and golden tails,
feast on pine cones,
by bush lagoons.
Raucous flocks,
rest on scribbly gums.
While a curious cockatoo,
climbs down to me.
Cheers to you from Australia’s gorgeous sulphur crested cockatoos~
Note: Scribbly Gum are a type of NSW eucalyptus tree that have distinctive scribbles on their bark left by larval scribbly gum moths.
Those cockatoos are beautiful! Australian fauna and flora are incredible 🙂
They are indeed, which is why I keep going there! დ
Completely understandable!
To good people like you დ
I’m not always good, but I appreciate the compliment!
Well, no one is “always” good!! დ
True!
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The John Hancock tree.
hmmmm…..
Big looping signature…?
stumped…
I was, in fact, going out on a limb…
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Perhaps barking up the wrong tree.
Questioning my roots?
I’ll leaf it alone now.
Laughing….. You certainly left no leaf unturned 😉
These are the cutest things I’ve seen today. It’s amazing to go into another ecology and have to learn the plants and wildlife. Lucky you!
I love doing this and miss it. Thanks so much for appreciating them დ
they are so beautiful!
Aren’t they wonderful! I love them and their personalities დ
amazing
Grazie mille დ
Fabulous photos…
Grazie mille დ
Beautiful birds, beautifully photographed.
Thanks much my friend & I hope your kitties are still thriving! დ
They are indeed! I’m going to re-name the foster room Where the Wild Things Are!
Lucky kittens & good on you! დ
Cindy, thank you for these beautiful photographs!
Ahhh, thank you much more for you thoughtful appreciation Charles დ
Reblogged this on charles french words reading and writing and commented:
Here are more beautiful photos from Cindy Knoke!
Thank you for your kind support Charles. It is very much appreciated my friend დ
The scribbly marks remind me of the marks in the posts of my childhood yard which were made, iirc, by carpenter ants. Funny how memories come back.
That is amazing. I was seen similar too. Quite interesting looking actually დ
So beautiful!
Aren’t they beautiful birds! Happy you like them Felicia დ
They are adorable….
Thank you Nabeela! I think they are too დ
These birds are spectacular! And I don’t know how you got so close, but you did. Amazing!
I swear I would be in bliss forever if I lived in Oz. Except I would miss my family way too much! დ
I have never seen a sulphur-crested cockatoo before. Thanks for sharing your photos of this marvellous bird, Cindy!
I am so happy to introduce you Peter. They are just wonderful birds! დ
Cockatoos are so beautiful and really fun birds.
Smart also. I love them too! დ
Beautiful birds (and very noisy I know). The 6th image looks like the cockatoo is smiling at you 🙂
I think he was! They like it when people are alone, stand stock still for a long time, and stare at them! 😉
Birds so beautiful that I want to get close for a good look. But then I noticed how pointy and sharp those beaks look and I pause.
Yes these birds are large and have very powerful beaks. They can be quite friendly as long as you don’t alarm them დ
Hopefully I’d be okay as long as they don’t sense my nervousness too strongly. 😁
If you respect their space they will respect you. Birds are smart this way დ
Magnificent birds and I love the squiggy gum trees!
I especially love the name! We have lots of eucalyptus near The Holler, imported from Oz long ago, and now in old forests thriving and grown quite huge. დ
Lovely birds, lovely shots. Glad you had the chance to visit Oz on multiple trips. Great memories!
Yes indeed and lots of photos to carry me through quarantine! დ
I love the yellow around their vents that match the yellow of their crests! Parrots are the most fascinating birds. Thank you for a close-up look at these beauties, Cindy!
I adore parrots. They are so intelligent and are excellent judges of human character! დ
The cockatoos look so intelligent with their expressive faces (unless I’m anthropomorphizing). In any event, they’re beautiful birds. I like the Scribbly Gum tree, too!
You are completely correct. They are super intelligent birds and can develop huge vocabularies and learn all sort of complicated things. They have excellent memories. დ
Such an adorable bird. Don’t even feel like touching them, just keep admiring…
Good for you! Wild creatures are best admired from a respectful distance დ
The cockatoos are so lovely and the scribbly gum trees are quite interesting. You take amazing photos my friend!🤗
You are kind to say so, and most appreciated too! Cheers to you დ
You should do a book!
