakes too would rather avoid us. People who get bitten are often careless, or trying to hurt the snake.

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  20. Fabulous pictures. I'm glad you didn't see any snakes, too. I love those pretty birds. I keep forgetting that it's summer where you are, EC. :-)

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    1. DJan: If only I could forget that it is summer. No snakes in winter - which is another reason to like the season.

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  21. A bit of good scenery there.
    The parrots are always lovely even if they do screech at times.

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    1. Margaret-whiteangel: We do have some very beautiful birds. Shame about their voices.

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  22. Hi EC - thanks for showing the corella and cockatoo close up - incredible beaks and heads ... wonderful to see. I gather it's hot - and that might be an understatement ... I'm not happy with snakes either ... but your river with its water will attract them ... oh squawking and screeching birds - rather like our gulls - a pain in the ... Happy New Year and here's to find your dam next time - cheers Hilary

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    1. Hilary Melton-Butcher: Very few of our birds are precisely musical, but their calls sing/shriek of home to me.
      The dam can wait for another day - and the place is a delight anyway.

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  23. Love looking at the close-ups of your birds and the blue eye patch of the corella. I've been trying to memorize coastal hummingbirds in anticipation of my trip in a couple weeks. Here in the east, just one kind and it has flown to Central America for the winter but they stay in Northern California all year.

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    1. Sue in Italia/In the Land of Cancer: I have very little chance of trying to identify unfamilar birds. Mind you, I would love to try on the hummingbird front.

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  24. That looks like a nice spot. It would be interesting to see it after some winter rains. I'm not a lover of snakes either. Beautiful sunset. Happy belated New Year!

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    1. Craig: And a very Happy New Year to you and yours as well. The Cotter is a lovely spot. There are people camped there at the moment, despite the lack of water, and they all seemed to be having a fine time. And yes, after rain it is a different place. A wilder, much less tranquil place.

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  25. It certainly looks like a pretty place to wander, even if you didn't find the dam. Glad you didn't find any snakes!

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    1. River Fairchild: I am certain I could have found snakes with a little investigation, but was happy to leave them be. They weren't on the path which suits me just fine.

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  26. It is nice to see that the sun is shinning somewhere.

    I do love your birds!

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    1. Starting Over, Accepting Changes - Maybe: Thank you. So do we. We are getting a very little welcome rain today, but the sun will be back. And shining brightly. Your sun will return too. Soon I hope.

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  27. I wish we could divert some river water over to you. It feels as if we are sinking, with all our local rivers in flood. Your ankles would get a good soaking, also knees and other higher-up bits!

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    1. Relatively Retiring: I have heard about your rain - and my heart has ached for the people and places under threat. I hope that you and yours are safe.

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  28. --if I looked outside my kitchen window and saw a cockatoo, I would literally do a FLIP)) xx

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    1. My Inner Chick: You would become a skilled acrobat. The cockatoos are daily visitors. I am always happy to see the noisy vandals too. Mind you, there are some other birds which come much more rarely which make me flip. Hugs.

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  29. aw

    Loved this stroll. Wish we had wild birds like that 'round here

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    1. Author R. Mac Wheeler: You get some pretty special birds (and wildlife) of your own.

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  30. Never knew birds panted.
    Want some of our water? December wasn't chilly, it was soggy.

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    1. Alex J. Cavanaugh: Pant they do. Not a pretty sight. A sad sight. And yes, we would love some of your sogginess. We have a little today but it is damp rather than wet.

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  31. Lots of dangers with your ankle deep water. I think I'd worry most about the snakes though. I don't like them. We had a snow dusting here, now freezing rain. There's not much you can do with freezing rain, but wait it out. I hope the hot bird will be ok. I've heard hummingbirds like misters and maybe you need a mister for your garden birds?

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    1. Strayer: We are so often on water restrictions that we couldn't run a mister, which is a shame because I think that LOTS of the birds would love it. We do see the birds hanging upside down from the telephone wires in the rain, fanning their wings and giving their 'pits' a wash. It always makes me smile. A lot. And some day I will stop smiling long enough to get the camera.

