Wednesday, July 30, 2008

Extended Family..

Our crested pigeons are back..

Actually they never went away, and they seem to have increased in numbers, as have the honey eaters, ducks, galahs, magpies and the ibis.

The crested pigeons are breeding two months earlier this year, (compared to last year). In the same little tree, just near our dog kennels and the side of the house. They have built another small nest, near their last year's nest.

This is the 2008 nest up above, if you look close near the bird's head you may make out last year's nest.

2007 nest, and the tree, minus it's foliage..



The result of the hatched eggs, such friendly, calm birds...and so big! It's amazing how quickly they hatch and grow, and accept us and the dogs.


10 comments:

Maithri said...

Beautiful, beautiful pictures as always Pam...

Miracles everywhere... I feel a great synergy of life tonight my friend...

Rays of love converging from a thousand points in the universe to a centre which is everywhere...

It feels as if in every tree... life is giving birth again,

My love to you, M

Carver said...

Wonderful shots Pam. I am so envious of your shots of the birds in the nest and the birds eggs. The closest I've gotten to that are empty nests. You did an excellent job of photographing these.

Romeo Morningwood said...

They'll perch on your hand? They are so pretty compared to our
'Poopgeons' which are noisy nasty urban flying crap machines.

A few summer's ago I was standing in my backyard and heard a 'swish' and a feather drifted past my face.
I looked over the fence and a small Hawk had a Pidge on the ground...one talon on it's neck and the other on it's chest.

Even though it was smaller than the Pidge, the Hawk just started plucking it righ in front of my eyes...YIKES!

Although I have spent countless hours shooing (not shooting) Pigeons away from my house with the watering hose, I couldn't watch.

This morning I am relocating a Sparrow's nest full of gaping, chirping, little mouths...the mother bird picked a bad spot and I was hoping that Darwinian forces would have taken care of the 'sitch' in a natural way...now after reading this I'll have all this guilt and I'll gently move the nest to a better safer spot.

*sigh

meno said...

I can't believe they will perch on your hand. How sweet.

Ponita in Real Life said...

Pam, how cool that they accept you and you dogs with such calmness! The fact that you can handle them and they are not afraid is testament to the safety they feel in your little corner of the universe.

Donn, did the little hawk you saw have a kinda blue head and back? If it did, then it was a Merlin - they are great little hunters. I watched one try to fly away with a Flicker in it's clutch - by the head, no less! The Flicker wasn't dead so it was too awkward for the Merlin, but after my dog and I passed by, it went back and got its lunch.

I would have watched.... but then I have a cast iron stomach and a fascination with all the natural world, both beautiful and bloody.

Pamtwo

jmb said...

Excellent photos Pam. I think the birds of Australia are wonderful, they are very boring here on the whole.
How wonderful that they fit right in with your family and animals.

Wonderful as usual Pam

the walking man said...

If'n I walk down that way I believe I will stake a claim in that condo community of the birds.

heartinsanfrancisco said...

I just love your photographs, Pam!

I think that you are here to show us all the beautiful tiny details that make life worth living, and which we might otherwise overlook.

Unknown said...

Beautiful shots. The birds look as though they are posing for you.

Barbara Martin said...

Beautiful photos of the birds and their plummage!! Thanks for posting.