It would be fun. Thank you!
I love these birds and their resting places, Cindy!! Thanks so much for the bright whites in our world’s blackness right now.
If only we could fly away like the birds….. Stay safe and well my friend დ
Ooooh, they are beautiful!
Aren’t they gorgeous creatures! Happy you like them დ
Fabulous cockatoos and your post!
Awwww, thank you so much & happy you enjoyed. Cheers to you დ
Your WELCOME 🙂
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Australia’s wildlife is so different from ours. I hope these birds survived the fires. I shudder to think how many animals were lost. Beautiful photos, Cindy.
We came with the rain, after the fires, so these are survivors, thank God. The toll on wildlife was so sad დ
It was hard to watch the news when that was happening.
Yes it was.
I love the yellow crest – almost a crown. The Bird Kings. 🙂
I love it! Would have been a great title for the post დ
Ooooooh… What an interesting, quirky bird!
Lovely photos as well.
Stay home, stay safe.
Love always,
SG
Your posts always make me happy. In them I see a girl, rising დ
Awwww… Thank you!!
💖🥺🥰
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It is the beauty and intelligence of these birds that sadly lead to some of them ending up in small cages as ‘pets’ – the worst kind of torture for any flying bird! Having seen a number cooped up like that, these photographs give me great pleasure as the ones you have photographed have space and can make their own decisions – you have a wonderful knack of getting the right ‘poses’ for your bird photographs.
“the ones you have photographed have space and can make their own decisions.”
You get it. Completely.
This is why I go to Australia. The first time there I was confounded. I saw flocks of expensive ‘pet’ birds in the wild.
Making their own decisions.
Every time I see these birds, I always think of the TV show “Baretta.”
I learned something new, today…Scribbly Gum.
Oh yes! I well remember that spellbinding sulphur on Baretta. Smart birds დ
Your not going to need to come back Cindy, you have almost covered them all 😂 🤣
Great shots dear lady, they look great 😀 ❤️ 🙏🏽 🦋
I still have more! And I definitely want to come back. Australia is the place I always want to come back too დ
Wonderful shots, dear Cindy!
So appreciated! Thank you & cheers დ
toll wieder, wünsche trotz alledem Spaß an diesem Tag, Klaus
Vielen Dank und einen schönen Tag mein Freund! დ
Oh my God, this is a real feast.❤
So happy you enjoyed & thanks for letting me know დ
Look no feather, this is the golden tale of the great photographer! ♡♡ ξ(｡◕ˇ◊ˇ◕｡)ξ♡♡
Awwww, you are the bestest best! Thank you for making my <3 smile დ
♡(*´∀｀*)人(*´∀｀*)♡
Smiling all the way through these gorgeous pics. 🙂
Your kind comment is still making me smile დ
Thank you for sharing this, Cindy. 🙂
Thank you for appreciating them my friend დ
Very beautiful birds. Do you know if they have lifetime mates? — I ask because there are two birds together in the second photo.
Hope you don’t mind a drop in. The Sulphur Crested Cockatoos mate for life. And even if a partner dies they will usually stay alone. They can live till they are 80yrs old in the wild (captivity up to 120yrs). And the only way to tell male from female is their eyes. Males and females look alike, only up close and in strong light can it be noticed that the eye of the female has a lighter, reddish-coloured iris. Males have very dark brown irises. From a distance, eyes of all birds look black. Males have slightly larger heads, and stand taller than females, but the birds have to be seen in pairs for this difference to be noticeable. And their bite is very powerful, about 350 psi. 🙂
Mucho gracias
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Oh I so love all this new information! I had no idea they mate for life. In many ways, birds seem more highly evolved than humans. Thank you very much for all these fascinating factoids & cheers to you დ
A blogger just told me they mate for life, and if a mate dies, the survivor usually remains single, and they live up to 80 years! I love birds დ
Not that my birds ‘here’ compare….but they sure do seem to be out in full force since the humans are not ….. as much. 🙂
Wonderful isn’t it! The wild critters are thinking, “Wow, room to breathe!” დ
I know. I swear I can feel the difference myself!
