Cockies and swallows (Jan 2021)

Last day of the month and a walk around a favourite haunt of the Shaws Bay wall saw some familiar birds that were happy to share some of their behaviours. Even a few bird sightings make a big difference to a walk!

First up is a galah showing off in a casuarina. In the first photo it is balancing on one foot while holding a nut with the other so it can be chewed. I noticed in my review for selection a single small pink feather sticking up from its head. Seems entirely appropriate for a show-off to have a different hair style 😏.

Next photo shows off the acrobatic prowess as the galah hangs downwards seeking another nut for munching. As often noted, I think this pose really accentuates how light and agile birds are - these are not big branches and the birds are not as small as many!

The final galah photo in this set was chosen just to show the bird can behave and strike a quite normal, sensible and serious pose too 😀! This photo also, to me, emphasises how birds manage to make even "ordinary" drab grey colours look far from drab as they sit in their environment. In the case of the galah, the graduation from the grey back and wings feathers to the pink of the shoulder and neck to the white of the crown, sit beautifully with the subtle teal of the casuarina leaves against the clear blue sky. Or, I could just write "the bird looks good in the tree" 😁.

From one clown cockie to another. This next set features the little corella. First a lone one; the next three a pair in various poses displayed as I patiently craned my neck observing. In a  similiar sentiment expressed for the galah, these birds show off the splendour of plain white, enhanced by very subtle tinges of underwing yellow and the eye-shadow of very subtle pink and blue.

First photo however, was selected precisely because it allows a direct comparison with the feeding behaviour exhibited above by the galah. Here the little corella is seen in the same casuarina environment.

The next three photos feature one of many pairs that were congregated in several adjoining pines. Same clear blue sky visible in the far background, but this time the deeper green of the needles and gnarly brown bark of the pine tree provide a more harsh environment for the poses. 

I especailly like the way the feathers on both birds are ruffled in this first photo ... the little corella on the right has its head twisted backwards to its left and with only its tail visible. This provides a perspective (my interpretation) that it is the left wing of the other bird - which you see is preening under its spread-eagled right wing. Two birds but with not too much imagination, appears it might be one. Those very subtle pastel yellows and pinks and blues feature when you see a wing open from below too. 

Cute and cuddly

Looking a little coy after being caught cuddling!

The final set for this post is devoted to the gorgeous little welcome swallow. The shallow choppy water on a windy day provides a neat background. First photo is a single swallow, showing ruffled feathers from a gust of wind it was pointing into. The second and third photos of the set show four swallows resting on the dead branches. Same camera position, different zoom points. The tiny size of the swallow is captured well in this setting. The final photo is a closer shot of a single bird again emphasising the subtle variations in the colours - this time around a brown/dark blue palette.