jmgoyder

wings and things

Jan 7

Unblinking

by jmgoyder

Some people think that birds don’t blink so I have just done some extensive research (two minutes of googling) to discover that, in fact, they do blink, but only every few minutes or so. As I now have several birding readers, I’m hoping to become more enlightened here.

 Look at Phoenix 2’s eye!

 Check out Whitey’s eye!

Several years ago, Husband began to seem very grumpy all the time and it wasn’t until he was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease that I learned that one of the many symptoms can include the inability to blink. Until I found that out, I just thought he was becoming a bad-tempered old grouch. Unblinking can give the appearance of permanent displeasure or sternness. Here is a sample conversation before I realised any of this:

Me: Why are you always so moody? (shouting)

Husband: I’m not – I’m fine (said with expressionless face)

Me: Are you mad at me or something? (teary)

Husband: Of course not. What’s wrong? Why are you so upset? (said with expressionless face)

Me: It’s just that you always look daggers at me.

Husband: I don’t mean to, Jules, honestly. I’m fine.

Me: So why don’t you show it? Why don’t you smile anymore? (shouting again).

The very day Husband and I had this conversation (luckily Son was at school), Husband happened to have a doctor’s appointment anyway, to check on his diabetes. Since I was already in an argumentative mood, the trip in to the closest town wasn’t pleasant:

Me: Why do you always want me to drive these days? Why can’t you drive yourself? (shouting again)

Husband: I just like your company (said with attempted smile).

Long story short – within a week it was discovered that Husband had Parkinson’s disease and the specialist who our doctor referred us to said that unblinking was a symptom, and so was unsmiling, because the muscles in the face could stop working.

‘My bad’ is an understatement of how I felt when we were told this, and all of the heartache that followed this diagnosis is best left unsaid.

Suffice it to say, however, that I now ‘get’ that the unblinking appearance of birds does not mean that they don’t feel:

love

loss

courage

fear

generosity

greed

peace

conflict

love

Uncategorized Wings

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Jan 7

Mathilda’s arrival

by jmgoyder

A hundred or so posts ago, I said I would tell the story of Mathilda’s arrival into our lives. Mathilda is the miniature pig who grew into a non-miniature pig (see November 9, 2011 post), and who now lives on a proper pig farm.

Well, Husband, Son and I brought Mathilda home in a pet container that was only just big enough (she was already larger than anticipated at a few months of age).

So, once we were home, we were, as usual, greeted vociferously by our two miniature dacshunds, Doc and Blaze, who became even more excited when I got the pet container out of the back seat of the car. Mathilda had her backside pressed against the door to this container so all the dogs could see was her funny little tail which they sniffed curiously. Naively, thinking that they would adore their new little/big friend, I opened the door and Mathilda backed out.

Now, looking back, I am sure the dogs were okay with what I believe they assumed was another dog. But when she turned around and they saw her snout, there was a rather horrified pause as the dogs stared, shocked, at this peculiar looking creature and then, whammo, their alarm turned to hatred and, chaos ensued as their whines turned into growls, then high-pitched barking.

I was holding little Mathilda in my arms, trying to calm the dogs and introduce them in a civil way, when she leapt away and sprinted across the paddock with Doc and Blaze after her.

Husband: I don’t think this is going to work.

Son: Mum, you’re an idiot.

Me: Arghhh!

We eventually whistled the dogs back and put them in the ‘naughty corner’, a big, fenced yard we use to contain them when necessary but Mathilda didn’t come back. As you can imagine, I was terribly distraught, and wandered around outside for hours, calling her. The relief when she turned up the next morning was overwhelming!

Of course, months later, when Mathilda had GROWN, the situation was reversed and Doc and Blaze were terrified of her, but all in all, I learned a very important lesson:

Dogs and pigs are not compatible!

Animal

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Jan 6

King’s feathers

by jmgoyder

King peacock’s personality has changed due to the loss of all but one of his tail feathers. He seems to have somehow retained this one last symbol of superiority, not arrogantly, but desperately.

Son and I have collected most of his feathers (to sell on ebay and make our fortune), but there are still several here, there and everywhere. It’s like finding treasure.

So now that King can’t do his fantail thing, he has become much shyer and quite needy of attention. He hangs around the back door, waiting for me to come out with bread and lettuce and he seems a bit shocked and disappointed by his reflection in the veranda windows. I read somewhere that when peacocks shed their feathers they feel emasculated and I can see this in King’s eyes because now he doesn’t look very different from the younger peacocks, who are no longer in awe of him.

Lately, rather than strutting around Kingishly, and keeping his distance from the teenagers, King seems to need their company. His wife, Queenie, has lost interest in him and this must be very hurtful. He has even stopped making his trumpet noise, and is very quiet and subdued.

The most surprising thing is that he has abandoned the old dairy where he used to spend most of his time. If you look closely at this photo, you can see him there in the centre.

