A friend of mine runs a few sheep on his property, he also manages a commercial apple juicing operation. Apple pulp left over is fed to stock, which gives the most sweet and tender meat you can imagine. As a favour, I pick up pulp and deliver it to his property.
This provides a free feed for birds as well, usually Green Rosellas and occassionally Sulphur-Crested Cockatoos. this little treasure was beak deep in pulp when I turned up, it flew to a nearby Walnut tree. You can see the pulp on his beak - they pick through and only eat the apple pips. Lucky I had a camera with me.
Sulphur Crested-Cockatoos are an introduced species to Tasmania, and can be quite destructive to the poor farmer's crops.
Sulphur Crested Cockatoo by Dale Watson, on Flickr
Sulphur Crested Cockatoo by Dale Watson, on Flickr
Sulphur Crested Cockatoo by Dale Watson, on Flickr
Sulphur Crested Cockatoo by Dale Watson, on Flickr
That's interesting about Sulphur-crested Cockatoos selectively eating apple pips, Dale. I once had an apple tree in my backyard & the Adelaide Rosellas selectively chose the apples with the codling moth larvae.
It amazing how they learn which are the fruit which contain moth larvae. I assume you no longer have an apple tree?
When the bins of apples arrive to be juiced, they put an empty bin on the top of the stack to help prevent the birds from literally destroying the top layer of apples, they crack them open, discarding the fruit and eating the seeds, making an almighty mess, and of course the fruit can not be used for juice.
Dale Huonville, Tasmania
No Dale. That was when I lived in Adelaide's big smoke.