Welcome visitors to the garden

Shibui

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Late winter and there are lots of Rosellas in our garden. These ones let me get close enough for a reasonable photo.
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It doesn't usually get cold enough here so these were a bit confused about the hard water one morning last winter.
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This one is a King Parrot. These have learned to beg for food and come up really close just to remind me if there's no sunflower seeds out.
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AlainK

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We saw parrots in Pasadena last month

It's incredible how this family of birds can adapt to new environment : to my amezement, I saw budgies in a London park a few years ago, and since, I've heard there are more and more in Paris too. Not where I live, so far, although I live about 60 miles south of Paris.
 

Shibui

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King parrots are back almost every day now.
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New Holland honeyeaters are permanent residents. A pair have staked out territory to include this banksia so they have abundant nectar through winter and spring. This one has decided we are not threat so keeps feeding as we walk past. If someone gets too close for comfort he dives deeper into the bush until the treat has passed.

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AJL

Chumono
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It's incredible how this family of birds can adapt to new environment : to my amezement, I saw budgies in a London park a few years ago, and since, I've heard there are more and more in Paris too. Not where I live, so far, although I live about 60 miles south of Paris.
More likely Ring necked parakeets- there are thousands now around London parks breeding in hollow trees
 

Sansui

Shohin
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Beautiful! Use a little caution though. I once learned the hard way that the big ones have powerful forearms! I had picked one up to show my son that they could be handled and the praying mantis locked onto my index finger with both forearms. Had a heck of a time shaking it off and it actually drew blood! It survived and so did I. No more playing Mr. Science Guy for me!
 

just.wing.it

Deadwood Head
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Beautiful! Use a little caution though. I once learned the hard way that the big ones have powerful forearms! I had picked one up to show my son that they could be handled and the praying mantis locked onto my index finger with both forearms. Had a heck of a time shaking it off and it actually drew blood! It survived and so did I. No more playing Mr. Science Guy for me!
Wow!
Yeah, I've always been gentle with them, and I usually let them walk onto me rather than grab them...never been pinched yet.

You can usually stay clear of the pitchers if you pinch them on the back with a thumb and forefinger....they try to reach back but can't get to you.

This one though seems to like me, I've handled it 4 or 5 times in a week.

Today it walked up to me like a dog.
 

Shibui

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Some more birdlife in the garden today.

Crimson rosellas feeding on the lawn outside the bathroom window
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A bronzewing pigeon nearby
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Kookaburra, probably looking for a careless smaller bird for his dinner as it is a bit early for lizards or snakes yet.
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Though these next couple are not strictly visitors to the garden I'm adding them anyway.

You know it is spring when the old turkey is working hard to attract the attention of the girls
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and finally for today, one of the Auracana hens
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Shibui

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These are also not actually visitors and they are not quite in the garden but they did just arrive today.

Firstborn at about an hour old. He has already been up and had his first feed. Now content to just sit and wait for his brother.
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and the second one - sitting up after around 5 minutes
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atlarsenal

Omono
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I found this baby flying squirrel hopping around like a frog in the driveway this evening at dusk.
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I caught an adult earlier this spring and seen it again on the bird feeder early one morning this summer. These little guys are really cool. He obviously fell out of the nest, I hope the momma finds the baby tonight.
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Shibui

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Our magpies are black and white. They should begin nesting soon. Some can be very aggressive in defending the nest site and cause injuries to people passing through.
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One of our larger parrots. This one is a yellow tailed black cockatoo. They are currently cracking open the banksia seed pods to get the seeds. They also tear up stone pine cones and are large enough to carry entire cones.
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At times they get a taste for meat and hunt wood grubs living inside the trees. No problem with a beak as strong as that, just tear the wood until you get to the grub then hook it out and eat.
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Sample of the type of damage these cockatoos cause while hunting grubs.
 
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