Friday, October 30, 2009

Cockies

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Cockies

Here
in Australia
we have two kinds of cockies
those that scuttle around
the kitchen floor
after dark
and those beautiful creatures
that claim the skies
as their home














The Yellow Tailed
Black Cockatoo family
sat on the edge of the ocean
in the National park
this morning











 



Mrs Cocky
has a white upper bill
and a bright yellow cheek patch











 



Cutie Cocky
her daughter
sits nearby
in a Banksia tree










 



enjoying the seeds
of the Banksia nuts














Cutie reaches out for a nut














snipping off a branch in her way
with her secateur like bill











 



she grasps a banksia nut
in her claws
and severs it from the tree
 










 



what a clever Cocky I am















she raises the nut
to her mouth
like a luscious corn cob

Click the photo
to see the seeds in her bill








 



and proceeds to extract the seeds











 



she then tosses the nut down below
to where I am standing










 



in an adjacent tree
her father sits

Can you spot the gender differences?

My Cocky has a pink rimmed eye
a softer yellow cheek marking
and a grey upper bill

He is also
considerably bigger











 



He too is munching
on Banksia nuts seeds














Mrs Cocky all this time
has been crooning a plaintive song
unlike her usual loud distinctive call

which other days makes me stop
on my walks
and search the skies
for the graceful slow flapping sweep
of these large birds
over the wallum and forest











 



and she leaves her high
look out perch










 



to join her daughter
on a branch
at the edge of the ocean
 











 



which is where
we will leave the Cocky family
the Yellow Tailed Black Cockatoos
the harbingers of rain











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40 comments:

  1. Hi Delwyn

    Not just beautiful photographs today, but a soundtrack as well! The added bonus of Mrs Cocky's call draws us even closer. Really enjoyed that.

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  2. hello delwyn - the last picture of the two birds by the ocean is absolutely beautiful. i am constantly amazed at your knowledge, as well as your ability to bring together a narrative with photographs. i'm overdue for passing on a "thankyou" your way. so

    thankyou very much delwyn!!!!

    steven

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  3. She looks like such an old soul. You can see it in her eyes. WONderful pics!

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  4. Delwyn
    How lucky you are to have the ocean and these beautiful birds to see when you go on your walks.

    Thanks for sharing!

    Best
    Tracy :)

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  5. I was glad to be reminded to click for a larger view - the details are really visible. Do people have this variety of cuckatoo as pets, Delwyn?

    I know you must have been using your close-up function on the camera, but how close were you standing to them? They did not seem perturbed by your presence.

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  6. For just a moment Delwyn, I was picturing a bird in the kitchen, but then read after dark....I can do without that kind, but wish I did have your natural treasure of exotic Cocky birds to watch in my trees. The older male Cocky actually looks a little aged around the edges...like people.
    Hope the rain reaches the brown grass of the headland you mentioned in your last post!

    Smiles,
    Wanda

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  7. Hi Bonnie

    yes the cockatoo makes a good pet but I don't know if the black one is kept. The pictures I have seen are of the white ones.

    I was standing on the coastal track, the birds in trees about 5-6m away and probably 2-3m high in the trees.
    My camera has a 20x zoom so is very good at capturing the birds although I missed their flight each time they moved and that is a shame because their yellow tail feathers were amazing in flight.

    Happy days

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  8. They are quite large, aren't they? We know rain is on the way here when the sea gulls circle instead of fly straight by.

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  9. I love that last photo with the sea in the background. What amazing beaks those birds have. I wonder why they have that shape? I don't know of any birds like that here.

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  10. What amazing, beautiful photos, Delwyn! Thanks for sharing. Blessings!

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  11. Lovely photos! What a great bird they are! 'Ours' visit daily to eat the pine-nuts and have calling points all over the neighbourhood..you see where they've been by the dropped chewed pinecones.Love to see them roll in with their laid-back flight and cheerful cries.

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  12. Wow, simply beautiful, stunning, and amazing! Love that final shot! Thanks for sharing the bird's call too.

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  13. Hi Delwyn! I love becoming engaged with your families in the wild--it's the personal way in which you describe them. Your new camera serves you well. And the last picture should be framed! The birds are really in focus on their branches with the sea and sky as vivid blue-green background. glad to see you--hugs xxox

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  14. Hi Delwyn, Hopefully, the female's plaintive song did bring rain to you. The birds above the blue sea makes an awesome image, especially on a cold and snowy day in CO.

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  15. I am now completely smitten with these birds! Thank you for introducing them to me.

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  16. These were great Delwyn. do they live in family groups?

