Black swan and cygnets at local lake

This is one big old snapper. Bev

Don't they get huge?
I call them swamp monsters.

We wanted to see him with his mouth open. Yikes!!!

I guess we better get back to birds although snappers get a lot of little ducks and geese like these.

cpartschick, you're so right. I've picked up a couple of our turtles up over the years and I haven't been able to get the smell off my hands for 24 hours. You'd have to be desperate to eat them. The snappers must have something pretty potent to have made you sick. I see what you mean when you said their claws were as big as your fingers. What are the painted turtles like?

dragonfly62. Wow, great shots! Swamp monster is a good description. Any more? They are so clearly carnivorous.

Image is of same immature Black Swan we rehabilitated.

I believe that some of the turtles carry salmonella. That would sure so it!!!

That's one of the reasons they stopped selling them at the 5 & dime. Not because kids were using them for science projects, but because the kids were getting sick. Forget the poor animals......grrrrr.

This is the same one comeing and going.

Headed for the bog.

So it's true! Everything really is bigger in America. Just look at the tail! Hap, that's interesting about the salmonella and yes, consideration of the animals is always at the bottom of the heap - for some. For others they are an integral part of life and are given the respect they deserve. I could tell some tales about that.

more geese.

These are geese tales (tails)

What type of geese are they?

margaret, that last picture is just gorgeous.

Those are Canada geese.

Canada Geese, drangonfly! I should have recognized them from film footage I've seen. Thanks.

Thank, Mrs Ed. This was taken not long after dawn on a chilly winter morning. I love the dew on the spider web.

This is a fun thread.
I have to say those black swans are incredible. Looks like you did a great reabilatation job!

About the turtle, I think it was samanilla poisening, or some other kind of crud they carry around. I enjoy looking at the turtles up close, but seldom touch them.

Lovely photos! Thanks for sharing.

This is the only Wood duck that I have at the present time...her name is Eliza Ducklittle.

Very cute!

We've raised many birds over the years, but Lucy, as we called her, was the only swan.

Duckmother, that is a beautiful image. Do you care for orphaned or injured birds?

Our swans came in at 9:30 last night, about 1/2 mile away thru the spotting scope I could see all 5 babes nice and healthy.

I took a bad picture in the dark, thru the scope, but you can see all 5.

Sounds like you don't have Canada geese down south Margaret! The Canada geese at the public pond near my house have about 35 goslings among them this season. This proliferate in this area.

Look who I just found in my bird seed bag!! I, of course, took advantage of the photo op, and released him outside.

Hahahahaaha.

We usually have many, many goslings. I am not sure why there are not any out there this year.
We had a pair nesting out front, and even though they were protective of their nest, she had laid no eggs. She just kept working on the nest and protecting it. Wierd.

Evening, all.

OPbirder, what a gorgeous little rodent. He must have thought he'd died and gone to heaven!

cpartschick, your image of the swans is quite surreal. Doesn't matter about the clarity, it captures the atmosphere beautifully. Thanks.

We don't have any native geese in our local area. There are several species which occur in other, more distant areas, such as the Cape Barren Goose, the Magpie Goose and Burdekin Goose.

We've had constant thunderstorms with accompanying rain today. Lots of wind damage about 300 kilometres south of Perth. Lake Claremont will probably have a little bit more water in it tomorrow. I'll head off in the morning and see if I can capture anything interesting to share.

The bird in the attached image is of a Western Shrike Thrush. My husband (see legs) found it as a tiny wee baby hopping across a major highway l hundreds of kilometres north of Perth several years ago. We reared it and looked to relocate it in its local area, without success, so we had it in a large aviary for about nine years. She died, aged about 11 years. She had the most beautiful song - a loud and bell-clear song. She adored my husband (can't figure out why).

Margaret this has been such an enjoyable thread..almost like taking a trip to Australia and more! Your swans and other birds are just gorgeous...the above image of the Thrush you rescued is priceless! What an experience you have had rehabbing our feathered friends.

