As soon as spring arrives, our garden becomes a playground for families of birds.
On this cold spring day the Cockatoos have perhaps given up on flying lessons for this big family……far too cold ….
But on a brighter day, the babies are growing up…….. parents of all persuasions are a pretty tolerant bunch.
This sweet looking Crimson Rosella, no doubt a parent, is watching on from the Japanese Maple, while the young ones enjoy the birdbath, and even better……..
………a sprinkler shower as well!
This little one is a Juvenile Crimson Rosella, and she is moulting and changing from green to red. At the moment she has nice red pantaloons, but is looking a bit awkward…just as most teenagers feel at times..
This one is also changing colour, but she is a real water baby and spends all her time happily in the birdbath..
The young Wattlebird is as hyperactive as her parents, and the mere thought of the water is sending her into a spin!
Kookaburras are not that common in our area, but this young one has, perhaps, come down from Mt Taylor in search of water.
She turned her head to give me her best side as if to say……”‘you’ll catch me soon @kooka.burra’
Galahs are always found in family groups, but this little one has found his way here to our Bottlebrush bush on a very hot day…but waiting politely for his turn in the birdbath..
These young Eastern Rosellas are blending in nicely to the Japanese Maple
Lovely to see these colours on a hot day..
But the regulars in our garden are the Magpies, and this year a pair arrived with these three babies. Very soon it is obvious there are two fast learners…..
and one High Maintenance Baby
It was a long spring and summer with HM following Mum around plaintively calling for food, every morning and every evening. Mum seems young and anxious, and she gives in every time…
One day, just for a little break, the whole family left HM up on the carport roof (plenty of grubs and fruit up there)
”I know you are down there!” she is calling
Mum is just enjoying some peace and quiet in the veggie patch
Dad’s having a bath…he’s had enough, he wants this baby off the payroll..
As we drive away for our summer break, I wonder if HM is going to make it…she has to learn to feed herself…as Garrison Keiller says about difficult kids ”Just send money and pray”
When we return from our summer holiday, the Magpies have gone…..in fact all the young birds have grown up and flown away…it’s very quiet here …I realise I’ve got the empty bird bath blues..
Then, just as I write this, the three young Magpies come back for a visit….they poke around the lawn looking for some worms, have a drink in the birdbath, and stay a while as we do some gardening..
HM Baby is turning her head to show she is listening for beetles, worms and grubs in the ground…she can feed herself!
Just look at them! So confident, these city slickers in their sharp Armani suits…all grown up and ready to go….when did that happen?
May they have a happy autumn and winter before their hectic turn at parenting begins..
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