This is one of our resident pair of Welcome Swallows.
They produced two chicks earlier this year, but I haven’t seen them for awhile. One chick disappeared pretty quickly after they fledged, and the other went missing a bit after. I suspect that both were predated by Kookaburras or something similar.
The adults look kind of young themselves, so we think that this was the “trial” brood. Oh well, better luck next time.
At least the adults are still around to squeak at us.
where the couch was sooooooo comfy she had to sleep-in for hours (and hours).
awwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww
(of our veggie patch).
Here she is amongst the tomatoes.
Hi Keres.
Those are some great pictures, but I especially like the ones of Luna. She appears to be in slacker heaven. 🙂
She “lies like a dog”, alright.
I’ve been reading Marc Hauser’s Wild Minds (highly recommended) and feeling very grateful to a very old girl named Misty. Seven years ago her master was hit by a truck and became a paraplegic. Since that time she’s become a service dog extraordinaire, not be official training but by that special love and instinct that only a dog can have.
service dogs are amazing. here’s a local story about an iraq vet. with ptsd and the difference Pax has made in his life:
the puppies behind bars, which was originally conceived as a program to raise puppies to be guide dogs for the blind, has expanded. this program is a benefit to everyone involved.
l hope we’ve not hijacked your d keres…but this kind of thing, imo, is demonstrative of the spirit you bring with it.
at the end of the day, dogs are wo/mans best friend.
l hope we’ve not hijacked your d keres
Heck no. I think service animals are great.
Luna is just starting work as an Animal Assisted Therapy partner. Which pales by comparison to a full-time service animal’s hours and dedication, but it suits her low-key, lazy self.
The swallow is quite handsome.
Glad to see that Betty is out and about and that Luna is out. 🙂
And thanks to Michaela and dada for the service dogs comments.
What a wonderful photo, SN. Those eyes….
She knew she only had about five seconds to nibble as many flowers as she could before I put down the camera…
Obviously you’re not feeding her enough. 😉
Obviously. Just look at all those bones sticking out. 😉
I’ve had this newspaper clipping stuck to my refrigerator door for at least the last ten years.
Hopeful’s namesake want to pass on the wisdom that eating flowers is waste of energy. And also he says hi.
But it makes her turds so festive looking…
The pine cones are getting ripe, so the Cockies have been visiting a lot lately.
These four were here about a half-hour ago.
Oh man, those are incredible shots of his outstretched wings!
I got lucky. Of course, now that the sun’s shining (unlike earlier, when it was completely overcast) they’ve moved on.
They are one of my favorite birds, especially because they always seem to be having such a good time. They tear apart pine cones and strip bark on the eucalyptus trees (looking for grubs) with such raucous abandon – and they never shut up. Whether flying or perched, they call and caw to each other constantly.
As with a lot of other Australian birds, last year’s brood tends to stay with their parents to help raise next year’s chicks. Which means we usually see them in families of three to seven, with the larger groups filling our whole valley with their calls to one another.
I see the bird whisperer is back. Fantastic capture.
Our dog, trying to get out the cat door. I live in a madhouse.
Here kitty, kitty, kitty.
Great picture. Your dog looks like a real cutie.
He is! He’s not my dog, exactly – he belongs to my housemates. But I’ve lived with him for over a year, and I sometimes walk him. 🙂
That reminds me so much of this japanese game show – human tetris:
Wow. Just…. wow.
Effing Fantastic.
Sometimes I worry about Japan. 😉
Someday I’m going to get a shot that isn’t from over a hundred and fifty feet away in low-light conditions. A girl can dream.
Today’s another blustery one. I keep checking to make sure that Luna hasn’t been blown away.