Thanks Dell. It's such a pleasure to share. Our birdlife is so different but our passions are so similar. Australia has many colourful birds, particularly in the tropics. In the more temperate regions the birds tend to have mundane colouring, but make up for it in song. Australian magpies and butcherbirds have the most amazing melodic repertoire and several will join in an incomparable diapason.

We have cared for injured and orphaned birds for decades although we are cutting back in an attempt to regain some sort of life. Many, many wonderful stories. The bird in this image is a baby Port Lincoln Ringneck, also known as a "28" because of its call (I think the person who named it must have had a skin full as it beggars the imagination where he or she got "28" from). We had this little darling for two months before we released it, full of trepidation as to its chances of survival. It flew off strongly and came back the next day smelling strongly of eucalyptus. It stayed overnight and we re-released it the next day. Gradually its visits to us became less frequent and we didn't see it for several months, until one day it turned up with a mate. It was one of the most rewarding moments in my life.

Aww very sweet! It must be so rewarding to see them do so well after you've done your very large part!

Yes, I rehab ducks. This little one will leave home in about 6 weeks...then I will cry. :o))

Thanks, pelletory. A labour of love.

Margaret...What a sweet pic and story. That would be rewarding to have them return with a mate after not seeing them for months! Good job to say the least...thanks you for sharing this!

duckmother, after you've released them, do you lie in bed that night worrying? I know I do. At the same time, you argue with yourself that you have done absolutley the right thing.

Yes, dellrose, that was one of the best. About a year after we released this bird, my husband was down in the back yard and a "28" landed on his head. Believe it or not, I had a job convincing him that it was, indeed, our kid. They are not particularly bold birds and the chances of an unknown acting in such a manner would be a million to one.

Good night all. Your summer starts tomorrow and our winter starts in just over half an hour.

Another great thread, where to begin.

OP, that is the cutest mouse I have ever seen.

Margaret, that birdie on the hose is so adorable. Just love the way she's helping daddy!

Cute also about 28 bringing home the mate to meet the parents!!! I wonder if you are allowed to band those that you rehab.

I'm not sure I could be a rehabber. I think my heart would break both when they don't make it and when they do make it and leave!!!

Same here.

Margaret - Of course the little thrush would adore your husband, he rescued it! The look of adoration really did bring tears to my eyes.

And, the little 28 is so sweet. Of course he came back to let you know all's well. Those successes are probably what kept you rehabbing for so many years.

Duckmother - Of course you will cry, but how wonderful to be able to help a bird acquire the life it belongs to.

I'm an assistant rehabber - I assist at a wildlife hospital during the summer. The hospital opens tomorrow for the season. I cared for 6 baby robins a couple summers ago for a couple weeks at my home. We released them in my yard. That was an amazing experience, watching those babies soar up to the tree tops and call each other back and forth.

cpart - very cool night time photo of ghostly swans.

Margaret - and the foggy/morning??? photo of swans.

Margaret, I have gone down to the lake at 3 a.m. just to make certain the ducks were alright. LOL The first day that I release them, I usually stay at the lake most of the day. If I sleep at all that night, I will return as soon as I awake the next morning. Most people of pictures of their children over their fireplace but not me, I have duck pictures. ;o))

OP, I have rehabbed one robin...what a job, feeding every 10 minutes or so, but tons of fun. Let me know what you get to rehab this season.

Kim

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.

I took this image this afternoon. He was out in the water when I got to the lake, but he came over when I called and came to within a metre of me, making gentle little noises. His mate was a little way away and they called to each other every 20 seconds or so, just reassuring one another that each was OK.

Showing a rear view and his feet.

Beautiful pics Margaret! I love the backend of the Black Swan; it looks like ruffles!

Hello pelletory and all. This is really poorly focussed but I've sent it to show the white on the underside of the wings. I believe he was doing this for my benefit because as soon as he put his wings down he started waddling up to me.