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  17. Spectacular photos, Delwyn! I'll be showing this to the bird lovers in my family.

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  18. Thank you for sharing your delightful bird friends.

    Aloha, South Pacific Friend!


    Comfort Spiral

    cloudia

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  19. We occasionally see the black and red down here but they stay in the bush mainly.

    The sulphur-crested whites visit daily and a trait I observed is that they always eat with their left claw.

    Lovely shots, Delwyn.

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  20. Gorgeous bird! I love the way they feed themselves with their feet.

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  21. Hi Delwyn! Your blog is just amazing! Enjoyed it very much. That bird is free, but I have a ladyfriend who has a bird in captivity and makes me very unhappy!

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  22. Hi Delwyn :)

    Those cockies are actually rather unattractive, at least that's my opinion. If not for the yellow spot they would blend in with the tree! As a matter of fact, I think they are so ugly they are cute...LOL

    Always fun to walk with you! Have a Wonderful Weekend and Happy Halloween if you celebrate it :)

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  23. Hi everyone
    I'm glad the cockies enchanted you...

    Welcome Jason, it is nice to meet you

    Alaine - I'll be watching out to confirm that with these Black ones. I don't see them up close often, must be the rain, and tis today while we have the Noosa Tri, keeping it nice and cool for the many thousands of contestants.

    Ellen
    the parents have two chicks but usually neglect the second. The offspring stays with the parents for 6 months. The family likes to live in small to large flocks, nesting in hollow trees.

    Barb
    I think she was standing guard. She didn't eat and kept up the "don't go far...here I am...watch where you perch...hurry up now...tirade going the entire time...a very protective Mum...

    Elizabeth, they seem to love the pine nut seeds as wellas casuarina, hakea, gum, banksia and also strip bark to reveal moth larvae and beetles

    KB
    the beaks are for extraction of seeds from nut and stripping tree bark...see above

    GW I didn't know that about the gulls...

    Wanda
    more showers today and the world is looking refreshed...


    thank you all

    Happy days

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  24. Beautiful photographs Delwyn my old friend - did you use a telephoto lens? stand on a very tall chair?? - I always enjoy your posts, so varied and interesting.

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  25. Did some one said cockies? :O)
    Hi Delwyn,this is most wonderful,each time I open the pages of your virtual book,in a very front of my soul opens a window to your heavenly garden,thank you.Have a good day dear and stay safe,peace and love from me!
    Aleksandra

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  26. gorgeous birds.

    cockies at night, on the floor? huh?

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  27. Hi Delwyn: Just wondering: how do you manage so many comments??? And you answered them individually?
    It is amazing and my admiration.
    I would find a more collective way: Hello Everyone! That would be just fine! :-) Bb :-)

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  28. How do you manage to click such beautiful pictures!!!
    Delwyn, they are fab!!!!
    No words to describe...the last pics are too good!

    Happy clicking some more awesome shots!!!

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  29. I think the bills on these birds are amazing in their power and dexterity. You used a great word, "secateur." I had to look it up, and it fits wonderfully.

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  30. Beautiful birds Delwyn, I always enjoy your bird photos. Hopefully, we'll make a trip to your corner of the world soon, but first another trip to Africa.
    As always, thank you for sharing your eye and insight!

    pax

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  31. Those cookies have a good view.

    I found the other type of cookie lurking in the BBQ the other day. The first BBQ of the season and we were greeted by a cockroach basking on the hotplate. My kids got a little worried when I asked them if they wanted him well done.

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  32. Oh, cockies, I thought it was cookies! I’ll take the flying ones over the scuttling ones. What a delight to have such colorful friends out your window. She looks like she is laughing.

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  33. I'd like to see cockies, it must be delightful!

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  34. well, Cocky is certainly cute. there are such fascinating birds around you.
    I have returned from Kyoto and LOVED every minute, every sight, sound, sensation, feeling-- such a beautiful city that lived up to all my expectations-- and the flea markets-- fabulous!

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  35. I just found your site; it is beautiful. I have never been to Australia and so especially enjoy seeing it through your eyes.

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  36. Hi all

    Dreamland
    welcome to my blog and thank you. I am posting infrequently lately but have many archives on Aus fauna and flora is you care to look.

    deepaz
    I have a better camera since I broke my ankle - credit goes to Mr Canon....and my newfound nature eyes!
    AS you can see I have eased off commenting in response...and employ the general reply..

    Happy days

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  37. Your pictures are just delightful. What beautiful birds.
    I apologize for being so being in my blog reading.
    Sunny :)

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  38. your blog is the depiction of nature

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