I’ve decided that today’s non-cat blog should feature our less companionable companions, i.e. the wildlife that shares our property oh, so graciously with us.
When I saw this little fellow, my first thought was that someone had lost their budgie. But upon closer inspection (through the long lense of my camera) he showed himself to be a Blue-winged Grass Parakeet (AKA Blue-winged Parrot). While they are not uncommon on the mainland of Australia, only a small number make the journey to Tasmania every year during breeding season. And our area seems to be one of the few that they favor, as we’ve never seen them more than a few kilometres from here.
Indeed, one of the reasons that we bought this property was the plethura of wildlife (including Blue-winged Parrots) that we saw just over the hill in Chancey Vale Wildlife Sancturary.
So, who lets you live in their backyard?
I’ve put these guys up once before but I’ll give them a rerun since they are thematic.
barred owl — we were pretty pleased to get this shot since owls showing up during the day are really rare.
wild turkey chased up a tree by our dogs — turkeys on the other hand are really common in the woods. We come across flocks of 10 or more regularly.
Hi Andy. Nice birds.
The only owl I’ve seen at our place is a little one called a Southern Boobook.
When I lived in No. California, I used to see a few Great Horned Owls – and they really are impressively sized birds. I also had a flock of about 50 turkeys that lived on my property (they were introduced to California a long time ago – as a game bird). The place was covered with Oak trees, and turkeys love acorns. There were so many of them that I regularly had to stop and wait for them to cross the road. Most of them seemed to forget that they could fly, and would run back and forth in a panic, looking for a way through the fence. Sometimes I had to wait for a minute or two before they all got it figured out.
My husband came back from his bike ride today and told me he’d seen a bald eagle (they were reintroduced near our area a decade or so ago and have done very well). We often see egrets, cranes, and herons on bike rides (part of the area where we ride has several rivers and swampy land) but never an eagle before so I think I’m going to make him start riding with the camera.
BTW, your owl is has a decidedly “don’t mess with me” look.
Bald Eagles are one of those OH. MY. GOD. creatures.
I know that they are scavengers and thieves for the most part, and not much larger than Golden Eagles or other large buzzard hawks. But there’s something about the black body/white head combination, along with the massive yellow beak, that makes them seem so immpressive up close.
I’ve been lucky to see Wedge-tailed Eagles in the wild here. As there are only 200 pairs left in Tasmania. One pair frequents the tall tree up the hill from our house – until the ravens drive them off.
I got the photo of these two at the same wildlife park as the Wombat below. They are unable to fly.
The other eagle here, the White-Bellied Sea Eagle, I’ve been lucky enough to see twice in the wild. But, alas, not photograph.
We had one fly a couple of feet over our heads when we were on Radar Hill in Tofino, BC. It was being territorial, we were the intruders. My son was holding his baby girl in his arms and he said, “I know its after her chops.”
And in a splendid show of immaturity (of which I’m feeling very proud), I’m really peeved about his getting to see them — he already takes his kids on a multi-day field trip (he’s an elementary school teacher) to an “outdoor lab” where they have a nesting pair so he’s gotten to those of several occasions. It should be my turn!
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~ Cross-posted from European Tribune ~
Flying swans are UK vision of EU
True to our leader Tony Blair, to choose a bird not native to Europe.
However, the largest and most beautiful is the Trumpeter Swan, used by AirFrance-KLM as their logo and is famous for the music of Beethoven from Vienna, Austria. Yet a bird NOT native to Europe, but flown in from … North America. So what migration is Blair favoring?
<click pic to enlarge>
These birds have white plumage with a long neck, a short black bill that extends back to the eyes and short black legs. Their wing span can be 3 m. The cygnets are grey in appearance and becomes white after the first year.
The swan features in many religions as a symbol of purity, of transformation, love, and of the other world. Zeus took the shape of a swan to seduce Leda, Buddha saved the life of a swan, Parsifal killed one, and in Finnish legend the Swan of Tuonela guards the kingdom of death.
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Thanks for all the Swan info and pics, Oui.
Around here (Tasmania) we get to see lots of Black Swans.
They are not as big, or as aggressive, as their white cousins.
In the spring, it’s not uncommon to see hundreds of them, with their fluffy charcoal-grey cygnets (baby swans), hanging out in the shallows of the Derwent River.
on Grouse Mountain part of the North Shore Mountains that overlook the city of Vancouver BC
It’s not exactly my back yard. We have a resident racoon who snoozes in a big fur tree beside the apartment building. The bandits love to take over crows’ nests for their naps and there is nothing the crows can do about it.
I need to get some more pix of Compa Bud to share. But until then, I thought you would all be amused to find out that I was greeted by a pack of these last weekend when I was home at the parents’ house. I’ll let you take bets on who squealed the loudest…
You did, you did (squeal the loudest, that is).
I take it “the parents” live somewhere in the Southwest US.
We’re desert-dwellers here in Arizona. I’m used to having javelinas cross my path, but these ones came out of the shadows unexpectedly. And I’m not telling who squealed louder…nope…
This is one of my favorite kid’s books (it didn’t quite fit on my scanner).
It’s written in both English and Spanish.
The Javalinas make their respective houses out of tumbleweeds, saguaro (cactus) ribs, and adobe bricks.
And hapless Coyoté takes the role of the Big Bad Wolf.
So, you’ll just have to settle for this photo I took of a young wombat at a local wildlife park.
We’ve seen dug up areas (wombats dig for roots) and their very characteristic square scat (poop), but, as of yet, not the actual the wombat(s). Like most marsupials, they tend to be nocturnal, or at least crepuscular (most active at dawn and dusk).
I just love the way they roll up in a ball, their rotund shape, and the way they walk. A documentary on them, showed the little wombat following his zoo keeper everywhere.
no-fly lists. Airlines say that they have respiratory problems and they are top heavy for their little legs. Even the minatures are grounded. The story is accompanied by a photo of a little one with the usual sad expression.