Of course, within a few months, King will have grown new tail feathers, whereas the teenage peacocks won’t get theirs for another couple of years – so he is still ahead. But I don’t think King particularly cared about his superiority and, even when he had all of his tail feathers, he never seemed arrogant about this – just happy.

When he takes the bread out of my hand now, I reassure him that he just has to wait awhile but he looks at me forlornly and I can see how much he misses doing his fantail dance.

Wings

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Jan 5

Happy 18th birthday!

by jmgoyder

Duckling: What’s going on?

Turkey chick: It’s the kid’s 18th birthday.

Duckling: So?

Turkey chick: Yeah, these humans are very strange. When my dad turned 18 he was magnificent. The kid doesn’t even have his feathers yet. He has to put fake ones on.

Duckling: On his head you mean?

Turkey chick: Yeah, those, and when he puts them on he can’t balance properly so his buddies have to hold him up.

Duckling: So where’s the old chap?

Turkey chick: He’s not very well so the woman and the kid had to take him to hospital.

Duckling: I miss snoozing near his socks.

Turkey chick: So do I! Actually I miss nibbling those socks too.

Duckling: So what will they do for the kid’s birthday?

Turkey chick: I heard the woman say that they’ll pick up the old chap and go to a restaurant.

Duckling: What’s a restaurant?

Turkey chick: It’s a place where humans eat roast duck and turkey.

Duckling: I don’t want to hurt your feelings, but your jokes are awful. They’re not even funny.

Turkey chick: Shut up – here he comes!

Duckling: Why does he like cuddling you and not me?

Turkey chick: He has good taste? You’re harder to pick up because of your big feet? I’m cuter? Probably a number of reasons.

Uncategorized Wings

18 Comments »
Jan 4

A prelude to grief

by jmgoyder

 

A musty eiderdown

A broken rose tree

An unkept house

Even the golden pheasant seems forlorn

Tomorrow morning will be the first of fourteen:

How are you, dearie?

Good man, that’s the way.

We’ll just go to the toilet now.

Didn’t you bring any soap?

Cup of tea, darlin’?

Yes, she just rang and she’s coming in soon.

You’ve just had a little fall – everything is fine now.

Your son? Yes, he’ll be here soon too.

The bathroom is just over there.

Ring this bell if you need us.

Yes, they’re coming in to see you soon ….

A dry-cleaned eiderdown

A new rose tree

A clean house

A longed-for homecoming

Improbable

Unlikely

A wrenched, beating-too-fast heart

A bird hit by a car going too fast

A flock of crows

A bitten lip

A screaming child

Sunglasses keep fogging up in the car and I can’t see properly

Broken wings now an inadequate metaphor

I can’t see

Uncategorized Wings

8 Comments »
Jan 4

Lean on me

by jmgoyder

                                                                           [Photo taken at Husband’s 75th last Feb.]

When I was a kid, one of my favourite songs was Lean on Me by Bill Withers. It’s still one of my favourite songs.

Today our little family will be experiencing a transition of sorts as Husband ‘tests out’ the place that isn’t a hospital and that isn’t a home – our home I mean.

During my many conversations with Husband over the last week, I have, without realising it, been leaning on him, and his wide shoulders have borne the weight of my distress unflinchingly. This leaning thing has been reciprocal, and contagious, as Son is now leaning on me and I am leaning on him.

And, since Wantok has gone, Buttons is also doing quite a bit of leaning, which is all very sweet except that she keeps pooping on my shoulder!

I think that is taking the leaning-on-me thing way too far, don’t you?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QPoTGyWT0Cg

Uncategorized Wings

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Jan 3

A beautiful black cloud

by jmgoyder

I found a Youtube that shows exactly what happened when we let Wantok go. Here it is:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xJZnQ2QFgq4&feature=topics

Then I found another one of an Australian couple releasing a red-tailed black cockatoo into the wild and this was very reassuring because I was worried Wantok wouldn’t be able to find a group. Here it is:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yo8pmpD62lg&feature=endscreen&NR=1

When we first acquired Wantok, one of Son’s friends came over and I was showing her off, saying she was an endangered species, but he told me that where he lives (about 7 kilometres east of here up in the hills) there are red-tailed black cockatoos everywhere. Of course I felt a little silly then! Anyway that’s where I’m sure Wantok must have gone as it is an area of dense bush, a beautiful habitat.

A weird thing happened yesterday. I heard Wantok’s distinctive cry except it was multiplied and, looking up, I watched in awe as a beautiful black cloud of red-tailed black cockatoos flew across the farm, very high up in the sky. This has never happened before and I was so amazed it took me a moment to get my voice to call out “Wantok?” but as quickly as they had appeared, they were gone.

We have definitely done the right thing.

Wings

14 Comments »
Jan 2

Shut up and listen!

by jmgoyder

Don’t worry; I’m not telling anyone else to shut up – I’m just telling myself.

I have too many unspeakable words to utter and these words are like an omelette-gone-wrong inside my head. Ie. Cherry ripe doesn’t go well with parsley and Husband asked me not to bring him any more Cherry ripes (well, he could have told me he didn’t like Cherry ripes a bit earlier in our relationship!)

