November 2008 - Bird Story

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Bird Story - November 2008

The baby pie and its effect

November 28th 2008 19:19

Updating regular readers on the magpie inhabitants, the baby magpie came on its first solo visit last week. Issuing its familiar squeak at ME rather than a parent, it managed to break a tiny cube of cheese up and devour it without parental assistance. It looked and squeaked hopefully for more, but then decided to go and chase a leaf that blew into the compost pit before flying away!

It was seen the next day, munching at some of the homemade bread crusts I had thrown out. Later that day, it flew at the pigeons snapping at them, though… Luckily, I had JUST taken a photo of them first, so have one pic to share before they were disturbed.

I recently took some video footage of the baby pie eating a chunk of cheese - I hope to load it to u-tube and post a link here within the next two weeks! It was quite comical - one parent pie was so impatient, it pinched the cheese and ran off with it, the baby pie chasing!

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The pigeon soapie continues

November 26th 2008 14:29

You can write a soapie off those pigeons! Here is yet another update on the pigeons: Bebe2 has won the love of Lil Miss Scruff, it seemed - and Baby1 had become romantically attached with Tar-head!

I thought…

One cannot really be sure, pigeons being as fickle as soap characters, and it turned out that Baby1 is currently partnerless. Baby1 is now the undisputed claimant of the bedroom windowsill and alcove above my bedroom, successfully chasing off any pigeon that dares land on 'his' territory. Whereas Bebe2 has successfully claimed Lil Miss Scruff for partnership purposes, and left home apart from mealtimes.

Once again, that is how it currently stands, but what will happen in next week's episode of the pigeon saga, I cannot say!

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AW!

November 24th 2008 16:16

There is a pretty little pigeon who sat on my windowsill a couple of times last week of the Speckley clan. I thought he was dozing when I first walked past, as his eye was firmly shut, his chest fully puffed up, and he was settled down as some of them go when I play music that they like…

It was not until later on when I spoke to him, and it kept its eye firmly shut, that I was concerned. Usually when approached, a pigeon will stare at me, if not stand up. This one just sat there, nodding along to nothing and with his eye firmly shut.

Later on, I watched as I fed the birds. I was right in my assumption that the poor thing has a crook eye. It kept missing the seeds and couldn’t eat properly. It can open its eye - it did 2-3 times, but it prefers to keep it shut, so I assume it has been injured. I shall have to keep an eye out and see if it can eat cheese or something larger until it can see to eat small tiny seeds again. There is currently some home made bread and pastry on the lawn, so it can peck at that for now…

UPDATE 1: Saturday, I noticed Sore-eye perched upon the carport roof rim most of the day - enjoying the chance to grab a rest and not have to use his bad eye. Luckily, he was able to eat some of the seeds I threw down today, so either his eye must be getting better or he has learned how to use just one eye. I took the above two photos later on in the day, when he changed to my windowsill again.

UPDATE 2: Yesterday, Sore-eye's eye was open properly again - I am now wondering if he is just a young fellow whose eye had not opened properly when he left the nest - maybe something happened to the parents and he had to muster in with the flock a bit early, so his original attempt to eat seed might have been faulty due to never having done it before.

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Windy weather

November 21st 2008 15:28

A pair of doves sat on the hills hoist as the winds stirred. Gales erupted in on and off tone, and one flew to the grass to settle down safely. The other sat close to the bar swirled about….like a kid on a roundabout, but one somewhat reluctant or scared by the thrill.

Of course, this is not the only gusty weather we have had. We live across the street from a major park, and this allows for a lot of wind to shoot directly up our drive into the back yard! Sometimes I worry about the pigeons who live on the roof, whether there are 3-4, or just Baby1, as has been the case this week

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Courting birds

November 19th 2008 17:09

Yes, the pigeons are at it again. It is breeding and coo-wooing season in our district. Not only have my pair of brothers been loudly, viciously, and demandingly chasing after the same Lil Miss Scruff requesting her attentions and seemingly taking turns in winning her affection, but the city pigeon flock that visit us have been courting in my back yard.

I only managed the two photos, as it was not very good weather and I did not expect them to turn out very well, so I did not try to take any more

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Magpies eating snacks

November 16th 2008 23:06

Here we have a serious case of 'MAGPIES CAMERA = POST OPPORTUNITY'. We often have pies fly into the yard, startling the pigeons, snapping at seagulls, or sitting outside the door warbling affectionately - their call landing in my ears as "CHEESE PLEASE!" I invariably oblige, if at home, hearing them, and not working.

This past week, we have had a very loud magpie - screeeeeeeeeching - into the yard. I recognized THAT 'noise' as the call of the young magpie demanding food. I was right, and with camera right behind me, managed to get some shots of

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Tarback and the Baby magpie

November 14th 2008 20:25

Hardly a week goes past without some more photo opportunities arising - and providing I have both camera and time to make use of these, photos will continue to appear! I recently mentioned Tarby, a city pigeon with what looked like a black patch of oil or tar on his head - a bit like a hat. Well, here is Tarback, a pigeon that has come flying on in for seeds a few days this past week - also looking as if they have gotten involved with some nasty black stuff.

I am uncertain if it is just weird coloring or actual oil, but it certainly called for the camera - as did this cute little arrival. A very LOUD arrival at that! A new baby magpie! More photos will follow in another post of this LOUD fellow shortly

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Spotty-head

November 12th 2008 15:43

Spotty-head was a recent visitor to our yard. As usual, when given the opportunity, my camera made its own appearance to capture our guest.

I am not sure where these pigeons come from, but there always seems to be a new one flying in to join in the seed feast from some flock or other

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The two young men…

November 11th 2008 03:03

Baby1 and Bebe2 both seem to be chasing after Lil Miss Scruff, currently. They have literally been doing so in extremely noisy methods all over the local vicinity for the past few days. Originally, Bebe2 won her attention, but Baby1 got a case of the 'I am womanless's and decided to steal his brother's new woman…

Hence, whenever it is daytime over the past week or so, Lil Miss Scruff flies in, closely followed by BOTH her men squabbling at each other and trying to land closest to her. They fight each other viciously, causing Lil Miss Scruff to fly somewhere else - and them to follow. The sudden daytime clattering of pigeon feet across the roof, fluttering and mad coo-wooing up above the study or bedroom, and the flappings and other noises from this trio as they move from roof to carport to dunny roof, is a sign of pigeon presence

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Resting

November 7th 2008 17:58

Although the window had a smudge, making my photos less than perfect, this trio of pigeon-pics shows the laze with which they can spend their sunshine-filled afternoons at our yard-resort!

Dusty and Black Scruff recently decided to sunbake on the lawn, and allowed me to take these three shots of them. By the next time, I shall hopefully have washed the windows before making such an attempt

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Seed-feed

November 5th 2008 15:45

Recently, I managed to catch a few shots of the pigeons evening meal. The pigeons of course would not stand still, fluttering rapidly about stuffing themselves being far more important a task than standing still for the camera.

However, it at least provides an update of pigeon pics! In the first shot we see Lil Miss Scruff, Gray Scruff and Baby1. This trio turn around and reassembled for shot two

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Tar-head & Soppie

November 3rd 2008 18:19

There is a new pigeon with a tar-head. At least, I think it must be tar on its head, based on the fact that an all-white pigeon visited us for a single day and had tar-like stains on its head and wings. We never saw him again, but the tar-headed one has been back every evening for seed-feed since it first arrived the following day. I have called him tar-head, anyways!

Another newcomer is Soppie. Unlike Tar-head, I have managed to get a fairly good shot of this one

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