To my mind, there's no bird to beat the English blackbird, for song and
handsome looks; Shakespeare's "ousel-cock so black of hue / With orange
tawny bill". But it's a strange thing -- I've lived in various parts of this
country, from the south-west to the north-east where we are now, and I'll
swear those blackbirds make regional variations in their song.
By the way, there's a flock of feral macaws up in the dales about 30 miles
from here. I saw them once, and it seemed a huge and magical privilege,
like being visited by strangers from another planet.
joanna
----- Original Message -----
From: "Jill Jones" <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Friday, March 10, 2006 10:56 PM
Subject: Re: help--translation query
> Hi Mark,
>
> Yes, I guess they are noisy. Never thought of it but now I recall,
> European cities seem so much quieter on the bird front.
>
> Last night I came home as a whole pile (flock?) of parrots - most likely
> lorrikeets - were squawking in the tree across the road, just on dusk.
>
> In our garden, we had magpies nesting in the jacaranda one year, until
> they found out that it lost its leaves and therefore their cover, so they
> went back to the more traditional and evergreen gum tree two doors up. But
> they visit us all the time (and shit on our paving). We also get nearly
> everyday or seasonally, said parrots (lorrikeets and rosellas),
> currawongs, new holland honeyeaters, welcome swallows, silvereyes (such
> lovely little birds), the australian ravens we call crows. Even a sacred
> kingfisher once. Also, unfortunately, all the pesky exotics such as
> sparrows, starlings, pigeons and noisy mynahs.
>
> Some of the above, and others, are mentioned on this site, including some
> of their noisy calls: http://www.anbg.gov.au/birds/birds.html
>
> So, can get real noisy.
>
> Is it 'ruffle' their feathers?
>
> And 'having a lend'? To have someone on, take the piss.
>
> Cheers,
> Jill
>
> On Saturday, March 11, 2006, at 01:37 AM, Jill Jones wrote:
>
>> Hi Mark,
>>
>> First of all, what's a grackle? I assume you're not having a lend.
>>
>> But I would be interested in the correct name for the term as well. There
>> does seem to be a thing about poets and birds.
>>
>> I'm a lazy bird watcher myself and rarely know the correct word for
>> ornithological things. But I notice them all the same. Tonight, there was
>> a real racket across the street as I was coming home, ooh, about 7ish.
>> Most likely parrots of some kind. I couldn't see them but they were,
>> obviously, apparent.
>>
>> Cheers,
>> Jill
>>
>>
>> On Saturday, March 11, 2006, at 01:06 AM, Mark Weiss wrote:
>>
>>> OK, I need some feedback from birdwatchers. In the winter birds puff out
>>> their feathers fro warmth. Is there/are there a term/terms for this?
>>> From the scientific to the colloquial.
>>>
>>> I realize this question is likely to inspire some general levity, not to
>>> say tom-foolery (origin?), which I'd appreciate as much as the next
>>> guy/gal, but I really could use the help on this one.
>>>
>>> A tribeof grackles has taken up residence in the park outside my
>>> window--maybe 25 males. Quiet so far--probably waiting for a critical
>>> mass to build up. Oh lucky me.
>>>
>>> Mark
>>
>> _______________________________________________________
>> Jill Jones
>>
>> Latest books:
>> Broken/Open. Available from Salt Publishing
>> http://www.saltpublishing.com/books/smp/1844710416.htm
>>
>> Where the Sea Burns. Wagtail Series. Picaro Press
>> PO Box 853, Warners Bay, NSW, 2282. [log in to unmask]
>>
>> Struggle and radiance: ten commentaries (Wild Honey Press)
>> http://www.wildhoneypress.com
>>
>> web site: http://homepages.ihug.com.au/~jpjones
>> blog1: Ruby Street http://rubystreet.blogspot.com/
>> blog2: Latitudes http://itudes.blogspot.com/
>>
>>
> _______________________________________________________
> Jill Jones
>
> Latest books:
> Broken/Open. Available from Salt Publishing
> http://www.saltpublishing.com/books/smp/1844710416.htm
>
> Where the Sea Burns. Wagtail Series. Picaro Press
> PO Box 853, Warners Bay, NSW, 2282. [log in to unmask]
>
> Struggle and radiance: ten commentaries (Wild Honey Press)
> http://www.wildhoneypress.com
>
> web site: http://homepages.ihug.com.au/~jpjones
> blog1: Ruby Street http://rubystreet.blogspot.com/
> blog2: Latitudes http://itudes.blogspot.com/
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