Hi Folks. As I left the house this morning to take Mrs A to work there was a lot of commotion from some Crows and Gulls who were circling around the house. I walked down the garden for a better view and was puzzled to see an unusual visitor perched on top of the roof of the house. I dashed in to get the camera and took a few shots from the front of the house.
It turned it's head and I was thinking to myself 'surely I can't be looking at a Kookaburra. I mentioned this to Mrs A who then said,"Oh, I forget to tell you that a Kookaburra has escaped from the local Zoo.".....
A few more pics as he turned his head to look around..
We did phone the Zoo who advised us to try to lure it down with cat meat or the likes, but the Gulls and Crows eventually drove it off. A surprisngly large bird, probably as tall as a Carrion Crow but it seemed much bulkier. A strange addition to my list of garden visitors. Just when you think you've seen it all.....
Paul
My bird photos HERE
Wow! What a fabulous visitor to have! Just love these birds!
Funny 'cos there was a Coati on the loose near Bracknell recently. Someone posted a shot of it on ispot for ID! Not sure if it was a wildlife park escapee or maybe someone's 'pet' as it seems anything goes these days!
www.ispotnature.org/.../393249
"All weeds are flowers, once you get to know them" (Eeyore)
My photos on Flickr
Gosh that's brilliant Paul, what a smashing garden bird. I wouldn't have had a clue what it was, except that it didn't look local!! Well done on not getting the shakes or dropping the camera, I'd have been in a mad panic.
Best wishes
Hazel in Southwest France
Thanks everyone. The latest news is that Chuckles the Kookaburra was successfully recaptured at around 4pm this afternoon. He is now said to be sulking in his enclosure. I believe he was persuaded down from a tree by offers of food and thereupon trapped under a blanket of some sort. (Mrs A has actually captured me twice that I can remember of using a similar sort of tactic). I seem to be having one of those weeks.!! A Glossy Ibis on Sunday and a Kookaburra today… it wouldn’t really surprise me if I were to be attacked by an Ostrich before the end of the week.!! If my next post is in shaky typing with some blurred photos of large avian tonsils, please don’t be distressed.
Brilliant, Paul. They say things go in threes so can't wait. LOL
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Tony
My Flickr Photostream
Jennifer T said:Just imagine if that had turned up during the Birdwatch!
@ Paul, what an amazing sight, they are a beautiful bird, we had one in our garden too.........but quickly have to say I was living in Australia at the time LOL and it used to perch on the telephone wire by the front drive You can lure it down with a nice big juicy spider if it comes back lol It was my favourite bird whilst living down under and I just loved their call. I hope it finds its way back to the zoo safely, thanks for sharing this wonderful and very special sighting .
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Regards, Hazel
Good evening Hazy and thank you. I think you may have missed my last post at the end of the previous page, it gives some details of his recapture. They are much bigger birds than I imagined, as I'm sure you'll know from seeing them in Australia.
Thanks Paul, I did indeed miss the post about his safe return, thank goodness. They really are amazing birds and I was lucky enough to see quite a few of them whilst living in Australia. My brother also had one who lived in the woodland by his house and one day whilst he was cutting wood for the log pile, the Kookaburra sat watching him from a branch. There was a huge huntsman spider on the wall of the house which Kookie had his eye on and just as my brother finished chopping up the logs Kookie flew down and took his lunch lol
Really pleased to hear the kookaburra was returned safely to the zoo - even if he is now sulking at his lack of freedom!
See my Flickr photos here
https://www.flickr.com/photos/115745582@N04/
Here ya go Paul lol This was Kookie who we saw whilst visiting Cairns Rainforest Dome in Queensland
Thanks Hazy. They're beautiful looking birds with a great call. I'm amazed at the thickness of the neck, must be extra muscle to help with the weight of the beak. The one on my roof this morning was approached by a Carrion Crow who was also on the roof. The Crow was edging forward towards the Kookaburra who looked slowly at the Crow, then started to draw his head back in readiness. Seeing this, the Crow re-considered and took to the wing. A wise choice I think.