Wet and Aggressive Corella challenges Magpie

Wet and Aggressive Corella challenges Magpie

Sunday 15 November 2020

Sunday Selections #507

 



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.
Huge thanks to Cie who gave me this wonderful Sunday Selections image.
The meme was then continued by River at Drifting through life.  Sadly she has now stepped aside (though she will join us some weeks), and I have accepted the mantle. 
The rules are so simple as to be almost non-existent.  Post some photos under the title Sunday Selections and link back to me. Clicking on any of the photos will make them embiggen. 
I usually run with a theme.  This week I am returning to my avian obsession - and telling you about my treat.  
Starting with the birds we see at home.  Regular readers will have heard/seen me complain about the Sulphur Crested Vandals more than once.  We feed the king parrots (who are low on the pecking order) by hand.  This cockatoo watched with interest.  It then walked up my partner's leg and settled on his knee - evicting the king parrots.  They are not tame birds but trust us - which is an incredible privilege.




Then to a less regular visitor - which is also welcome.  We hear the yellow-tailed black cockatoos but rarely see them in the garden.  Over the last couple of months we have seen them in a neighbour's garden feeding on banskia nuts.  I suspect their presence is a reflection that the food in their 'home territory' has not yet recovered from the fires we had late last year and early this.


This is not a great photo but...  I was trying to photograph the cockatoo perched in the tree when I got photobombed.  You can clearly see in this shot where the name Yellow Tail comes from.

Now to my treat.  And it was HUGE.

On Wednesday afternoon I went to our local zoo and had an up close and personal encounter with two Barking Owls, Rocco and Ruby.  Both of them perched on my (gloved) forearm and I was even encouraged to pat them gently.  This treat was delayed by our catastrophic fires, by Covid 18 and by the owl's breeding season. 

This video (three minute or so) is worth watching.  You can hear the owl call at about the 2.30 point.

Less talk, more photos.  Lots more photos.











 It really was an incredible treat.  Of course while I was at the zoo I took other photos, which I will undoubtedly show/inflict on you some other week.

I hope you find joy this week too.



130 comments:

  1. Oh wow, I love the Barking Owls, it is fantastic. And the Parrot sit your parent knees, beautiful.

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    1. Bob Bushell: Aren't the Barking Owls gorgeous? That cockatoo has sat on my knee too. Which is an incredible privilege

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  2. What a treat!
    I am glad you had this experience.
    :)

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    1. Caterina: I am very, very glad I had this experience too.

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  3. Adorable. What a thrill to see the Barking Owl. Love that bark. The other birds are a thrilling sight as well for this Canadian.

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    1. Marie Smith: Isn't that bark lovely. Which matches the bird.
      I am glad that you enjoyed our birds as I so often enjoy yours.

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  4. First I fell in love with a white parrot,
    but then my heart took the cute owls.
    So lovely photos.
    Have a nice week and take care,

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    1. orvokki: We see the sulphur crested cockatoos every day. The owls were a much rarer treat and I am so very grateful that I had it.

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  5. That's really great you got to hold the owl. Glad you were finally able to go do it. Wild the other birds land on you to eat.

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    1. Alex J. Cavanaugh: Having the owl perch on my arm was incredible, but to be told that I could stroke them blew me away.

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  6. What a wonderful encounter. A treat, indeed.

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    1. Sean Jeating: I ran out of superlatives quite quickly. It was indeed wonderful.

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  7. Beautiful birds one and all. Those that reside around my little abode are most welcome, too. I love seeing them, and hearing them. And, they certainly do share their songs, loudly and clearly at my screen door.

    The owls are wonderful creatures...fascinating creatures.

    Have a good week ahead, EC...cuddles to Jazz. :)

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    1. Lee: Thank you. As you know I welcome the birds (including the vandals) here too. If you don't mind I am not going to cuddle Jazz for you. He is in spiky mode at the moment and it simply isn't safe. I hope you and your much better behaved furry overlords have a wonderful week.

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  8. Thank you so much. I really enjoy the wildlife and seeing you interact with them! They know you're good people.

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    1. Cloudia: Thank you. I feel so very privileged. I am very privileged.

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  9. I don't know if I would trust that glove to be thick enough to protect my arm from those spikes on the end of those feet.

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    1. Mike: I did trust them. Completely. I also trusted them not to turn round and latch on as I stroked them. My trust was not misplaced.

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  10. Love that your backyard birds are so trusting that they'll pose for you... as long as you feed them. I enjoy each and every one, wishing I could live in your yard all the while.
    What a fabulous adventure for you! The barking sound is awesome. I've only heard owls around here hoot, which is also a delight since it doesn't happen very often, but I'd never guess that barking was an owl if I heard it in the dark!
    I'm so glad you mentioned inflicting more photos of your trip on us in the future. Bring them on!