Okay, so I have listened and I have heard.

Yesterday, just before releasing Wantok, Son said to me, his words like mini-arrows, “You care more about the birds than you care about me.”

Okay, so I have listened and I have heard.

The following Youtube is absolutely beautiful, and it contains some wonderful clips of birds.

Okay, so I have listened and I have heard.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x91rBzNKvlc

I need to care for my fledgling.

Uncategorized Wings

11 Comments »
Jan 2

Wantok wings away

by jmgoyder

Today is bittersweet because Wantok has flown away to her freedom, and I am numb with shock. This is what happened.

Son and I returned from visiting Husband in the hospital yesterday afternoon, to find that Wantok had begun to chew away the electrical power points in the veranda, so Son and I then had an argument about what to do with her.

Son: She wants to be free or she wouldn’t be getting so out of control.

Me: I told you I’ve ordered the aviary. We just have to wait a couple of weeks for it to be built.

Son: That’s not freedom. Look at her. She wants to fly, Mum – really fly. (Wantok was swooping back and forth above our heads).

Me: She can fly in here – she flies up and down the veranda all day. (I ducked as Wantok’s wings fanned my hair).

Son: And that’s normal, is it, for a huge, wild cockatoo to spend its life flying inside a room.

Me: Well, no.

Son: Same thing goes for the stupid aviary idea. She’ll still be trapped. I thought you didn’t agree with caging birds.

Me: I guess I thought she’d be more tameable and she could come in and out….

Son: Plus she’s started biting us – that means she’s not happy. And she stares out the window a lot. (As if to demonstrate this, Wantok settled on top of her cage and stared out the window at the peacocks.)

Me: So what do you want to do?

Son: I want to take her outside and see what happens.

Me: Okay, but if she flies off you have to follow her.

Son: Are you sure?

Me: No, but you obviously are.

So then Son went up to Wantok and she climbed onto his shoulder, then he walked to the veranda door, opened it and went outside. For a moment or so, Wantok took in the new situation, then seemed to take a deep breath and, in a whoosh of wings, she was off, uttering loud, guttural cries of joy.

I watched Son run after her, but less than a minute later he was back looking appalled.

Son: Mum, she was too fast. She’s already halfway to the hills. I lost sight of her. Oh no, what have I done? (He was close to tears).

Me: You’ve set her free. (I could feel a sliver of my heart peel away).

Oh, I hope we’ve done the right thing. There are wild cockatoos up in the hills and I feel sure she will find them and make friends with other wantoks and be much happier. Maybe she will come back and visit.

Maybe.

I am bereft.

Wings

16 Comments »
Jan 1

Strategies for dealing with aggressive birds

by jmgoyder

Happy new year everyone. One of the first things on my list of things-to-do-in-2012 is to improve these strategies.

The loaf of bread strategy:

Okay, you already know about Godfrey, the Godfather of ganderdom. Now, don’t get me wrong; I adore Godfrey, but it’s unrequited, so now I honk back at him when I am trying to pat MY geese, not HIS geese, and today I slapped him in the head with a loaf of bread after he bit me on the bum again. This was quite effective except that Godfrey took the whole loaf of bread and ran away, with the gang following. So much for their loyalty. I will need to perfect this strategy before I patent it. Oh, and don’t be fooled by the gentleness of this picture; it was taken months ago, before Godfrey became the Godfather.

The leg-shaking strategy:

Tina Turner is the Araucana rooster who seemed like a hen to begin with. Okay, so I got that wrong. Well, Tina has recently developed an antipathy towards me which he demonstrates by flying at my legs and latching on with his substantial claws. This is very painful, especially if you are wearing shorts. Now it has been suggested to me that his behaviour might be an expression of adoration but don’t think so. Anyway, this is how to do the leg-shaking thing. You just walk slowly towards the rooster, lifting one leg at a time and shaking it. If the rooster tries to get behind you and trick you, just keep doing the leg-shaking. Sometimes this means that you will accidentally kick the rooster but if that happens don’t worry as the rooster will recover. Incidentally, this is also a great leg-toning exercise.

I’ve used the following photo of Tina on this blog before but I haven’t been able to take another one because it’s hard to take a photo while you are leg-shaking.

The screech strategy:

This one is very good for Willy wagtails who are nesting in washhouses on old farms. In a previous post I mentioned how difficult it is for me to do the washing whilst being dive-bombed by screeching Willy wagtails. So now what I do is I run, screeching loudly, into the washhouse and continue screeching until I have put the load of washing on. I’ve learned that I have to screech louder than they screech in order for the strategy to work. What happens is that they will vacate the washhouse for approximately two minutes, so obviously this strategy needs a bit of tweaking.

This photo is courtesy of Wikipedia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Willie_wagtail_in_nest.jpg

So there you have it: three very effective strategies for dealing with aggressive birds. I realise these strategies need refining, so any suggestions are welcome!

Wings

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