This is my friend Frank. Frank has been around for years. I don’t feed him or his wife Betty, they come and talk to me every day. They see me coming up the drive, open the gate, and here they are. They sit in the trees above and talk to me. I hang the washing on the line, they are there. Today I took the camera and went into the bush. Guess who followed me? Frank, he talks and talks, he flies over my head, sits on the branches close to me, and if I start walking, he follows. Please tell me, my family thinks I ‘m mad. Last week my daughter visited, first question was, is Frank still there? I just pointed to a tree, there he was. All photos were taken today, first one after I put the washing on the line, the others when I went out to find a bird. Do you have a story like that? I want to hear it.
Wow, what beautiful photos, M-L and what a great story!
Cheers
Tim
Brisbane
congratulations, what a great story
in future I intend to call you 'Bird Whisperer'
Peter
Yes excellent photos. You are lucky to have such a fine friend.
Love your story.
Thanks so much Shirley, this warms my heart and makes me quite emotional. Frank was there just a few minutes ago, so was his partner. I think he is beginning to look old, but that might change again, I hope.I used to have a Tawny Frogmouth that sat on my gutter every evening and talked to me. One morning it sat on my door mat, clearly not feeling well and asking for help. I packed him in a box and took him to the vet. There was a huge growth in his abdomen and he didn't come back. I felt so priviledged he came to me for help, that's what I thought anyway.
I have hundreds of Frank Photos, but this was a special day, when he followed me and wanted some photos taken, no idea what made him do it? He talked into the camera for a very long time.
And you are right, at certain times of the year he also brings his young family.Thank you for telling me all this, I had no idea, but it makes sense, and certainly makes me feel very glad to have Frank as a friend.
M-L
Thanks for your ongoing observations, Araminta, and Shirley for oyur perceptions.
I have a few occasional King Parrot visitors. None of them have adopted me yet, but sometimes they speak to me. I thought they were asking me to replenish the feed tray, but perhaps not.
As for whistling - I do that frequently at and for all the parrots I see, including kings, rosellas and various cockatoos. None of them has responded or even reacted yet.
- soakes
soakes
Olinda, Victoria, Australia
Thanks so much for taking the time to write to me about the Kings that talk to me.I do know there are three generations of "Franks) talking to me. I also knew that the ones in these photos are different birds. Yesterday the very old grandfather Frank1 sat on my car.( we call him the original Frank). I also recognize his son, Frank 2, he must have had an injury at some stage on his neck, there now is an almost white patch of feathers that doesn't change. I also think the eyes of the different birds look completely different.
When I have a bit more time, I will put all my photos of Frank's family together for you to look at. I find it so fascinating to have found someone as interested in Kings as I am.
Talk soon, Marie-Louise
M-L
This is so much detailed and great information about Kings, I will have to take some time to read it all and to think about it.
Just one thing, you are right in thinking all the ones I know are from one family. And we live in a perfect place for them, next to the Bunyip State Park, plenty of food and huge old trees. About two years ago some different looking birds moved in, much lighter in colour, the green more to yellowish, the markings on the wings a lot bigger. The birds were larger than the ones in Frank's group, and they displayed a lot of aggression. As I don't feed any birds, the fights took place in the trees and shrubs they were feeding in.Days later those other birds had left.
I also think I have not seen more than 4 generations in my garden. Over the last 2 years I have posted countless photos of them on here, but most people simply go...nice photo. The middle male (Frank2), must have lost his partner last year. I hadn't seen her for a while, then he didn't come back either. Then he turned up with a new girl.
I'm still trying to sort out some photos I will show you. The one in the photo I post now is the middle one with his girl. Enjoy.
M-L
Here are two eyes of two different birds.
M-L
The same often happens to me, but my family will tell you, that I'm a bit strange. I would simply say, I'm very tuned into nature.
The Kings know exactly where I am in the house, although they can't see me, they follow me from window to window. They sit on the front gate and follow my car, and when it rains they sit on top of it under the car port.
one more photo for you Shirley, this is what they eat around my place, there is plenty of native vegetation to feast on every day.
M-L
Hello Araminta and Shirley.Hardy,
I know Woko will wince when he reads this. There is a 60yo Oak Tree in the garden. Galahs nest in it every year, even Boobooks stay in it - the latter when there is a mouse/rat/rabbit plague mostly. And all the medium sized birds come and go through the branches. The White Throated Treecreeper just never leaves - the poor tree must be getting old if it is able to feed a Treecreeper all the time.
BUT.....every year the Crimson Rosella's and the King Parrots fight it out over who can eat the most acorns. The Kingies are better at disturbing the leaf matter to get at the buried acorns and as such stay around a lot longer.
Over the years there has been the odd male King Parrot come onto the back verandah but l shoo them away - their place is the garden and mine is the back verandah where l can watch their comings and goings.
The wing pattern identification is interesting. Over the years l have watched family groups of Magpies and their wing patterns are all different. Many years ago we had a 'Zorro' (remember the TV show) Magpie and his offspring all had a similar 'z' marking, although not identical.
Thank you for the interesting material on the King Parrots Shirley. Will have a thorough investigation over the weekend.
So nice to see you mtck. Hope you are well? Going by what you are saying, you are having a great time in your garden watching birds.Hope you stay for a while longer, I miss your posts. (wanted to send you a message before, but you disabled it
)
M-L
As long as you control any seedlings, mtck, all's well with very little wincing.