Baby Long-necked Turtle

One from the archives. The fly on the saucer edge puts the turtle's size into perspective.

Yea Show 2009

Cockatoo on a Stick

Of all the places to perch, this cockatoo chose the top of a tomato stake!

Late Spring Sunset, Yea, Victoria

ONE MINUTE LATER...

Echidna

Another of Australia’s wonderful creatures, the echidna is one of only two monotremes or egg-laying mammals in the world. (The other is the Australian platypus.)

A Tale of Two Cockies

Story and photos courtesy of Julius Bergh.

A Story of Love, Compassion, Friendship and Loyalty

About eight years ago a wild Australian Sulphur Crested Cockatoo flew into a car and broke its wing. The motorist took it to the vet in Nerang, Queensland, who had to amputate the wing. We adopted her – for which we needed a National Parks and Wildlife permit – and kept her in a cage outside where she was often visited by wild cockatoos. One of the things that impressed us was how she would push lettuce leaves through the bars of the cage, offering food to visitors.

Last Sunday, 23 July 2006, she again had a visitor.

As usual he spent a lot of time sitting on the cage
with a tamper proof latch.

There was a lot of talking and grooming. A bloke

has to look presentable when courting a bird!

Things got interesting when he approached the front door…

The clever fellow figured out how to

undo the tamper proof latch!

Read the rest of this heart-warming story at www.juliusbergh.com/cocky

Hooray, It’s Raining!

After a stretch of record-breaking hot November days, the heavens have opened. Dams and water tanks are filling, but best of all, the bushfire danger rating has dropped from extreme to low.

COCKATOO AND RAVEN DRYING OFF

I WANT MY MUM!

Young Magpies at Play

One last magpie photo...

Young Australian Magpie

Sunning Magpie

No, it’s not dead. Unseasonal hot spring weather – the lawn turned brown in less than a week – has this young magpie ‘sunning’ itself.

View from Mount Hotham, Victoria

Wildflowers (East Gippsland VIC)

CLICK PHOTO FOR LARGER IMAGE

Rainbow Lorikeet (Gipsy Point VIC)

No surprises how this bird gets its name.

Birds Nest (Gipsy Point VIC)

Can anyone tell me what bird this nest belongs to?

View from Riverbed Cottage, Gipsy Point VIC

Australian King Parrot (Gipsy Point VIC)

Spotted Sun Orchid

Little Wattlebird (Gipsy Point VIC)

Donkey Orchid

Satin Bower Bird’s Bower (Gipsy Point VIC)

The male Satin Bower Bird is shyer (especially of the camera) than the female. As part of his courtship ritual, he builds a bower and decorates it with bright blue objects he collects. I left a blue milk bottle lid on the outside table – it soon disappeared.

Click on the bottom photo to enlarge it and you’ll see an eggcup, a lighter, pegs, string and other treasures.

Australian Native Frangipani

Kangaroo and Joey (Gipsy Point VIC)

Playtime!

Lace Monitor (Gipsy Point VIC)

The Lace Monitor (Varanus varius) is one of Australia’s largest goannas and can grow to in excess of two metres.

Kookaburra (Gipsy Point VIC)

Flying Duck Orchid (Caleana major)

Female Satin Bower Bird (Gipsy Point VIC)

Wonga Pigeon with Nestling (Mallacoota VIC)