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  32. Hi Sue,

    Another dam fine collection of photos by your good self. Strewth! Nothing like a very hot cockatoo, I guess :0

    Hope you had a nice weekend.

    Gary

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    1. klahanie: Our weekend was quiet but pleasant. How about yours?

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  33. Happy New Year, EC!

    Your photos are lovely, as usual. An eye for beauty is a wonderful thing to have

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    1. kylie: And a happy New Year to you too. What ever else I am or am not I AM an appreciator. With an eye for, and greed for beauty in all its forms.

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  34. Sad to know that there is less water in the river than usual. I hope there isn't a turnaround to drought times ahead. We had a very warm, drier than usual December.

    Your images are beautiful though, nonetheless.
    The last sunset of 2015 was lovely.
    I love the thrill of walking on a boardwalk above water, and yours there looks very inviting.

    Our poor birdies have had some out-stretched wings and open beaks these past hot days.
    Glad it's cooler now.

    They promised rain here yesterday, but it missed us and went further up.
    They're predicting "possible showers and thunderstorm" later today - I'm not holding my breath either...

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    1. Vicki: We had some drizzle overnight and it is a grey day today. More rain(?) promised but no, I am not holding my breath either.
      I really, really hope we don't move into fully fledged drought again.
      And hope the weather boffins are telling the truth about the rain - for both of us.

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  35. Looks like a fun hike! Though I'd definitely have my pants tucked into my socks with all the snakes hidden about.

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    1. John Wiswell: I am not certain that any of my pants are proof against snake bite. I just watched where I walked.

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  36. Always a fun series of Sunday Selections. The birds are always my favorites. Interesting sign on those snakes, gorgeous skies too. Pretty shots all round.

    I am back from vacation. Thanks for visiting when I was gone. My first journal post is http://anenglishgirlrambles2016.blogspot.com/2016/01/first-day-of-vacation-washington-dulles.html

    Happy New Year!

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    1. DeniseinVA: Thank you and a very happy New Year to you too.

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  37. You get really nice wildlife pictures! I've never seen a bird panting. More like my cats panting when they see birds from inside the house.

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    1. Riot Kitty: Do your cats make the chittering sound of lust as well?

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  38. Seems wonderful hike, and the place is nice. And the cockatoo looks so lovely - you can see it in the nature..
    Hugs

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    1. orvokki: I love cockatoos, despite them being noisy vandals. Many farmers would not agree. They were here first though.

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  39. What a clear shallow river...lovely even though it is only ankle deep...too bad it wasn't deeper to be refreshing on a hot day....yikes on the snake sign. Happy New Year.

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    1. Donna@LivingFromHappiness: We have had a little rain since, and with luck there is some more water. Snakes are a fact of life here, particularly beside water. And a very Happy New Year to you too.

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  40. These are so lovely!

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    1. ladyfi: I do love our birds. And our rivers...

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  41. Beautiful sunset! I didn't know birds got hot like that. Amazing creatures - your visiting birds.

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    1. Lynn: Sometimes they get very hot. Which makes sense. No sweat glands (that I am aware of) and feathers can be very, very warm. Sad to watch though.

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  42. EC, we've had so much rain that the lawn is waterlogged and the weeds are going gang busters. Now we are promised a few dry but cloudy days, which will be lovely. A Whip Bird has been calling all day, one of my favourites, and the pair come down to check out what work is being done in the garden. We are so lucky with our wonderful birds in Australia.

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    1. Carol: The rain has been really patchy. We had a little. A very little. It was welcome, but I am having to water tonight.
      Whip Birds? I do love their call. And envy you your visitors. We do indeed have some wonderful birds (and animals).

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  43. I'm always jealous of the beautiful birds that you have where you live. They are amazing. Lovely photos as usual.

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    1. LL Cool Joe: Thank you. I am jealous (often) of the birds and wild life in rather a lot of the world.

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