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    1. River Fairchild: Their trust is a hard earned privilege - and these days some of them don't even need an immediate reward to be happy to pose for the camera. They are much less camera shy than I am. You would be more than welcome in the garden - but would also be put to work.

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  11. Dear EC
    They are beautiful vandals! The owls are so wonderful too and what an unusual call. It was a treat worth waiting for. An owl rescue centre near here bring some of their rescue owls to our high street every now and again and it is such a joy to see them close up.
    Have a good week
    Best wishes
    Ellie

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    1. Ellie Foster: Thank you. I was definitely a treat worth waiting for. If an owl rescue centre brought the owls up our main street I would be there in a heart beat.

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  12. This is gorgeous, gorgeous, gorgeous... Wow, lucky you. I'm glad it finally happened. I thought it might be a bird but I also thought you were getting a pet, silly me. What a treat indeed. I bet you will remember this one for a long time.

    Stay safe and well.
    Hugs, Julia
    Thanks for all the interesting photos.

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    1. Julia: The owl encounter was a gift to me, and most definitely worth waiting for. You are right that it will stay in my memory for a very long time.
      I hope you and yours are safe and well too.

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  13. How BRILLIANT! Owls are my favourite birds, and have been since I was about 5, and was taken on an evening bush/stream walk to see fireflies. I was much more interested in the two owls we saw, and have loved them ever since. I am extremely envious of your treat - I would love to meet a barking owl!

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    1. Your cockatoos are lovely too :)

      Have a good week, EC, and thanks for sharing these beautiful creatures!

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    2. Alexia: I adore owls too, and always have. Meeting the barking owls was amazing (mind you I would like to see fireflies too). I was also blown away by how soft their feathers are, and the way that they leaned into being stroked - which made me think that they liked it too.

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    3. Alexia: How is the convalescent? I hope that you are having a good week which gets better and better.

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    4. He is doing quite well, thank you. He no longer uses a walker, and showers himself, and his appetite is getting closer to normal; we saw the surgeon on Thursday, and he was very happy with the progress.
      For once, he is actually being quite sensible about what he feels he is ready to do (rather than charging off to do something the minute it occurs to him...).

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    5. Alexia: Wonderful news. Long may it last.

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  14. Well, that was, indeed, a treat. Peter's just had a look through,too.
    We do like our hush wings.Thank you

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    1. dinahmow: Definitely a treat, and you are right about the love of hushwings.

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  15. I see what all the barking is about.

    A cockatoo on the knee, you do feel a bit special when an animal trusts you.

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    1. Ann Bennett: We feel very special when animals show their trust.

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  16. When I first saw the cockatoo on the knee I thought that was the tremendous joy. It would have been for me, but of course I kept reading and looking. What a privilege you had and what an adorable owl. Those eyes!

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    1. Anne in the kitchen: BOTH were tremendous joys. Tremendous and treasured joys.

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  17. He really can bark like a dog! And so that was your treat that barks! I never would have guessed.

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    1. Strayer: I suspect that the barking owl fools a lot of people still. It is an incredible sound isn't it?

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  18. Amazing birds, thank you so much for sharing these. It is incredible when wild animals will trust us.

    Later i will link up my selections, i'm still working on it right now.

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    1. messymimi: I am looking forward to seeing your selections. A lot. And yes, the trust given to us is an incredible privilege - and a joy.

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    2. messymimi: I loved your skyscapes. Of course.

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  19. That's quite a gentle bark on the owl, if I ever hear it in the wild I won't go searching for a lost puppy, but look to the trees instead.

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    1. River: And who would have thought that looking upwards was the way to find the source of a bark.

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  20. Absolutely delightful post!!!

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  21. The barking owl, my goodness how wonderful. Watched and listened to the video, most interesting.
    The Cockatoo - what a treat and it's beautiful too.
    The black ones, they say bad weather is about if they fly near the house..

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    1. Margaret D: The video was good wasn't it. I have never heard that saying about black cockatoos. Sadly the weather (or conditions) are bad in their home if they fly near ours so perhaps it has an element of truth in it.

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  22. Hi EC - just wonderful to see ... the cockatoo feeding happily - the sightings of the birds coming into the city to feed ... and then your wonderful visit to meet the Barking Owls - they look absolutely delightful. So amazing all the different colourations ... what joy - and then the treat in store for us ... I'll be back to watch the video - take care - Hilary

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    1. Hilary Melton-Butcher: Thank you. I hope you can watch the video and hear the owl bark (and the keeper imitate it).
      I hope you are keeping safe and not bored in your lockdown.

