As I have written in previous posts, I am visited daily by a collection of birds - lorikeets and finches. We have noticed that whenever we (Colin and I) sit down at our outdoor table for coffee or for lunch, the birds take that as a signal to fly in to feed too. Maybe the finches assume that with our presence at the table that no large aggressor will swoop down and disturb them. Perhaps they do because we can observe that they will feed in ones and twos when we are indoors spying on them through the windows but they are in large numbers when we move outside and sit down at the table. This afternoon we had an unexpected treat.
It was the distinctive whistle that made us look up. Colin started to imitate the call and into a nearby tree flew a male King Parrot. Hoping that we could persuade him to come closer I removed the wire cage over the feed dish - this keeps the larger birds, such as cockatoos, away.
I added a handful of sunflower seeds to the dish and unleashed the camera.
We didn't have to wait long. First the King Parrot landed on a tree right beside the veranda and I took this shot of him.
Showing no fear of us at all he then flew onto the feed dish and really enjoyed himself among the sunflower and small budgie seeds. Wifey flew down to join him and she too tried to eat from the dish but the lorikeets must have realised they were missing out on something and two of them flew down and chased the timid female off the dish. She attempted to return a few times but her courage failed her and she flew over to the creeper covered stump, allowed me to take her picture and then flew away followed soon after by her handsome mate.
We may not see this pair again so I really made the most of this photo opportunity!
AJ
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