On a cloudy day when there are constant rumblings in the distance, you can see rainbows before it even starts to rain.
How lucky I was to see rainbow lorikeets, the whirling dervishes of the bird world, usually high on an abundance of nectar, still for a moment. Resting and twittering to themselves.
You’d think I’d be used to it by now but seeing them still makes me do a double take. All that colour flying free makes you stand up and take notice no matter how often you see it.
It’s the little guys living amongst us that keep us in touch with the bigger picture.
What a treat to see–thanks for sharing Selma.
Happy 2011 as well.
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I agree. Mr K and I have developed a recent passion for birdwatching. We saw so many lovely birds on our recent camping trip. And I, like you, love to see the same ones over and over. I like to watch them in their birdie lives.
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What a beauty. And your last line, absolutely spot on!!! :<) Hugs, G
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I have been away from blogging for a whole year Selma, but I’m back! 🙂 It is these “wow” moments in nature that ar so healing to our drooping spirits. A painted sunset… a glowing full moon orb, a beautiful bird or creature never fail to make me pause a moment and smile.
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PS: Mr. Cheddar was sitting on my lap and also interested in the birdie pics! For a totally different reason though, that Ched!!!
http://veggiesyarnsandtails.wordpress.com/2011/01/04/a-mr-cheddar-review-the-scratchkabin/
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wow! those rainbow lorikeets are really beautiful. I’ve never seen those around here. Amazing.
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HI SLAMDUNK:
I do love my little birdies. The Aussie birds are awesome although I would love to go to America to see chickadees, woodpeckers, bluebirds and juncos. Oh, and hummingbirds. If I saw a hummingbird in the wild I would be beside myself.
Have a brilliant New Year!!
Hi LAURI:
That sounds like so much fun. I would love to read a post on some of your native birds. I confess I don’t know much about them. Birdwatching is a great pastime. It becomes quite addictive!
HI GERALDINE:
I firmly believe that. We can learn so much from the little guys. They know the true meaning of life, I suspect. Hope you are having a great New Year so far.
Hi JOSIE:
It is a real treat to have you back. I have missed you. Oh yeah. We have to take notice of those WOW moments. They are so significant. The colours in a sunset never fail to astound me!
Hi GERALDINE:
That Mr. Ched. 😆
Hi MELEAH:
They are cute little guys. And you should see them fly – like arrows. All you see is a blur of colour. It’s amazing!
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Brightly tinted flying souls are gumdrops for the starving. I wish we all had more of them in our lives! Here, in Illinois, we have scarlet cardinals punctuating the snow. Can’t help but smile whenever they spread their wings.
And then there are the green parrots that flutter about in Vondel Park in Amsterdam. Imagine that! A city enveloped in the fog. drizzle and chill of the North Sea and these gorgeous neon parrots soaring!
Me likes.
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Hi,
They are beautiful birds, the colors are magnificent, and your right :-
“It’s the little guys living amongst us that keep us in touch with the bigger picture.”
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I know exactly what you mean – I always get a surprise when I see these wonderful birds, even though we get heaps (though less this year than last).
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How did you get those pictures?
I got a definite impression that most times I try to take pix of Aussie birds (cockies, galahs, rosellas, whatever) as soon as they see a camera, they turn around and ‘moon’ at me!
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Lovely Selma and I wonder why we don’t have these colours of birds in the northern hemisphere? We do have colourful birds but nothing like what we see below the equator? I wonder why that is?
I used to have a feeder on my balcony but I took it down,1, cos they poop all over, 2, the pigeons think they can nest and you NEVER get rid of them and 3, I have two cats, I live on the 12th floor and I lived in fear of the cats jumping for the birds and sailing off the balcony…:shudder:
My cousin lives in Kenora, which is on the Ontario/ Manitoba border and they have pelicans the way we have seagulls. I was thrilled to see pelicans in the pics and shes like ooh ugh? those ungainly ugly things? Not at all, I thought they looked graceful and wonderful. Guess it’s all what you are used to.
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Hi JONAS:
I love that – ‘gumdrops for the starving’ – that is beautiful. That is exactly what they are like. The scarlet cardinals are gorgeous birds. I have seen photos of them on some of the birding blogs I read and to see them against the snow is spectacular.
I haven’t seen the green parrots in Amsterdam but would love to. The colour sounds glorious!
Hi MAGS:
Oh, too right. And the colours are truly magnificent!!!
Hi GABRIELLE:
We have more this year than last. They are everywhere. I had to duck at the park yesterday – a whole flock flew towards me squawking like mad. It was hilarious. I love them!
Hi TRAVELRAT:
I was very lucky. They didn’t see me. I was hiding behind a bush like a peeping tom. If somebody saw me they would have called the police. Don’t worry – I have been mooned too. Hahaha.
Hi CATHY:
I don’t know. I’ll have to research it. Musty be something to do with the slightly more tropical climate.
Oh yeah. You’ve got to be careful with the feeders because they can sort of move in. I would have been worried about the cats too.
We get a few pelicans here too. Sometimes on the ground they appear a little ungainly but in flight are surprisingly elegant. I love to watch them. They have real personalities!
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lovely orange shade. must be nice to see it in person. don’t see these kind of birds in ny. they’re all white or mostly gray and black
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They look really cool. I haven’t heard or seen these birds before.
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beautiful birds!
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Rainbows in flight! How cool is that!
I read your comment about wanting to see a hummingbird? They are regular visitors in my yard (bluejays, chickadees, robins, orioles etc too!) Last summer, when I was sitting out on my back deck one morning, a little hummingbird came flitting along and hovered over a bunch of scented candles sitting on the table beside me. He was about 12 inches away from my head! He hovered and hovered trying to figure out how to get nectar out of the candles for at least a minute. It was hilarious and fascinating to watch him!
I miss the birdsong of summer right now. The Jays stay all winter, but they aren’t chirpy like they are in the summertime.
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oh, i wanted to tell you that I made up my “favourites” list for 2010. You are my favourite blogger along with my friend Pip in the UK. There’s a link to your blog from mine.
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Hi Sel, Just stopping in to see what’s new. Hope the weekend is going well and take care. Sending hugs and good vibes, your pal, G 🙂
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Hi LISSA:
The lorikeets are real characters. They are full of life and are always up to something. Their little wings go a mile a minute. You would love them.
Hi ROSHAN:
They’re a species of parrot – a very little one. They’re so cute. I love it when they are eating nectar from the trees and singing to themselves. Awwww.
Hi CRAFTY GREEN:
You would love them. I can’t help but feewl good when I see them!
Hi DANA:
Your hummingbird story is just wonderful. For me that would have been like a visit from Fairyland. I would have been jumping up and down with excitement afterwards. I agree that one of the most amazing things about summer is the birdsong. It just lifts my spirits every single time!
Thank you for the inclusion. I amn truly honoured ♥
Hi GERALDINE:
Thank you for always keeping a watchful eye. It is nice to know you are there XXX
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Sorry for the typos in those previous comments. D’oh!
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“You’d think I’d be used to it by now but seeing them still makes me do a double take”. True. There’s lots of rainbow lorekeets where I live. Flying about, walking about. And if there are hundreds of them are in the trees nearby, you don’t have to set your morning alarm clock.
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Hi DAVID:
Oh, I know what you mean about not setting the alarm clock. I have a friend who lives in a more bushland setting and the noise from the lorikeets in the mornings is deafening. A lot of people whinge about it, but I love it. It’s such a jolly sound!
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