30 | March | 2018 | Nature's Place

Kooky …

She? appeared suddenly and waited for me to get back with the camera, as if I was one of the family. See the hitchiker behind the eye?

*Click on the pictures for a proper look … and click again

The youngster maybe, centre of the garden, between the adults. Learning the ways of the world, a hunting.

The other side, the other parent, teacher and provider. How we are … until death us do part.

Sharp eyed hunter, bright vision in blazing sun or deep shadow … the king of kingfishers is our Kookaburra.

It’s a lovely time of year, the hot summer’s over and a warm wet autumn has begun.

I was taking dead heads from the yellow rose bush out back near the fence when I heard a sound close by.

I didn’t recognise it and thought nothing of it until a big kookaburra appeared just above my head, about three feet away.

It must have been around two feet long, tip to tail, and that beak … a deadly serious hunting tool, to the gardens small creatures.

It wasn’t at all wary of me, probably somewhat used to people given it lives in the suburbs and probably gets fed on occasion.

Then I heard a soft kooky cry from behind me and there was the youngster, or was it the mamma. I don’t know …

And then there were three. One casting around for sign of live food, a movement in the shadows, a flicker of give-away light.

One sitting on top of the clothes line, or watsitcalled. And the other diving towards the far fence to sit high for the outlook.

But no, nothing to be had in my backyard this hour of this day. I ran up and got the camera …

… and some grain bread, but no interest from the family. Their need being for fresh meat.

And I didn’t have any to give … but they let me take a few pix from close by.

A simple pleasure, unhurried.