Vandal at work.

I hope you don't think this story is about me! I'm A Lady and don't do stuff like that anymore.

This is a story about birds.

Some places have pretty, gentle birds. This little sweetie lives near The Lady Who Lives With Critters.

Here's one of the birds that live near me.

You don't mess with the birds in my neighbourhood. They're tough and can be mean.

My Typist says the vandal was a Noisy Miner. 

Pic from http://www.sydneynature.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=225

Here's An Insightful Yet Terrifying Experience that she had with a Noisy Miner some years back -

One day, she found a baby that had fallen from its nest in the gutter. She picked it up so Mr P and Mr T wouldn't eat it. She tried to put it back in the nest. But the mama bird saw her and swooped down on My Typist and pecked her head. She had to run back into the house to save herself! 

For a whole week after that, My Typist had to carry an umbrella every time she walked out of the house because the mama bird would be waiting for her on the power line by our front door, and would swoop down to try to kill her. 

Of course, that's nothing compared to what THIS bird can do!

Pic from http://www.trevorsbirding.com/more-about-sulphur-crested-cockatoos/

My Typist, being both brave and stupid, once chased 2 cockatoos away from her orange tree. "Shoo!" she shouted at them flapping her arms, "SHOO!"

They were eating her yummy juicy oranges which were just about ready to be picked. The birds flew away, but the next day, they came back! They brought all their family and friends too! They pecked My Typist's oranges and ripped them from the branches and spat them all out on the ground. They didn't even bother to eat them! Then they cackled loudly and rudely and flew away.

My Typist was very traumatized.

I think she should count her lucky stars though, because cockatoos can peck a lot more than oranges.

My Typist insists we put out this community message immediately!
Pic from http://www.wikihow.com/Keep-Safe-from-Swooping-Australian-Magpies

It's almost magpie nesting season again! Soon, they'll be everywhere, swooping from tree to tree, pouting on fences, glaring down from power lines, strutting on sidewalks - waiting for some poor innocent postie or typist to walk by just so they can peck their eyes out. There's even one that lives in our frontyard.

My Typist gets very nervous every time it's magpie nesting season. Given her relationship with birds, are you surprised? Still, she doesn't wear an icecream tub on her head [thank goodness or I would die of shame]. She just waves my leash about or carries a stick. We walk in fear.

Pic from http://www.mumsgone2aus.com/2011/04/15/photo-friday-5-beware-the-australian-magpie/

As I said, YOU. DON'T. MESS. WITH. THE. BIRDS. IN. MY. NEIGHBOURHOOD.

   ***

More riveting stuff about our birds.

* Can YOU tell an Indian Mynah from a Noisy Mynah [Miner]?
http://www.shoalhaven.nsw.gov.au/council/sections/animals/MynaBirdbrochure.pdf

* More about Maggies and what you can do to stop your eyes getting pecked out.
http://www.abc.net.au/science/articles/2002/07/04/2588235.htm

http://www.environment.nsw.gov.au/animals/TheAustralianMagpie.htm

* Should we be feeding wild birds?
http://www.environment.nsw.gov.au/animals/KeepingWildlifeWild.htm

http://www.environment.nsw.gov.au/animals/TheDangersOfFeedingLorikeets.htm


Update 10.35 pm   An interesting excerpt from http://www.wikihow.com/Keep-Safe-from-Swooping-Australian-Magpies

"Do not return [to the same spot] after an encounter [with a magpie]. Australian magpies have an incredible memory (as with all members of the Corvid family, they are very intelligent) and will attack the same people again and again. It is also too bad if you happen to look like someone they attacked before..."

Dear God. My Typist has no hope.

A winter walk and memories.

On Sunday, I went to a place I've never been before. I went with My Cushion because My Typist had a lot of house-cleaning to do [or so she said, though she was on the couch watching telly when we got home].

The place was near where my humans used to live, far far away and over our famous bridge.

I was very good in the car and didn't cry [much] or try to drive.

Finally, we got there.

It was much bigger than the parks in my neighbourhood and, frankly, quite scary.

A long, long time ago, my humans would do this walk every week with Mr Piglet and Mr Thumper. Mr P and Mr T were very young then, and would run into the bushes and jump down the rocks and splash in the dirty creeks. Even Mr T, because this was way before his legs got bad.

Back then, my humans always had to keep an eye out in case another dog came down the path. They would walk in an elephant line. My Cushion, followed by Mr T, followed by Mr P, followed by My Typist, just so Mr T couldn't suddenly dash out to grab say hello to a poor unsuspecting, approaching dog.

Although it's hard to believe, Mr T was A Naughty and Irascible Dog back when he was young.

I think my humans got a bit sad thinking about those days.

My Cushion says the place hasn't changed much in 9 years. He took a lot of pictures but they were mostly bad. Here are a few, even though they're bad. 

Can you see me here?

There were a lot of signs everywhere. Some of the signs were interesting and said stuff even My super-smart Typist didn't know.

"OOooo...poo. I think someone forgot to scoop. I hope I don't get infected."

Some of the signs got me worried and made me wonder why My Cushion had brought me to this dangerous place.

Lucky for me, My Cushion turned us around, and we went back to where dogs were allowed and wouldn't get sick.

Other than this close shave with death and danger, it was a beautiful morning. We walked and walked for the longest time and only met 1 dog.

He didn't want to play.

But that's okay. I wasn't really in the mood either. It was just as much fun to explore.

I think I may be all grown up.




HOW TO GET THERE:


http://www.environment.nsw.gov.au/NationalParks/parkhome.aspx?id=N0076

http://www.wildwalks.com/bushwalking-and-hiking-in-nsw/garigal-national-park/two-creeks-track.html



NOTE: As with all national parks, most areas of Garigal are NOT dog-friendly but is a wonderful place for human-bushwalking.

The camp commandant spills the beans on the jammies.

My holidaycamp commandant sent My Typist more stories and piccies! My Typist was very happy she didn't have to do any work to get them. Personally, I find it a bit disturbing. Who would have thought the camp commandant would be a tattler?

This is what she said about my jammies in the playground -

"For us it was interesting to see a guest get so excited about putting on her red sweater. That is why we let her wear it the first day she met the rest of the pack. It must have been comforting, or maybe she was just a little shy meeting everyone naked."
"Hey! Stop laughing at me, please."

Oh ha-ha. The camp commandant is a funny lady.

My Typist is now wondering if my jammie worked exactly like a ThunderShirt. If so, she's pretty glad she didn't waste the my Amazon giftcard on getting me one.

The camp commandant sent piccies of my best friends at camp too!   

This is Nalu.

And this is Sophie, who became my cell room mate.

"I have to bunk in with Georgia Little Pea? Oh come on! Why me?! Can't you find someone else? How about Chopper? Have you heard her snore? Just between you and me, I think that girl is a bit of a fruitcake."

I wonder if I'll ever see Nalu and Sophie again. I hope so. They were nice.

***

This is the most important part!
 
"Other than that, [I guess she means the kerfuffle and me being s-h-y] Georgia was a model guest and seemed to enjoy the activities and the company of the other guests."
 
Did you get that?

I was A Model Guest*

"Yeah, buster. You heard right."

All pictures here courtesy of Dogwoods Country Kennels. Thanks, Camp Commandant Kim ;)

* Okay, okay. So she probably says that about all the inmates her guests. Do I care?