234507✽
Good morning Cuties! Look what emerged from our Gum tree this morning.
I was woken by a cacophony of bird calls. The parent Kookaburras were doing their loud dawn chorus whilst the Minor birds were going berserk as the first baby Kookaburra emerged from the Gum tree nest. I've put some pictures here of them.
The tree is only 1 metre (about 3 feet) from our back deck. I have been watching the parents for weeks coming and going with food. It's so lovely to see the baby ones as they are so cute. As you can see from the date shown on the pictures these shots were taken before 6.00am! I told you they woke us up!!!!!!!
Love and blessings Chris
1. First baby bird to emerge.
2. Baby bird looking directly at me.
3. Bird looking out to the reserve watching parents.
4. Patience pays off - parent feeding baby an insect.
5. Parent bird looking right at me.
5 images:
[1]
[2]
[3]
[4]
[5]
Comments (22)
21543✽
by
susiesembroidery
14 Nov 2012
+8✽
Oh!!! This is really special - you are so lucky to have them in your garden. Thank you very much for sharing these beautiful photos with us.***
1 comment
We are very fortunate to have these Kookaburras come. They are a very territorial bird and come back to the same nest year after year. Love Chris
119791✽
Love your picture you have beautiful back yard
1 comment
Thanks Maria, it's not that beautiful, I wish I could have more garden area though. I've just pulled up all of our Sweet Peas on Monday which are to the right of the gum tree on the side fence area. Love Chris
57801✽
by
edithfarminer
14 Nov 2012
+7✽
Just wonderful, I remember all their noise lol at night as the dark fell. what a special pictures.
1 comment
Thanks Edith, yes they are noisy. Love Chris
115778✽
by
asterixsew
14 Nov 2012
+6✽
Chris thanks for these really great pictures. Kookaburras are a bird I have never seen so its exciting to see them in your garden. Did you show some last year? If so would it be the same parents or different. I get something called a red kite that flies above our garden goodness knows where they breed
1 comment
Yes, I showed some last year and as I've said in the post below to "susiesembroidery" these birds come back to the same nest year after year. I don't know what will happen when the parents die, maybe the chicks (when they are grown) have an inherent homing system and know that this is where they were born! Love Chris
33871✽
by
grandmamek
14 Nov 2012
+6✽
Thank you Chris for sharing with us. This is indeed very interesting as we do not have this kind of bird in the US. I am sure watching the babies provides quite some entertainment for you. You are very fortunate to have them so close by. Hugs, Mary
1 comment
Hi Mary, yes these are one of Australia's native birds and they have a very raucous laugh. It is so infectious you just want to laugh with them. And, yes, we are so lucky to have them come so close to the house. Since posting these photos, 2 chicks have flown the nest. Love Chris
6833✽
The noise and early wakeup call was well worth it!
1 comment
Certainly was, 2 chicks have flown the nest. Love Chris
743327✽
thank you for the great pictures. great to enjoy nature's miracles !
1 comment
Yes it is great to see these birds, and if you look closely to picture 2 and 3 you can see a Rosella sitting on the old tree stump near the back fence. He was eating some of the birds seed we put out all the time. Love Chris
15256✽
How very lucky you are Chris to witness such beautiful moments. Thank you for sharing :)
1 comment
It is wonderful to watch these little fellows fly from the nest. Love Chris
24342✽
Chris, They have definately found a great place in your gum tree they are such wonderful birds. Amazed they are so close to your house they must feel very much at home. Hugs Sally
1 comment
Hi Sally, the parent birds know me well, but of course the baby birds are a lot more curious and get intimidated by us. Luckily there are only 2 more in the nest. Love Chris
24961✽
What wonderful pictures! They must feel safe in your yard. Thanks for sharing these moments!
1 comment
Oh! definitely Linda, it is a safe haven and the nest in that gum tree goes right to the back of the tree. I can put my whole arm in that hole and still not touch the end of the tree. Love Chris
25212✽
by
killiecrankie
15 Nov 2012
+7✽
Who climbed up the gum to put a perch outside the hollow to make it easier for the parents to feed the babies?
Did you know that the kookaburra call has been used in Tarzan movies to make the jungles sounds , sound more jungle like.
Did you know that the kookaburra call has been used in Tarzan movies to make the jungles sounds , sound more jungle like.
1 comment
We put it there. We climb up a ladder each year to check on the nest and clean it all out after they leave. Yes, I've often had a giggle to myself as Kookaburras only live in Australia (unless they are in a Zoo). Love Chris
19439✽
That nest looks like it is high off the ground. What a wonderful surprise. You need to video tape their sounds and place on YouTube. I would love to hear them. Really cool little birds. Thank you for sharing.
1 comment
I think our son in law did that a few years ago. I don't think he has their laugh on it though. I'll check on that. Love Chris
30988✽
How lovely to see, thank you for showing us,the baby looks big,
Hugs Pam.
Hugs Pam.
1 comment
The babies are a good size when they finally leave the nest. We think there are 2 more in the nest. Love Chris
158718✽
Oh, I remember seeing them last year and it's still a GREAT treat! Thanks for sharing you special additions with us. ;)
1 comment
Yes, we get them every year and I still love to see them. Love Chris
360671✽
First time i saw this bird thanks for letting me enjoy them hugs carolyn
1 comment
You are welcome Carolyn, they are beautiful birds. Love Chris
255054✽
Wonderful pictures - thank you Chris. Hugs Sarah.
1 comment
You're welcome Sarah, I'm lucky they let me photograph them so close up. Love Chris
89895✽
So exciting watching the birds and wild life. It's little beak isn't as large as the parent. Do the parents stay around after the babies leave or do they leave also?
1 comment
It is exciting to see them each year and then for the chicks to emerge from the hole. The beaks are actually softer than you think and the babies beaks will grow to the size of the adults. The parents stay with the birds until they can fend for themselves. We actually don't see much of them once they have flown away. Love Chris
19452✽
Great pictures! Thanks for sharing; I love nature pictures!!
1 comment
I thought so too! Love Chris
15141✽
They are so beautiful. My birds nest in the nearby nature reserve and bring there babys over for me to supplement feed. We have 3 baby magpies 2 familys of pied butcher birds a family of Kookaburrasand noisy minors it is costing me a fortune at the moment as the all line up at the back door. but I love them to bits. Hugs Joyce.
1 comment
Hi Joyce, I love the butcher bird's call, but they are a bossy bird and attack our Kookaburras! So glad you also have the opportunity to look after our native fauna. Love Chris
13250✽
I had never seen a Kookaburra before. I have head of them, but I guess I didn't think they were real. How exciting this was for you. Thank you for sharing these lovely pictures with us.
2 comments
You can only imagine their laugh Mylinda, it's almost a cackle. I've put a link up for YouTube, but if it doesn't work just type in Laughing Kookaburras on the YouTube site. Love Chris
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UD3k1YTUz4Y
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UD3k1YTUz4Y
It did work. I listened to it. You are right about their laugh/cackle. Thank you for sharing that with me.
199✽
by
juaninethompson
16 Nov 2012
+3✽
All I can say is - WOW Nature is wonderful
1 comment
It certainly is Juanine, I'm so thankful they nest every year in our gum tree. Love Chris
59631✽
by
hightechgrammy
24 Nov 2012
+1✽
Oh Chris! How beautiful! It made me sing the Kookaburra song! Do children sing it there? They are such beautiful birds! How special you get to see them so close and for the parents to feed the babies! Thank you for sharing with us! We too feed birds just out our window, and as the day progresses we get different birds, but none so famous as the kookaburra! I LOVE seeing them! Jan