Crimson Rosellas visiting the backyard

Crimson Rosella, Fact Sheet at birdsinbackyards.net

He and his Mrs' had a lovely time in our bird bath, but by the time I got back with the camera, they had 'winged it' to the top of the tallest gum tree for a preen. While he was non-plussed at my perve-ing on his personal hygiene routine, she opted to preserve her modesty by placing herself outside of the cameras reach. Dang!

Nearly four years later....

On June 25th 2003, I bought two metres of this black Birds-feather fleece to make myself a 'funkier than average' sweatshirt.

You know how it goes? Stuff happens, and the next thing you know, its nearly FOUR YEARS LATER...egads!

So I put my rear in gear and got it done. Its nice and cozy to wear too.

Im feeling very smug about it, as I made the pattern as well (out of newspaper), and finished it with a loose turtleneck to keep my aching neck warm.

Well, must not rest on my laurels for long, theres more projects where that came from!

Sunday, Budgie Sunday...Goldie's Chicks June 10th

Here they are today! Arent they adorable? The Fab Five are moving right along, growing well and learning that life wont always be so sweet. Momma Goldie is no longer sleeping in the nest with them at night, and she and Daddy Freebird have started 'encouraging' the eldest to leave the nest.

The eldest chick is now 34 days, and the youngest 24 days. The eldest chick is flying well, but really wants to pretend its still a helpless baby and gets itself back in the nest whenever possible.

I was able to get a nice shot of 'eldest' while he was out of the nest this morning.



Excuse me while I play the proud grandmother here for a moment - isnt this the sweetest little baby bird you ever saw?

Looks like its time to start thinking of names for my new friends.

Have a great sunday!

Sick & Tired of being sick & tired....

But Ive had worse, I will be back tommorrow with Budgie Sunday - see you then!

Dona Nobis Pacem

More info at The Official Site for Blogblast for Peace

Sunday, Budgie Sunday...Goldie's Chicks June 3rd

Hi Everyone, can you believe how fast they grow?

The eldest chick is in the upper left hand corner, under the youngest one. The eldest is now 27 days old, and the youngest is 17 days old.

Im kinda sorry that I started blogging about this clutch, as I have some sad news. If you are the sensitive sort, enjoy the picture and please dont read any further.

If you look at the white chick closely (click on the pic for a better view), you will see that there is something wrong with its legs. This is commonly referred to as "splay". The legs work, and have some good strength in them, but they are at a totally wrong angle to the body.

What causes it depends on many things, and in the end, it doesnt really matter. Birds are not designed to rest on thier breastbones, and there is no way he can stand. He is currently making his way around the nest box by using his wings. Leaving him to let nature take its course would be a far worse fate. So tommorrow I will take the little soldier to the Vet. There will be no more suffering.

So when you see them next sunday, there will just be five. Sometimes things just dont work out. Thats true with birds, beads...and people. Be good to yourself today.

Op-Ed: What Arrrrr ye gonna do?

Dont worry, no spoilers here. Im not a movie critic but Iam a fan of the Pirates flicks, and yesterday I saw Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End.

Pirates 3 is the first one Ive seen on the big screen, and Im amazed at how much more detail there is to everything, (special effects, costumes, sets). Its a full on action spectacle providing a great escape from the everyday world, which is what I expect for $15.30 AUD. (Thats a matinee price!)

Ok, so there are too many sub-plots, a few moments Id never have expected from Disney, more schmaltz* than I can stomach, and the end does leave them open to a fourth - but it is such a rich visual treat you quickly get over that. Disney knows how to suck you in, thats for sure.

Is it as good as 1 & 2? Well, the first two were more polished in plot, and had much better flow. But if you enjoyed the first two, you wont feel cheated by three.

* schmaltz: excessively sentimental, sugary banality
DISCLAIMER: Im not omnipotent. These thoughts are only my opinion.