Winter

Winter

Tuesday, June 3, 2014

A Summer Day


Yesterday, I noticed a flock of parrots about six in all. I watched them but they are so skittish I couldn't get close enough to get a shot. This morning, I waited until I heard the baby that has been visiting since winter. In fact, he is right out side the office door talking to himself. I did manage to get pictures of him, as the rest of the flock were in the trees behind me scolding me. I wanted to get one of him eating sunflower seeds but he stopped as soon as I got close enough.


I really need a blind set up so I could be there before he comes to eat breakfast.  I opened the gate a little bit but as I did, the cat pushed through and was meowing at me to come on through the gate. The dog, was a little miffed as I was holding the gate with one hand to keep her from going out too. Then I had chickens lined up in a queue singing in their loudest voices. It was more like a circus that a bird watching expedition.


He was being very still as not knowing parrot, I am sure he was being told to fly away.


He finally flew up here, see how short his tail feathers are? That is how you can tell he is still a juvenile.
The mature adult have tails a good foot to a foot and half long.

His colors are just now beginning to develop. His beak is really bright red.


He is still pretty green, as he matures it will change to a really pretty blue/green color.

I only have that one giant sunflower so far. I hope he leaves me some seeds so I can plant some more for him. Some years they don't like these kind of sunflowers. In some years they like the multi branching kind so I never know what kind to plant.

The older parrots are here to eat plums. I can always tell, as they are the worst kind of bird, they take one bite and drop the rest on the ground. They can go through a whole tree pretty fast. Last year they ate every single peach. The plums aren't that ripe so they haven't moved in yet. This morning I noticed about twenty plums with one bite on the ground. I just picked them up and gave them to the chickens. Chickens don't mind.

Have a wonderful day,
~Kim~

" When you're making things time goes fast."
---Scooter, Vera B. Williams, 1993

21 comments:

Miss Debbie said...

Those pesky parrots! Sometimes birds peck holes in our tomatoes...that's really aggravating! It's just enough to mess them up! Our daughter covered her blueberry bushes with net to protect them. So far, so good! :-)

TexWisGirl said...

he is so very cute!!!

Kessie said...

Oh wow, good pictures! He was young and hungry, wasn't he? :-)

Catherine said...

Wonderful pictures. I suppose they really can go through the fruit quite fast, if you don't pick it quickly.
They are pretty.
Blessings, Catherine

Willow said...

They are pretty ~ too bad they are so darn destructive with your fruit and sunflowers. Our parrot now 12 yrs old, who talks up a storm, is in this ringneck family of parrot species. Interesting that they have colonized and breed in your area.

Julia said...

I always thought that it would be fun having parrots around but nowI know better.

Some people drape nets over their fruit trees to prevent birds from eating the fruits. I think I would get upset with the parrot.

I'm practically falling asleep and I have to go feed my calves. It's so hot and muggy outside.
Have a great week.
Hugs,
JB

Pom Pom said...

I am fascinated by your parrots! I would also be mad at them if they just took one bite of my plums. Naughty!
I am home and TIRED! I have a lot of unpacking to do, sorting though all the school stuff I brought home.

cards4ubylouise and other treasures said...

Your parrots must be like the squirrels in my backyard....digging holes where I have just planted something. I have to put small flag stone wire cages around the plants to keep the squirrels from digging. It's beautiful outside right now, but more rain is coming. Our roof leaks into the kitchen....hope it is not a down pour.

Beth said...

So fascinating having parrots in your yard on a daily basis. Awesome!

Jacque. said...

You have the most interesting visitors to your garden! Love the photos! xo

Sara at Come Away With Me said...

No such thing as a quiet morning at your house it seems! He's a lovely shade of green and so beautiful with the little bit of red contrast. I do hope you get to sample some of your own plums and peaches this year . . .

Debbie said...

I found all of this very interesting. I just can't imagine parrots in my yard like that. Soo neat. However it sounds like they can be kind of pesky too. Eating bites of fruit and then dropping it like that. I would have been most annoyed had they eaten ALL my peaches! I had to laugh at your description of coming through the gate to bird watch with your circus, haha. Enjoy the rest of your day!

Kim said...

Seems like the parrots and the chickens have some kind of secret deal ;)

Alica said...

You are so lucky!! What a gorgeous bird!

Samantha said...

I find it wonderful you have wild parrots! Except for losing the fruit to one bite!

Nellie said...

How neat that you have parrots flying around to see! I've only seen parrots in Busch Gardens in Tampa, FL once years ago! xo Nellie

Debbie said...

oh kim, i love these birds, i remember seeing them in the past, here on you blog!!

Kerin said...

Lucky you! Do you know, I've only ever seen parrots in captivity? How lucky you are, to have them visit your gardens.

Loving the pumpkin patch. Looks very promising.
I'm going to have to buy my pumpkins this Fall.

Enjoy the rest of this week.

Kerin

camp and cottage living said...

It sounded so exciting to have a Parrot in your yard to watch, but then when you told of the fruit they destroy, I changed my mind!!
He is a beauty, though.

From Beyond My Kitchen Window said...

I love that you have parrots in your yard. I have only seen them in cages in pet stores. How happy them must be to be so free. The header on the blog of your garden is beautiful.

Kathy ... aka Nana said...

I, too, have only seen parrots as pets. In fact, I didn't realize that there were wild parrots here in the States. Thanks for sharing a picture of your visiting parrot.