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Who are you said the Black Cockatoo?

Feb20

Yesterday was the last day before we left Booderee National Park in New South Wales, to follow more of The Yellow Brick Road in Oz.

We have been seeing so many truly beautiful birds, but none of the vulnerable Yellow Tailed Black Cockatoo, which is an enormous and very impressive cockatoo.

Yellow Tails are a vulnerable species, facing rapid population decline, due to habitat destruction and human predation, hence they they tend to be shy around people they don’t know

I had seen Yellow Tailed Black Cockatoos here eleven years ago, but was packing my suitcase, resigned to not having a repeat experience, when I spied this one out my window.

I found my Wizard of Oz! And now, you have too.

Cheers to you from all The Wizards in magical Oz~

Kookaburra Day~

Feb6

I spent the day with this guy as my constant companion. Wherever I went, there he was!


There could be no better welcoming committee in the world.

He even laughed!

I basically fell head over heels.

Kookaburras are carnivorous birds, so he wasn’t looking for food.

He was just curious and friendly.

You have to admit, he is one of the cutest birds you have ever seen.

Oz really is for the birds,

which means, Oz is for me too!

Cheers to you from the laughing Kookaburra~

(Note: Heading to Tasmania, so excuse me when I am absent. I will check in when I can. Until then, be well!)

The Lizard of Oz~

Feb2

Meet the Australian Water Lizard. They like to climb trees and drop down on rivers and lakes to hunt. They can remain submerged for up to 90 minutes. Males can reach up to 3 feet in length.

“Toto, I have a feeling we’re not in Kansas anymore….”

How adorable is this Noisy Miner chick?

Masked Lapwings are one of the reasons I so love birds.

Who else but a bird could have a face like this?

There is the Australian White Ibis,

the gregarious Australian Magpie,

always assertive Silver Gull,

and shy and lovely Australian Wood Duck.

We are on the move now, exploring new places, so please excuse me when I am less present than I wish I could be.

Cheers to you from magical Oz~

Hope~

Jan26

is the thing with feathers,

(seagulls fishing Washington state)

that perches in the soul,

(puffin in the open ocean off Washington state)

and sings the tune without the words,

and never stops, at all.

(Steller’s jay California).

I’ve heard it in the chillest land,

and on the strangest sea,

(dark-eyed junco California)

yet never in extremity,

(American robin Washington state)


it asked a crumb of me.

(red winged blackbird Washington state)

Cheers to you from Emily & her winged harbingers of hope~

Poem extracts, ‘Hope is the Thing With Feathers,’ Emily Dickinson.

Those Who Came Before~

Jan19

Leave messages,

that are fascinating,

to try,

and interpret.

Ghostly chalk,

on the walls of time.

Left by people,

speaking to us,

telling their tales,

from 4,000 years ago.

Cheers to you from the ancient messengers~

Note: Petroglyphs are carved into rock and pictographs are painted onto rocks using dyes or resins. These petroglyphs and pictographs near Moab Utah are all around. You come upon them as you hike. They are 1500 to 4,000 years old and depict people, both male and female, who appear to be wearing clothes and feathers, and carry baskets and weapons. Some seem to be hunting. There are children of different ages and there are antelopes, deer, bears, snakes, birds and other animals, as well as rivers, lakes, the sun and much more. Look and see what you can find, after all, art is open to your interpretation.

Check out: https://www.myutahparks.com/things-to-do/petroglyphs-moab