Aviary Advent

Too much was going on at the parish to take off this week. But we also had a lot of avairy activity around the friary!

To get to the office, I use a short cut through the school. And the birds love the school! I know that fish swim in schools, but birds fly in and around schools, too! Especially after the kiddies have lunch! Often, I would see these parrots and wish I had my camera with me, which is why I decided to bring my camera with me…and it paid off!

These first couple of photos are some exotic blooms near the friary (1-2). We had a couple of days of rain that caused the flowers to open up. I find them strange and beautiful. We have nothing like it, that I know of, in the US. (I'm not sure what they are called!)

I don't know what these birds are called, either (3-9). One is red and bluish and the other is more greenish. This image would make a nice Christmas card (8)! I am not sure if these birds are male and female or mama and baby. They are often together and I caught the one feeding the other (9). They are very shy, but I think they are getting used to me. At least when up in a tree, they don't fly away the moment they notice me.

These next few were taken on various days (10-13). They give you an idea of the kinds of colorful birds we have, here in Sydney. This first one is so tiny, about the size of a canary (10). I have been seeing a small flock of about four of these birds on our school field where the kids play soccer. I love the color of the male! This next parrot looks like it is wearing old time glasses (11). So colorful too! This bright pink fellow (12-13) is an Australian Galah. Very vibrant looking and always makes me smile. They are a large parrot and don't seem to care that I take their pictures.

I have become quite close to this family of rainbow lorikeets (14-27). They are usually up in a school tree that I walk under to get to my office. At first this one was quite shy (14-16). He kept looking at me through the green leaves in the tree. I had to move around to get a shot of him. Isn't he lovely?

Then later in the day, the sky cleared and the sun was setting. It's a perfect time to take pictures! Fr. Gabriel, who was with us and had the nice camera, called it the "golden hour" as the setting sun's light mkes everything golden! Anyway, I was able to catch my feathered friends individually and all together.

In this first couple of shots, the one seemed to have an itch in his ear—ever get that? It was so cute to see him scratch it (17-18).

I am not sure what funny business was going on here in these last shots (23-27). The two birds surrounded a third. They kept preening it's feathers. I think it might be two male birds wanting to mate…or young birds wanting food from mom. Not sure except to say they followed the third one around. It would hop to get away, and they hopped and followed. Nothing rough going on that I could tell, but I am sure it was a bother to the poor one trying to get free!