Enjoyed this, Sharon! Hope the many pigeons in London are filling the void your more colourful feathered friends have left.
Jim'll Fix It... yikes. We went on a school outing to sit in the audience and watch the show live. One of my friends was called up on stage. Lucky for her, she wasn't taken backstage.
This makes me want to visit Australia, or actually live there a while to have such cool visitors. That's pretty neat how the brush turkey male looks after the young. They look like feisty types. Those satin bower birds sure know how to throw stuff together. Haha. For me, I think the Australian king parrot seems like quite a nice visitor. Not too loud and so respectful and friendly. I bet you will miss all those cool creatures. Thank you for sharing, Sharon.
I hitchhiked across Australia when I was young. Sydney to Cairns, Cairns to Darwin. What a marvellous country! I loved everything once I got past Surfer’s Paradise and stopped at every single little town after Brisbane. So many happy memories! So much romance!
I should write about that one day — especially that time the bloke I was riding with knew a shortcut from Cairns across the outback and the engine fell out of his van and we had to wait 20 hours for the next car to go by.
I grew up in Sidcup. Perhaps we were neighbours. Did we cover that already?
I never made it away from the coast apart from Brisbane. I just had a look at the map to remember when I went but it seems like you have renamed everywhere.
I love the different birds that have visited us over the last decade as well as the squirrels. From where I live I’ve seen raptors including bald eagles. On our deck mini flocks take a rest while eating organic sunflower seeds and drinking fresh water. My favorite is watching them splash about in the little bowl of water. Nuthatches, chickadees, the odd stellar jays who don’t like to be seen. I absolutely loved the birds on my visit to Sydney, NSW and Norfolk Island in the mid 90’s.
A beautiful piece. Makes me yearn to return to Australia. Where, btw, on our first day in Brisbane, much to our Aussie hosts’ merriment, we were enchanted by the beautiful birds they dismissed as Tip Birds.
PS - no mention of the Aussie Magpie? Not a favourite perhaps? When Aussie hosts’ described them to me I thought they were taking the proverbial out of this credulous Brit.
Hey Gillian, those Tip birds/Ibis, I think lots of people here refer to them as bin chickens! Yes they are quite fascinating. We don’t have them on the mountain. They’re mostly in cities. I mention the magpie but only in passing, as I spoke of their liking for dive bombing people in a previous post. Basically all birds here are pretty amazing in their own way! So glad you enjoyed :)
I did not know that about the male Brush Turkey dads, Sharon! Fascinating. If it makes you feel better, my partner did the exact same thing when he first came to Australia. Woke up in the first morning and asked me about the monkeys 🤣. We used to get mobbed by about 20 sulphur-crested cockies at our place in NSW. They were like a mafia! If I didn’t leave seeds out they would knock all my herb pots off the table in protest. Here in Perth we have a lot of natives in our garden and we get some stunning Black Cockatoos visiting and making an almighty racket. Makes me happy to see them tho as they’re endangered. Good luck with the big move - look forward to following your next chapter
Heaven!! Such beautiful birds and so many laughs in this post. I totally morphed into a crazy bird lady at 50. Now I’m obsessed with multiple feeders and bird baths. They really do bring joy.
What a gorgeous wild aviary to have on your doorstep, Sharon. Luckily, we still have birds in the UK, too, but not quite as exotic. I just put the Merlin bird call identifier app on my phone and it picked up 10 bird calls in 30 seconds, including some I'd never known were here!
Wendy, many a time I’ve stood gormless in my mum’s kitchen watching the birds outside! I’ve since bought her a bird feeder/fountain and will be bang on that Merlin app!
Absolutely spot on! My favourite part of living here; other than the amazing people I call friends, are the songs of the birds. My other fav has just arrived for the winter - black cockatoo with their high pitched squawks. Lovely piece.
Love this! I often think of our young soldiers in WWI & II - especially the country boys who were sent overseas - and how they must have missed the sounds of the Australian bush.
What a lovely piece, Sharon! A personalised catalogue of Australian bird life, incredible variety beautifully described. I can't imagine an english version would half as interesting but what do I know? I did spot the brief confession that you wrote to Jimmy Saville! Let's be grateful he didn't reply ;-)
They're absolutely wonderful Sharon. It's funny how as we hit a certain age we develop this love and fascination. I had no interest really when I was younger, but am totally mesmerised these days. And as you know British birds are not a patch on these colourful characters. Enjoy your trip back home and I am sure they will be waiting for you on your return.
Thank you Margaret, I’m looking forward to reacquainting myself with the birds back in Blighty. So much we don’t know or have yet to learn about their funny ways.
Enjoyed this, Sharon! Hope the many pigeons in London are filling the void your more colourful feathered friends have left.
Jim'll Fix It... yikes. We went on a school outing to sit in the audience and watch the show live. One of my friends was called up on stage. Lucky for her, she wasn't taken backstage.
Nuff said Petra 😬
This makes me want to visit Australia, or actually live there a while to have such cool visitors. That's pretty neat how the brush turkey male looks after the young. They look like feisty types. Those satin bower birds sure know how to throw stuff together. Haha. For me, I think the Australian king parrot seems like quite a nice visitor. Not too loud and so respectful and friendly. I bet you will miss all those cool creatures. Thank you for sharing, Sharon.
