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
>
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>
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>
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>
>
_______________________________________________________
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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