Yes, The Holler is always empty of people, but the roads and freeways are too.
Thank you very much for sharing these beautiful photos with us! 👍 🕊️ You take amazing photos of birds!
Awww, I am touched you think so! Thank you very much დ
You are most welcome dear 🌷 🌷 🌷
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Awww, thanks so much! Much appreciated & cheers to you დ
Wow, these birds are awesome. Thanks for sharing. Gary
You are most welcome Gary and thanks for stopping by დ
So very beautiful.
Hugs to you დ
Even before I scrolled to its title, and not knowing it was a particular type of gum, I thought scribble – which shows how apt is its name.
Australia has all sorts of perfectly suited, creative, and humorous terms for things, that always make you smile დ
Reblogged this on Musings on Life & Experience and commented:
Pictures by Cindy Knoke of Australia’s stunning Sulphur Crested Cockatoos.
You are such an appreciated, kind and thoughtful friend Patricia დ
The sulphur crests are cute but the star of this show is the scribbly gum for me!
I love the name!!! As a matter of fact, Australia has the best names for all sorts of things. They make you smile დ
💆
So so beautiful
Ahhh, so happy you think so & thanks for letting me know დ
I’m overdue for a trip home! The cockys are abundant in my hometown there. Lovely photos as usual Cindy.
Alison
I am overdue to a trip back to your home Alison. After all, two and half months away is far too long for me!!! 😉
I think it’s been about 4 years now, but we are talking about a family reunion Christmas 2021. Fingers crossed, though these days I don’t get attached to anything in the future.
A.
Yep. I hear you. Travel plans are not possible. We have a return to Antarctica planned but now it is looking very iffy….
These are so pretty! For some reason, they look like wedding birds, probably because of their pure white feathers. Thank you, Cindy, for introducing them to me!
They do look like wedding birds and they mate for life, so maybe there is a connection!! I am very happy to make the introduction and pleased you like your new friends დ
“Scribbly gum trees” and their “scribbly bark” send me soaring with desire to have invented these phrases.
You are exactly like me! I love Aussie names for Aussie places and things. So creative, so fun, so funny! They always make me smile 🙂
Thank you, Cindy for all your posts – you remind us all that we live in a beautiful world, that we can build hope and resilience when we connect with nature and with each other. Hugs and much love coming your way, my dear friend.
Hearing from you Rebecca is always a lift in my day. I know we share a deep connection to the natural world and through this, to each other. You make my life better my friend. Thank you for being in my life დ
Many many hugs!!
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Another fellow full of character Cindy, lovely photos.
Leslie xoxo
Thanks much Leslie & hope you are safe and sound my friend დ
We are my dear, hoping all is well with you and yours too.
Leslie xoxo
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This is such a sweet bird, Cindy.
Australia is very rife with many fantabulous creatures!
You were lucky to go there ,and meet all of the sweet critters!
Great shots!
I love every single one of them! Cheers to you Resa and thank you დ
❦
I can see why they are called scribbly gum trees…
I’m not sure which is more wonderful…your talent
or your experiences. Both are little bits of heaven.
Thank you for sharing.
Awwww, such a lovely comment. You touched my heart. Thank you and cheers to you! დ
I love the bird’s yellow crown feather! Great photos!
Thank you! They are beautiful birds and they love to talk! დ
Those are such beautiful birds. I had no idea that’s what they’re called. Makes sense looking at them and knowing what they’re called.
Yes. They are quite aptly named aren’t they! დ
Yeah 🙂
good morning dear friend.. waves.. sends happy wishes.. hugs to keep you safe…
Thank you so much! Sending hugs and safe wishes back to you my friend დ
It is beautiful bird. By the time of my being to Sydney, I’ve met one of that bird near Aquarium. It sat on the parapet chained to the hook. Nobody was around and it looked lonely. Unfortunately, it was prisoned not free at all.
