Azamara Cruisers - How are things where YOU are

[Chilcotin]

BC (British Columbia) Canada is slowly starting to reopen this week.

 

Just wanted to share this picture from our parking lot entrance where we live. The flowers this year have been amazing; adding colour to these otherwise dreary times.

[Grandma Cruising]

6 hours ago, Chilcotin said:

BC (British Columbia) Canada is slowly starting to reopen this week.

 

Just wanted to share this picture from our parking lot entrance where we live. The flowers this year have been amazing; adding colour to these otherwise dreary times.

That’s gorgeous, Chilcotin. Thanks for posting such a lovely photo.

[nordski]

Well, as the good citizens of British Columbia know, we in Ontario are behind in more ways than one.

 

I attached a photo of the first clump of our provincial flowers (Trillium) to recover from the challenging spring in our locale.

 

But who can’t appreciate the different personalities of our Canada Geese?

One an introvert, and another more gregarious group who can’t wait to “put on a show”.

[Grandma Cruising]

Lovely photos!

[Baynanno1]

A couple of my regular visitors.

Social, noisy and very colourful, aptly named Rainbow Lorikeets.

[nordski]

I

36 minutes ago, Baynanno1 said:

A couple of my regular visitors.

Social, noisy and very colourful, aptly named Rainbow Lorikeets.

Interesting that, if this is a male/female couple, there appears to be vibrant colouring for both genders.

 

For most of our native species the male has the showy plumage and the female is rather drab. 

 

Perhaps that reflects the greater sense of equality that is supposed to be foundational in Australia as compared to other Commonwealth societies. 😄 

[Baynanno1]

40 minutes ago, nordski said:

I

Interesting that, if this is a male/female couple, there appears to be vibrant colouring for both genders.

 

For most of our native species the male has the showy plumage and the female is rather drab. 

 

Perhaps that reflects the greater sense of equality that is supposed to be foundational in Australia as compared to other Commonwealth societies. 😄 

 

"supposed to be" 😄

They would be a male/female couple to the best of my knowledge. Many of our native birds appear very similar in colouring. Notable exceptions off the top of my head are the Satin Bowerbird and the Fairy Wren.

Most of our birds appear to mate for life and it is sad to see one alone. One of those lone ones whose mate smashed into a window a year or so ago still comes for a drink and sits for some time as if waiting for her to reappear. He is a Common Bronzewing Pigeon. Not from today, but this shot is a female, fairly ordinary looking until sunlight catches the wings.

[Grandma Cruising]

Lovely photos!

[Bloodaxe]

I well remember seeing those beautiful birds while visiting Queensland some years ago.

Another Australia bird I remember was a Butcher bird(I think that's correct), one lived up to it's name by stealing a piece of steak straight from my Wife's plate during a barbecue.

[Baynanno1]

1 hour ago, Bloodaxe said:

I well remember seeing those beautiful birds while visiting Queensland some years ago.

Another Australia bird I remember was a Butcher bird(I think that's correct), one lived up to it's name by stealing a piece of steak straight from my Wife's plate during a barbecue.

 

A fairly ordinary looking bird is the Grey Butcherbird, but it has a really lovely call.

This one at my home in New South Wales some time ago, an infrequent visitor.

Your steak thief in Queensland may have been Pied, Hooded or Black variety of the Butcherbird species.

 

[Bloodaxe]

2 minutes ago, Baynanno1 said:

 

A fairly ordinary looking bird is the Grey Butcherbird, but it has a really lovely call.

This one at my home in New South Wales some time ago, an infrequent visitor.

Your steak thief in Queensland may have been Pied, Hooded or Black variety of the Butcherbird species.

 

 

I Believe it was the Pied, I have just looked it up in my book of Australian birds.

It looks and behaves very similar to our (Thieving )Magpie.

[Ithikan]

7 hours ago, Baynanno1 said:

 

A fairly ordinary looking bird is the Grey Butcherbird, but it has a really lovely call.

This one at my home in New South Wales some time ago, an infrequent visitor.

Your steak thief in Queensland may have been Pied, Hooded or Black variety of the Butcherbird species.

 

The hook on the end of this sweet little bird's beak sent me to the internet... So, I've now learned that they will eat smaller birds, and will hang their prey on a tree branch or fork and hack away at it, like a butcher.  

[Bloodaxe]

This means that they are even more like our Magpie, they are always taking smaller birds particularly young ones at this time of the year.

[Baynanno1]

3 hours ago, Bloodaxe said:

This means that they are even more like our Magpie, they are always taking smaller birds particularly young ones at this time of the year.

 

It's sad to see the vulnerable become food for others, but at the same time it maintains a necessary balance in nature.

 

[Host Jazzbeau]

1 hour ago, Baynanno1 said:

It's sad to see the vulnerable become food for others, but at the same time it maintains a necessary balance in nature.

 

If only we could find a predator for the non-migratory Canada geese that are infesting the NYC metro area – that wouldn't also eat our young children!

[nordski]

9 hours ago, Host Jazzbeau said:

 

If only we could find a predator for the non-migratory Canada geese that are infesting the NYC metro area – that wouldn't also eat our young children!

Those are the “bad apples” in the flock that aren’t welcome back here. 😄

 

More seriously, we have members of the flock on our local lake who now don’t bother with all that migration effort.

 

Is it a new adaptation?

[Mackdogmolly]

Scenes from around my house.

[Baynanno1]

@Mackdogmolly beautiful blooms 😍

[Grandma Cruising]

We got our delivery of summer bedding plants yesterday. We usually go and pick them ourselves, but the little nursery we buy from was happy to deliver them,and some compost, for us. We spent yesterday afternoon planting up 28 tubs and wall pots - hard work, but especially worth it this year when we’re going to be at home all summer. We’re  looking forwards to them coming into full flower - I’ll post some photos of them when they do.

[Bloodaxe]

We spent yesterday afternoon doing exactly the same, but we did manage a trip to our local plant center.

They had it very organized with strict society distancing and a one way system.

[Grandma Cruising]

Yesterday’s walk took us a walk between two dales - Brantingham and Elloughton. Along the way we got a couple of lovely views. The first is across the Humber to Lincolnshire and the Wolds and the second is inland towards Google.

 

[Bloodaxe]

My Grandsons girlfriend lives at Google,( Goole), 😊
 

Edited June 2, 2020 by Bloodaxe

[Mackdogmolly]

5 hours ago, Grandma Cruising said:

Yesterday’s walk took us a walk between two dales - Brantingham and Elloughton. Along the way we got a couple of lovely views. The first is across the Humber to Lincolnshire and the Wolds and the second is inland towards Google.

 

Gorgeous!

[nordski]

6 hours ago, Grandma Cruising said:

Yesterday’s walk took us a walk between two dales - Brantingham and Elloughton. Along the way we got a couple of lovely views. The first is across the Humber to Lincolnshire and the Wolds and the second is inland towards Google.

 

“Dales” is a word I’ve often heard in connection with Yorkshire.

 

If I may, can I ask what it means to local residents?

[Grandma Cruising]

31 minutes ago, nordski said:

“Dales” is a word I’ve often heard in connection with Yorkshire.

 

If I may, can I ask what it means to local residents?

A dale is a valley - the Yorkshire Dales is an area of hills rising from the Vale of York. The area has some wonderful scenery. Have a look at this website https://www.yorkshire.com/places/yorkshire-dales