Bird Watching: Black swan and cygnets at local lake, 1 by MargaretK

MargaretK wrote:
Kim, you really have a gift. Ducklings are not easy to rear, are they? My understanding is that they are extemely sensitive to minor changes or inadequacies in their care or environment and you even need to be very cautious about their access to water when very young because of their lack of waterproofing. I rescued a tiny baby Pacific Black Duck from the jaws of a turtle a couple of years ago. Jumped into the swamp (only up to my knees) clothed in winter gear to grab the turtle by the neck and extricate the baby from its jaws. It was very wet and of course, deeply shocked. Unfortunately, it only survived for about 24 hours.

Do people really have photos of their children? Whacky concept! Our walls are peppered with photos of birds and pets.

Folks, the image is of a Laughing Kookaburra on the birdbath at home. They are an introduced species in Western Australia, but the population seems to be fairly static. They haven't become the problem Rainbow Lorikeets have. You REALLY know you're in Australia when you hear the kookaburras - wonderful when you hear them at dawn or dusk. The sound the baby kookies make is a maniacal scream.