Monday, November 28, 2011

OUR WORLD, World Bird Wednesday & Nature Notes - A Rainy Day


The night before I left for Melbourne, It drizzled, a Scotch
mist obscured the view and dusk sent the birds into one
last baby-feeding frenzy. A family of Galahs was making a
racket directly in front of the house.

Nothing unusual you might think, except that galahs
normally keep a respectable distance . . . they will silently
sneak into the almond tree to steal the nuts while you are
weeding under it but this was different.
Here they were flying in again and again and making
encouraging calls.

I watched as the runt of the litter blundered around in the dense,
wet undergrowth in my rose bed. The parents kept calling but
not feeding it, so, out I trotted with camera of course . . .


it trustingly made a beeline for me at my approach. I picked
it up, unsuccessfully tried to make it fly, and sat it in the
cherry tree hoping the parents would take it from there . . .
it promptly went to sleep.


Later I saw it had flopped back to the ground and was heading
into the dripping weeds again. I was in a bit of a quandary,
with rain and darkness setting in, this was no place for a
fledgeling to spend the night. My morning it would have made
a feast for a cat or a snack for a fox.


Out I trotted again and it once more made a beeline for me
and clambered onto my shoe . . .


from foot to hand to shoulder it went and, 'though I seldom
feature myself in these pages, here is the old bird-lady herself
imitating a tree.



The little chap settled in for some serious preening


really getting into the swing of things


until he was ready for some conversation.



All well and good, but what now. He was hungry and
as yet unable to feed himself, his first flight was not a
great success and I was leaving in the morning . . .

when in doubt, 'look to the hills, whence cometh my salvation'
so, piratically perched on my shoulder, we crossed the paddock to
my dd's* house where grandson lit up like a Christmas tree,
a large cage and food materialised and young Biggles was
settled in.

* dd = darling daughter
All photos featuring me, by courtesy of obliging husband.

My thanks to all of you, my fellow bloggers who left encouraging
messages for my sister and wished me well on my pilgrimage.

A big thank you to the hosts of all three memes, it is good to be
back in the fold again.

46 comments:

  1. That is such a sweet story and has a happy ending. I am glad you decided to show your lovely face,it makes you seem closer,somehow.

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  2. This is something!! The best post ever, I have to call my zoologist husband to see this :)
    Perhaps this fellow will keep you as mother and will not leave you ever :)
    Snowy greetings from Finland to both of you!

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  3. I have not been here for a very long time but I have been thinking of you everyday. I read your posts through my reader. It seems I blog on self defense, sometimes automatically and reflexively. I don't know what to think about sometimes. I need to read your back posts to see what has been happening with you. Seeing you though here and you looking very young and seemingly happy, I am happy. Love to you. Tsup!

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  4. oh, lovely to SEE YOU!!! you're adorable! if i were a bird, i'd tromp on over and sit on your shoulder too! i do hope he is doing well!

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  5. Wonderful to see you Arija..
    It's a fantatstic bird to see... and here's me thinking I was Dr Doolittle...you have really surpassed that.

    Take care xx

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  6. Welcome home and I do pray that your sister was improving on your recent visit. What a lovely day to finally see your sweet face. I love the bird and oh I do hope that it shall do well. Was Biggles released, or kept as a pet? Take care~

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  7. Great photos and what a beautiful experience with the young galah. It's nice to see your face on your blog - better than just imagining someone!

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  8. He's a beauty though, and I'm glad it turned out well!! Boom & Gary of the Vermilon River, Canada.

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  9. A bird such as this would be rare, indeed, in my part of the world. The galah obviously took a liking to you and felt safe resting on your shoulder impersonating a branch. I think it was lucky for it that you came by and perhaps your family will share many caring moments with this pretty little creature. :)

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  10. Awesome ~ Just so precious and delightful ~ thanks, namaste, Carol (A Creative Harbor) USA

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  11. I love the story! And the happy ending! I love the picture of you! I'm thrilled that all is well with your sister and this story does indeed have a happy ending! Thank you for sharing! Love hearing all the good and the beautiful news!

    Sylvia

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  12. I love happy ending, what a pretty bird. It seems very friendly too. I love the photos, especially the lovely one of you and the baby galah. Have a great week, I hope all is well.

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  13. Looks like you truly have a friend. Hope Biggles is still doing fine.