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  23. I can see why you were thrilled with the owl encounter, Sue, but my heart is till prisoner to the Sulphur-crested Cockatoos and their confiding attitude around humans. When I think of Australia birds, so many truly wonderful species spring to mind, and I recall first sightings, and details of habitat, and so forth, but it is hard for me to imagine that any other could displace Sulphur-crested Cockatoo on my ranking of delight. And thanks to you, I have a feather which sits on my bookshelf across from the computer, and I see it every day. Now that's happiness.

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    1. David M. Gascoigne: Knowing of your love of the vandals I though of you when I put the photos up. And yes, we love them too and feel so lucky and so privileged to see them often. And even more lucky and privileged to be able to interact with them.

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  24. Those eyes! Love them! And what an honor for himself!

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    1. Cindi: Treats all round. The owl eyes are beautiful aren't they. They caused some problems though. My brother took most of the photos for me (for obvious reasons) and red-eye was all too evident in a lot of them. I think/hope I have been able to mostly remove it.

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  25. Thank you for sharing that video of the Barking Owl. It was amazing when it took that small piece of meat out of the zoo keeper's hand and didn't take part of the man's hand with his talons. Loved all the pictures.

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    1. Granny Annie: The precision with which the owl took its food was incredible wasn't it? And I did love the very obvious affection between keeper and owl.

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  26. Love the birds you get to feed in your garden but the barking owl was awesome. Love their bark. Super glad you got a chance to interact with one. Amazing treat. Take care and be safe my friend.

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    1. Mason Canyon: Thank you. I do love the birds which visit, but would be over the moon to see an owl more often. Any owl. And yes, it was a truly amazing treat. You stay safe too please. Very safe.

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  27. if there is such a thing as owl envy, I'm suffering from it now, seriously! What a great treat, and what wonderful photos!

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    1. Charlotte (MotherOwl): I knew you would like these photos and am very glad that I wasn't wrong - even if it did cause a little owl envy.

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  28. What a cute parrot visitor, I love these first photos!

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    1. Natalia: It amazed us both when the cockatoo walked up my partner's leg. Like the owl they have impressive talons and it did no damage at all.

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  29. Fascinating video - thank you for sharing. I've always liked owls.

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    1. Olga Godim: I love owls too and am glad you enjoyed the video. I hope your health is improving every day.

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  30. I like the owl. So cute. The cockatoo feeding off your lap is quite amazing.

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    1. gigi-hawaii: Both of these things were definite treats for us.

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  31. Hi EC,

    The cockatoo photo is excellent.

    :o)

    Cheers

    PM

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    1. Plastic Mancunian. Thank you. You are wrong, but thank you.

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  32. Wonderful to have had that Owl on your hand. Its eyes are amazing. Isn't nature wonderful. Have a great week ahead

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    1. Margaret Birding For Pleasure: Nature so often gives me solace and heart balm. The Barking Owl encounter was definitely wonderful. Truly wonderful.

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  33. Those owl eyes are mesmerizing. And yes, that was an incredible treat. Not to mention the big birds eating right out of your hands. You are so fortunate, EC. :-)

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    1. DJan: We are indeed lucky - and well aware of it.

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  34. OMW What an incredible owl, the Barking Owl, I loved the video. I love owls and have resident Barn Owls in the trees above my little cottage. I would miss their calls if they left. I loved the photobombed image of your Yellowtail cockatoo! Thanks for sharing.

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    1. Jo: You have resident barn owls? Like Charlotte (MotherOwl) that causes me a little owl envy.

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  35. Bien captadas esas aves. Las cacatúas y los búos, son aves que me encantan.

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    1. VENTANA DE FOTO: We do too, but see the owls only very rarely.

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  36. Oh! That owl. Swoon.
    That dear little thing.
    I have loved owls all of my life.
    That image made me grin wide.
    Thanks for sharing your life-living,
    dear Sue.
    - Jennifer

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    1. SingingRiverSoulSpa: I love them too. My smiles threatened to split my face while I was with Ruby and Rocco.

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  37. That was a wonderful treat for you, and for us too. Owls are such beautiful creatures. I love the part in the video where the owl closes its eyes in ecstasy as it's given a head rub. Looks like it has grey eye shadow on its eyelids! I have several zoo feeds in my Facebook account and I have been fascinated to see the bonds between keepers and animals. The keepers are so enthusiastic about their charges; it's wonderful to see.