That is sad. These are seriously social birds that live in large flocks, fly all over together and mate for life. It is wonderful to see them free as they should be დ
So nice to see not all the cockatoos are doomed to life as a pet. These are happy, healthy looking critters.
Yes, coming from the states, the only cockatoos I see are in captivity. In Oz it is paradise to see them flying free in huge flocks! დ
They are beautiful! Thanks for sharing these.
You are most welcome Marlene. I hope you are safe and well დ
Lovely
Thank you very much Ranjit and be well my friend დ
Hi Cindy. I enjoyed seeing some of these amazing cockatoos at the Free Flight Bird Sanctuary last fall, but it must be even cooler to see them in the wild. Thanks for telling us about the Free Flight Sanctuary and now showing these gorgeous birds in the wild!
Oh my God! You are the second blogger who visited there. I am so completely touched by both of you. Seeing a place where a veterinarian and staff and volunteers, save captured parrots from the desperation of caged captivity, is something to experience. It is the love that is so mind boggling, between traumatized parrots and people. There is a healing that happens to both.
Parrots in the wild need our love if they are able to survive. Thank you so much Kathy for caring about them დ
What beauties! Thank you, Cindy.
Thank you Jennie for all you do and stay safe my friend დ
You are welcome, Cindy!
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Wow, what a beautiful bird! Thanks for capturing them for us!
I think they would be far more happy knowing you like them too დ
Beautiful, Cindy.
Ahh, thank you John. Stay well my friend დ
👍
Amazing photography Cindy.
Honored you think so & thank you very much! დ
Thank you for taking us there, enabling us to enjoy these special creatures through these beautiful photos. 💖💗
Thank you more for traveling with me Amy. You make the experience better დ
Fabulous images, Cindy. Australian birds, especially the sulphur-crested cockatoos, are so confident, so loud and positive, full of personality. They always make me smile. Thanks for a great post.
I have only seen sulphur crests in captivity, except for the two times I have been to Australia. I know it’s normal for folks in Australia to see flocks of all these ‘caged’ parrots flying free and talking loudly. For me it is a penultimate life experience. Thank you for knowing. დ
Gorgeous birds, and that tree bark is amazing!
Plus some genius named them scribbly gums დ
It sounds like the name of a jazz saxophonist!
I definitely think you should become one and call yourself this!!! 😉 😉 Thank you for making me smile დ
Haha, working on it! 😎🎷
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They are perfection. xxx
They are! Thank you for knowing დ
Striking birds. Lovely photos.
Thank you very much. I am happy you like them დ
Oh, they are stunning, Cindy. You made me feel like I was close enough to touch them. Hugs on the wing.
Ahhh, always makes me smile to hear from you my friend. Thank you & hope you are doing well დ
awesome shots! Wish I lived somewhere like that!!
Thank you & I do too!!!! დ
It looks like hands in the scribbly gum, that pattern would be great on a top.
You have the eye of an artist my friend დ
Beautiful birds, although I never really trust cockatoos because they seem so smart.
Thanks for the info on the scribbly gum moth. The marks look exactly like artistic scribbles.
Oh, I love this comment, not just the scribbly gum moth artists, but the too intelligent cockatoos. How did you know? დ
Thank you so much Cindy. 🙂
Thank you more. I am so lucky. I blog so I have the real privelege of knowing you. Be well დ
Thank you for this wonderful poem, and the great mentioning of these wonderful birds, Cindy! Excuse the late revisit. Many thanks to Charles. His reblogging guided me again to your blog.Stay save and be well. Michael
Thank you for your very thoughtful comments Michael. You made my <3 smile. Be well my friend დ
Always a great pleasure to me, Cindy! Be well too, and enjoy life. Michael
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As per usual–Beautiful photography
Aww, thank you very much Daniel დ
Another fascinating post, Cindy. I never heard of Scribbly Gum before. It’s composition and texture looks like a beautiful abstract sculpture.
It is fascinating isn’t it. I was struck by it too დ
Nice one!
Grazie Sande დ
Winning creation 👍 great work 👍
Thank you very much Subrata & happy you enjoyed დ