I hitchhiked across Australia when I was young. Sydney to Cairns, Cairns to Darwin. What a marvellous country! I loved everything once I got past Surfer’s Paradise and stopped at every single little town after Brisbane. So many happy memories! So much romance!
I should write about that one day — especially that time the bloke I was riding with knew a shortcut from Cairns across the outback and the engine fell out of his van and we had to wait 20 hours for the next car to go by.
I grew up in Sidcup. Perhaps we were neighbours. Did we cover that already?
Thats brilliant. Did you ever visit Tamborine Mountain? 45 min drive from the Gold Coast.
Yes, we've spoken of Sidcup! My husband and I are coincidentally back on a visit.
I never made it away from the coast apart from Brisbane. I just had a look at the map to remember when I went but it seems like you have renamed everywhere.
Cor, this one would give Attenborough a run for his money - very funny and informative. I love Barry the Bowerbird and his bachelor pad!
I love the different birds that have visited us over the last decade as well as the squirrels. From where I live I’ve seen raptors including bald eagles. On our deck mini flocks take a rest while eating organic sunflower seeds and drinking fresh water. My favorite is watching them splash about in the little bowl of water. Nuthatches, chickadees, the odd stellar jays who don’t like to be seen. I absolutely loved the birds on my visit to Sydney, NSW and Norfolk Island in the mid 90’s.
That sounds amazing Lori. Whereabouts are you?
It was so great to get to see most of these with you! We can go sparrow spotting when you’re back 😆.
Deffo! So glad you got to visit and see the birds x
A beautiful piece. Makes me yearn to return to Australia. Where, btw, on our first day in Brisbane, much to our Aussie hosts’ merriment, we were enchanted by the beautiful birds they dismissed as Tip Birds.
PS - no mention of the Aussie Magpie? Not a favourite perhaps? When Aussie hosts’ described them to me I thought they were taking the proverbial out of this credulous Brit.
Hey Gillian, those Tip birds/Ibis, I think lots of people here refer to them as bin chickens! Yes they are quite fascinating. We don’t have them on the mountain. They’re mostly in cities. I mention the magpie but only in passing, as I spoke of their liking for dive bombing people in a previous post. Basically all birds here are pretty amazing in their own way! So glad you enjoyed :)
I did not know that about the male Brush Turkey dads, Sharon! Fascinating. If it makes you feel better, my partner did the exact same thing when he first came to Australia. Woke up in the first morning and asked me about the monkeys 🤣. We used to get mobbed by about 20 sulphur-crested cockies at our place in NSW. They were like a mafia! If I didn’t leave seeds out they would knock all my herb pots off the table in protest. Here in Perth we have a lot of natives in our garden and we get some stunning Black Cockatoos visiting and making an almighty racket. Makes me happy to see them tho as they’re endangered. Good luck with the big move - look forward to following your next chapter
Thanks Sara, yes the black cockatoos are a stunning sight. The white ones very cheeky….
Good luck with your next adventure Sharon
Thanks so much Michelle, I appreciate you reading my stuff. More to come!
Heaven!! Such beautiful birds and so many laughs in this post. I totally morphed into a crazy bird lady at 50. Now I’m obsessed with multiple feeders and bird baths. They really do bring joy.
Thanks so much Hilary. They do indeed.
I want an Australian King Parrot and I want one now!
Fabulous Sharon - spectacular creatures, and so funny as ever. That poor downtrodden bush turkey 🥹. Completely taken for granted, poor thing!
Good luck with the move, I hope everything goes smoothly for you and the family 💛
Ahhh thank you Jules. Yes you can’t help feeling for the bush turkeys!
What a gorgeous wild aviary to have on your doorstep, Sharon. Luckily, we still have birds in the UK, too, but not quite as exotic. I just put the Merlin bird call identifier app on my phone and it picked up 10 bird calls in 30 seconds, including some I'd never known were here!
Happy travels.
Wendy, many a time I’ve stood gormless in my mum’s kitchen watching the birds outside! I’ve since bought her a bird feeder/fountain and will be bang on that Merlin app!
Absolutely spot on! My favourite part of living here; other than the amazing people I call friends, are the songs of the birds. My other fav has just arrived for the winter - black cockatoo with their high pitched squawks. Lovely piece.
Thanks Jason, yes I saw a black cockatoo only last week!
Love this! I often think of our young soldiers in WWI & II - especially the country boys who were sent overseas - and how they must have missed the sounds of the Australian bush.
How true JLB, those soldiers would’ve suffered, missing the sounds of home.
What a lovely piece, Sharon! A personalised catalogue of Australian bird life, incredible variety beautifully described. I can't imagine an english version would half as interesting but what do I know? I did spot the brief confession that you wrote to Jimmy Saville! Let's be grateful he didn't reply ;-)
Haha! Agreed….Thanks Col.
They're absolutely wonderful Sharon. It's funny how as we hit a certain age we develop this love and fascination. I had no interest really when I was younger, but am totally mesmerised these days. And as you know British birds are not a patch on these colourful characters. Enjoy your trip back home and I am sure they will be waiting for you on your return.
Thank you Margaret, I’m looking forward to reacquainting myself with the birds back in Blighty. So much we don’t know or have yet to learn about their funny ways.