    Were the Sulphur Crested Vandal's claws held successfully at bay by the blue jean fabric? I hope so! What a feeling it must have been to have that bird climb on. You and your partner are very good friends to many birds, a just reward for your patience and generous feeding.

    Thank you for sharing all the avian love with us.

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    1. jenny_o: The keeper in the video was also the keeper who introduced me to Ruby and Rocco. His love for them, and theirs for him was very, very evident. And lovely.
      The Sulphur Crested Vandal was remarkably gentle. I have had MUCH more damage done to me by Jazz. The cockatoo has climbed on me too, and my trouser material is much thinner than denim. It lest no mark - on the trousers or on me.
      We get an immense amount from the birds who visit. A regular inclusion of bird seed and apples on our shopping list is a small price to pay.

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  38. Oh wow ... fantastic experience taking pictures with owls, Rocco and Ruby. It reminded me of taking a photo with two owls named Jo-jo and Chan-chan at a cliff tourism site.
    Have a good day, my friends.
    Cheers.

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    1. Himawan Sant: How lucky you were to meet Jo-jo and Chan-chan. And how lucky I was to meet Rocco and Ruby.

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  39. Wow and Wow! Can we just call you guys the Bird Whisperers?! This is just so amazing! Hugs, RO

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  40. WOW indeed!!
    How I would love to have such close encounters with these gorgeous birds too! Such amazing photos, truly spellbinding...these have truly made my day!! Oh thank you so much 😊😊
    And I can't wait to see the rest of your photos...

    Have a wonderful day!

    Lots of love and hugs ❤❤❤❤❤❤❤

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    1. Ygraine: Thank you. It was a very special, long anticipated treat - and more than lived up to my expectations. I hope that you are well and that winter is treating you kindly. Many hugs and much love.

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  41. Great photos of magnificent creatures.

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  42. heyy nice photos, i love bird too

    i hope get some of them haha especially owl, it's cool

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    1. Sudibjo: Welcome and thank you. Owls are very, very cool aren't they?

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  43. That is a fabulous treat!!! Beautiful birds!

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    1. Jemi Fraser: It was. It was a birthday present and well worth waiting for.

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  44. I know they may be vandals but I would love to have these beautiful birds visit me, and to feed them while hanging on to me, well I would be over the moon. Even the name is a delight as are those Yellow-tail Black Cockatoos. Love the photo where you just see a flash of its tail. Rocco and Ruby would make my day, such beautiful owls! Thank you for including the link to the video. Thoroughly enjoyed that too :)

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    1. DeniseinVA: I am endlessly delighted by and grateful to the birds that visit (vandals too). And yes, Rocco and Ruby was a very, very special treat. I am glad that you enjoyed this post.

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  45. That owl is loved so much and I think it knows how much the keepers care. Rocco or Ruby? is squinting every time that head massage and neck massage eases the tensions in its head, its funny but the little bird is dilating its pupils.

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    1. Spacer Guy: I watched Brendan interacting with both Ruby and Rocco. His love for them, and theirs for him was very, very evident. Wasn't that video heart warming?

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  46. Wow. Those birds really trust you. Except in cartoon form, I've never seen an owl. This one is very cute.

    Keep finding treasures, EC.

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    1. Rawknrobyn: The trust that the visiting birds give us is a gift. A generous and treasured gift. Owls are wonderful birds and I would love to see them a great deal more often than I do.

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  47. I wish I had a bird--a couple of parakeets maybe--but Peggy strongly opposes having birds (and it does seem wrong to keep such a creature in a cage), but even without her opposition, there would be our five cats to consider, and, sad to say, I don't have a single place where a bird would be safe from their obsessive predatoriness. As someone who knows birds better than I ever will, do you have thoughts about the morality of having them?

    Owls--love 'dem guys. I was surprised that the owl in the film was diurnal. Many years ago, Peggy and I saw a diurnal owl in the nearby Cascade Mountains, but I don't recall if that was the one and only owl that we ever saw in the wild.

    "I have accepted the mantle."

    Was there a ceremony, and are you wearing it on your head like people at parties wear lampshades on their heads? If so, be careful when you bend over--HA or at least a ha.

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    1. Snowbrush: Growing up we kept birds as pets. I regret it now and would no longer even consider keeping one and restricting its freedom. The birds which visit us are well aware of the cats in the neighbourhood. Jazz is largely an inside cat now and no threat to them, but the same is certainly not true of neighbour's cats. I have a pump action water pistol loaded and ready on the veranda as a deterrent.
      I know that some owls hunt and feed at dusk and dawn (particularly when food sources are rare) but it seems that the Barking Owl's diurnal nature is rare.
      No ceremony in accepting the mantle - I accepted it when it was handed to me, and in the fullness of time will pass it on (and hope that the new custodian accepts it willingly).