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  14. Well my goodness, I haven't been by to visit your blog in quite some time and look what's happened...it's YOU! So nice to see the face (so like *dd's*) behind the words & pictures. And that bird? Holy smokes, what a color...what a story!!!!

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  15. It looks like your grandson may have a new pet if this little guy doesn't learn to fend for itself.
    It was great to see you for once even if you were impersonating a tree.

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  16. I have fallen a bit behind in blog reading since our return home from our Oct road trip, but this post was so delightful and upbeat. What a lovely and colorful bird, Arija and so nice to "meet" you as well. Good to read that your sister is improving.

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  17. A beautiful story Arija - best friends forever!

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  18. What a splendid and trusting old bird (the galah!)

    Cheers - Stewart M

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  19. What a great story. I loved all the shots but my favorite is the one of you and the bird.

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  20. I LOVE this post Arija. That is such an adorable bird, to say the same of the "mock tree" too. So glad the poor chap finally found a good place to spend the night, and Im wondering if he'll become a member of your family. I'd love to have a bird like this come to my home!
    You look well Arija, and excellant photos! The last time I saw your face it was when you had some sort of crazy critter in the house, and you had caught it.
    Take care.
    Love and HUGS!
    B.

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  21. lovely story with a hopeful future. please let us know how he comes along!

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  22. Arija, that's a great story and lovely pix...lovely that you rescued the poor baby -- and I can just imagine your grandson being so tickled to help. (The bird is so beautiful -- I never can get over your wonderful bird life.)

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  23. What an exquisitely pretty bird Arija - dare I say - two pretty 'birds' together.

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  24. Beautiful experience with such lovely bird. The colors of the bird are amazing.

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  25. Fortunately there was a happy end ! what a cute little bird, I have never seen such !

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  26. Wow, so amazing how tame the little red/pink haired birdie!

    Truly, love to see a face behind this wonderful Garden Delights!

    P.S. I like your blog header, a wood burning stove, reminds me of the good old days back in the Philippines.

    Love you!

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  27. Blogger lost my comment...I am glad that you saved the bird..it was the right thing to do..when I get my NN post up I will add you Arija..hugs..

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  28. I just found your blog and enjoyed your post very much. What a pretty bird – to me it is amazing that it would come to you like this. I am pleased that you found it a home for a while so it would be safe.

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  29. What a great story - I want to hear what happened to the bird next. I've never had a wild bird approach me like that, great shots!

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  30. Hi there - not really sure work travel counts as "getting about" - but I do manage to steal an hour here and there!

    Cheers - Stewart M - Melbourne

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  31. What a wonderful, heartwarming post and experience for you. Delightful.

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  32. How cool is that? Beautiful looking birds!

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  33. What a marvelous post, Arija! You kept me on edge until the happy ending. It is also nice to see your lovely face!

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  34. What a wonderful photo story! That little bird trusted you to help him.
    I'm glad the story has a happy ending.

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  35. First off, because I keep forgetting, I am bedazzled by your wood stove header picture. Way back in the day I was an appliance repairman and I still have a little "thing" for old stoves. I would like to cook a firehouse roast in that oven!
    Such a great post here Arija, it lacks nothing. An enchanting story, brilliant pictures, and a lesson in stewardship. I don't know how it could get any better than this. Every so often blogging transcends itself and the simple combination of pictures and words becomes more than the sum of it's parts, a bright artistic expression of life sublime! This is such a gem. Bravo!

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  36. Absolutely charming images and accompanying story, Arija. Thanks for sharing and for visiting my blog.

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  37. That is really great. What a beautiful bird. You are really something!

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  38. how lovely! What a treat. Glad that little fella is well taken care of. You will never forget this. And, nice to see you. :)

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  39. Arija, how nice to see your face. It tells a story all by itself! I am so glad you rescued the bird. What a sweetie! I am also glad to hear that you are doing well and are safely back home again!

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  40. How wonderful is to see you Aria! What an interesting experience with that lovely bird. I've never had any bird on my shoulder. I think that is wonderful feeling.

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  41. I love that story! I'm so pleased little Biggles has found a home. I think that's what he secretly wanted anyway, lol.

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  42. Sveika, Ārija!

    Cik skaists putns. Un, liekas, ka tik mīlīgs. Bet krāsa - tas ir tik neparasti rozā krāsas putns.

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