Wednesday, August 17, 2011

World Bird Wednesday - Naughty Little Corellas


These naughty, naughty Little Corellas, Cacatua sanguinea,
sitting on the very tip of our precious blue spruce and nipping
out the eye of the new leader. Goodness, I did not know what
to do first, shoo them off or snap them.


Just look at that super cheeky expression!!!



Ah well, click, shoo!! It took a bit of doing but I did manage
to dislodge them.

Now don't get me wrong, under any other conditions I love
these little beggars, after all, I raised one from a totally naked
little chick that had a head almost bigger than it's body.

The Prof was in the Simpson desert with the Country Fire
service and National Parks chiefs. Brenton from Nat.Pks.
stuck his hand in a hole in a tree and pulled out three Little
Corella chicks, put two of them back again and said this little
runt won't survive another day. Thereupon the Prof said
"I'll take it home to my wife". Brenton said words to the effect
that his wife would kill him. Prpf replied "you don't know my
wife!"

The long and the short of it was that that baby bird became my
constant companion for the next two years, even (illicitly)
travelling on an airliner in an ice-cream container in my handbag.
when he started to squawk, I just put my hand on him and no one
noticed a thing. He grew up a free bird, walking down to the
village on my shoulder, giving orders to our German Shepherd,
an bossing the cats about. In his second spring, he stayed away
over night a couple of times but came back again. Then one day
he came back and flew low past the window of the room I was in.
I knew if I called to him, he would stay but being a good mummy,
I stayed silent although my heart ached.

I was glad I let him go because that summer we had a massive
bushfire that consumed all we had including the 150+ year old
garden.

We saw my Little Corella just once more in the company of
two Galahs so he had found some friends.

So there you have it, that is what he looked like as he
swooped past the house.



They do enlarge if you want more detail.

Click on the World Bird Logo to show off your birds too.

21 comments:

  1. How sweet a story. I am still processing them wild on your tree. I suppose they had to be wild somewhere. It makes me happy to see them flying free though I'm a bit teary over your baby leaving the nest.
    nellie

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  2. Lovely post! I love both, story and photos:)

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  3. What a beautiful story, Arija! I love it and your captures, too! And it is just the loving care I would expect of you. His leaving is both sad and beautiful! Enjoy your evening!

    Sylvia

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  4. oh what a sweet story, and beautiful birds! even if they are pesky little sprites!

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  5. Great photos and story!! Boom & Gary of the Vermilon River, Canada.

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  6. Beautiful birds and a wonderful read...

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  7. what a heartwarming story. i'm sure it was difficult to let him go, but you're right...you were being a good parent! to think, without your nurturing he would never have had those years!

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  8. What a lovely story, and such a beautiful bird. Must have been a sad moment to let him go; but great memories.

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  9. What a nice story. They are pretty birds. Great photos.

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  10. Beautiful photos and an even more beautiful story Arija. How awful that fire must have been though...fires certainly are frightening things. Bless you dear one~

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  11. Totally awesome post Arija. That is no small feat raising a baby bird to adulthood. I can imagine your emotion as your little guy left the "nest."
    I remember those terrible firestorms too, I sympathise with all that suffered through them.
    Cheers to you and the Prof!

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  12. What lovely birds they are! I enjoyed your story - it must have been hard to let him go.

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  13. Sometimes your stories make me stop and catch my breath. This was one...
    Tis rare these days (I think) for a husband to truly know his wife and rarer still for (most) humans to truly know the needs of animals within their kingdoms.
    Thank you for the magnificent story.

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  14. I enjoyed your story very much!

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  15. Beautiful shots of the Little Corellas Arija, and a nice story of your encounter with the chick! I love that in flight shot!

    I too am saddened by the loss of our friend Klaus.

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  16. I'm glad you snapped and then shooed. Beautiful photos and wonderful story!

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  17. Who would have come up with a parrot in a pine tree! We have so many pine trees, but rarely get to see a bird on it. Love your story and your pictures, Arija.

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  18. Oh my what a wonderful story. You are a gal after my own heart! I would take in any creature if I could. What a beautiful bird.
    Have a special trip Arija.
    B.

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  19. Wonderful pics and story--I like the way you embrace nature as part of your life. We take spruces so for granted here, but I appreciate how precious a rare exotic thing can be.

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  20. a nice bird I ahve not seen. Of course you don´t want them to destroy your tree. :) so I think you did right. Shoot and then choo..:)

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