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  48. Absolutely delightful the photos with the cockatiel and I love the huge eyes on that owl. I hope you have a great new week,

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    1. RasmaSandra: Thank you. That is a cockatoo rather than a cockatiel - and we love the destructive incontinent vandals. I hope your week is healthy and happy.

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  49. Oh, what a wonderful and very rare treat; that owl is magnificent. I bet the animals and birds in the zoo miss the people also.

    Having a bird come sit on your partner's lap and eat is also a wonderful sight and gives me joy just looking at it. These are the things that make life wonderful.

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    1. Starting Over, Accepting Changes - Maybe: It was an incredible treat. The staff and the volunteers continued their work at the zoo but I understand that some of the animals DID miss people. Who certainly missed them.
      That cockatoo has now sat on my knee as well - and joy is definitely the word. We are so lucky.

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  50. OMG, the barking owl is adorable! And awe-inspiring, too. What a perfectly-designed predator. It was so much fun to watch the one in the video enjoying caresses like a cat, and barking like the world's cutest dog.

    Your photo-bomber made me laugh, and the cockatoo? Wow! A wondrous week indeed. :-)

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    1. Diane Henders: It was a very, very special week indeed, and I am glad you saw the charm as well. I was amazed to be told that I could stroke the owls, and loved how soft they were.

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  51. I absolutely love the barking owl. How extraordinary you got so so close and could photograph so clearly. It reminded me of the Winston the Owl book I loved so much.

    XO
    WWW

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    1. Wisewebwoman: It really was an amazing experience. To be able to stroke the owls was beyond my wildest dreams. I loved that book too. And must hunt it out and reread it - thanks for the reminder.

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    1. Sandra Cox: It was a very, very special encounter. And we do love the sulphur-crested vandals.

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  53. The trust of the Cockatoo is pretty special.

    What an incredible experience to have a Barking Owl perched on your arm while you stroke it!! Their call is certainly not what I would expect from an owl.

    Thank you, EC, for sharing!

    Gini and I are doing extremely well, all things considered. We are blessed to be able to get out and about with little worry.

    We hope this week is bringing you peace and joy!

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    1. Wally Jones: I delight in the outings that you and Gini take and share with us. The cockatoos trust was welcome - and amazing. And aren't the Barking Owls special. That call is incredible too.
      Stay well, and stay safe.

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  54. Oh WOW!
    What a fantastic post full of wonderful photographs and a fantastic experience for you.
    Many thanks for the video link too.

    Hope your week is going well, my good wishes.

    All the best Jan

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    1. Lowcarb team member ~Jan: I said Wow a lot too - before and after. It really was amazing and the perfect gift.

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  55. you have captured the owls so clearly. Their huge eyes, yellow with black pupils have hypnotised me, I am in their command

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    1. kestrel: Aren't they beautiful, beautiful birds. My brother took most of the photos for me and sadly some of them suffered from 'red eye' but I think I managed to rescue them. And cherish the memories.

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    1. John Wiswell: They were. All of them (except the yellow-tailed black cockatoos).

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  57. Oh my! Those Owls! I'm so glad you got to do this :-)

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  58. Oh my god what a wonderful treat! That must have been something to have this owl on your arm. So did you pet it? In the video it looks like it enjoys being petted.

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    1. Carola Bartz: When Brendan told me that I could stroke Rocco and Ruby my heart started thudding even louder. Of course I did. Their feathers were sooooo soft and stroking them added a whole new dimension to an already amazing treat.

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  59. Oh my goodness, how did I miss your beautiful Barking Owl images and story! Thanks for letting me know they were here. What a brilliant experience you had, it makes me happy just thinking about it!

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    1. Kim: It makes me happy just thinking about it too. Very, very happy.
      And I loved your close up of the Barking Owl in today's post.

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  60. Wow!! Truly amazing! I am smiling BIG!!! Thanks for sharing the video! I love this owl so much! And, for you to get to feed it and hold it! I love the eyes and I love how it barks! LOL! I love how the birds come to your home too! So beautiful! Big Hugs!

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    1. Magic Love Crow: At the time my smile was so wide it threatened to split my face. Remembering it is still a BIG smile. Hugs to you.

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  61. Such a cute little owl. I want to hug him! I am not sure, but that may be a bad idea. 😂

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    1. Sandi: Thank you for trawling through my back posts. The owl was simply gorgeous. I didn't hug either of them but did stroke them - and was blown away by how soft their feathers were.

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