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Post by biteybird on Jul 17, 2015 4:53:26 GMT -5
We stayed at Curtin Springs Station, a privately-owned cattle station. They have 27 accommodation huts, a pub, a restaurant and an area out the back where they allow people to camp for free (yay for us, with our camper trailer!). Toilets and showers are available for campers (although drafty!). The station is not only known for its beef, but also for making its own brand of paper.
1. 6-month-old Emu, free to stay or go as it wishes (their regular Emu died about a month ago).
2. They have a few bird aviaries next to their restaurant (whoa, just realised how that sounds..  ). Here is an Australian Ringnecked Parrot (labelled on the aviary as a Regent Parrot) but I've also seen it called a Port Lincoln Ringneck. Unfortunately the parrot would not face the camera... 
3. And here is a 3-year-old Long-billed Corella. When I approached him and said "Scratch?" he immediately put his head down and let me scratch him. His feathers looked white, but when he put his head down (see below) I could see that they were red underneath - very pretty. Then his owner (an old lady with a walking stick) approached and he suddenly became unco-operative. I hadn't heard of this bird before and had been thinking "Gee, his beak needs a trim!".
The Corella was sharing the aviary with a Sulfur-Crested Cockatoo, who completely ignored him, and I, until the old lady arrived. Then the cockatoo was the picture of jealousy (you've no idea of the screeching)!
4. The Pub
"Genuine Kangaroo Paw" (non-Aussies: Kangaroo Paw is a plant, but if you look carefully in this darkish photo you can see some other paws)!
This was a cartoon (70's - 80's?) on the wall, taken at a difficult angle as I'm 'vertically challenged'.
And, finally...
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Post by msdani1981 on Jul 19, 2015 13:47:31 GMT -5
LOL Great photos!! |
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Post by Sharyn and Mr P on Jul 19, 2015 18:19:37 GMT -5
The corella looks like he could be a relative of the Goffins
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Post by msdani1981 on Jul 19, 2015 19:38:40 GMT -5
That's what I thought too, Sharyn. Gorgeous birds!
Edit:
From Wikipedia: "Licmetis is a subgenus of the white cockatoos (genus Cacatua). They are collectively known as corellas in Australia. Three of the six species are primarily - or only - found in Australia, while the Philippines, Indonesia, and the Solomons each have an endemic species. They are relatively small cockatoos and – unlike the members of the subgenus Cacatua – all have pale bills. While most show yellow-tinged underwings and some red to the face, none have conspicuously coloured crests."
Species
Long-billed corella, Cacatua (Licmetis) tenuirostris
Western corella, Cacatua (Licmetis) pastinator
Muir's corella, Cacatua (Licmetis) pastinator pastinator
Butler's corella, Cacatua (Licmetis) pastinator butleri
Little corella, Cacatua (Licmetis) sanguinea
Red-vented cockatoo, Cacatua (Licmetis) haematuropygia
Tanimbar corella, Cacatua (Licmetis) goffiniana
Solomons cockatoo, Cacatua (Licmetis) ducorpsii
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Post by msdani1981 on Jul 19, 2015 19:45:42 GMT -5
The Tanimbar Corella is the Goffin's. From Wikipedia: "The Tanimbar corella (Cacatua goffiniana) also known as Goffin's cockatoo or Goffin's corella, is a species of cockatoo endemic to forests of Yamdena, Larat and Selaru, all islands in the Tanimbar Islands archipelago in Indonesia.[3][4][5] The species has been introduced at the Kai Islands, Indonesia,[5] Puerto Rico and Singapore.[1] This species was only formally described in 2004,[2] after it was discovered that the previous formal descriptions pertained to individuals of a different cockatoo species, the Ducorps' or Solomons cockatoo (Cacatua ducorpsii).[6] Tanimbar corellas are the smallest of the white cockatoos. This species is Near Threatened due to deforestation and bird trade. The species breeds well in captivity and there is a large avicultural population." |
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Post by Jan and Shah on Jul 19, 2015 20:35:18 GMT -5
I am still getting over the shock of seeing that spidery looking thing. I know it's not real (at least I hope so) but I hate spiders - they creep me out. If there is one in a room, I cant go into that room.
We have a small flock of small corellas that I see sometimes when taking the dog for a walk. They are gorgeous little things - but quite noisy.
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Post by biteybird on Jul 20, 2015 2:57:58 GMT -5
The corella looks like he could be a relative of the Goffins Oh, I never thought of that. I don't know if you can see in the photos, but his feet and the skin around his eyes is the most beautiful shade of blue. And he could actually talk quite a lot, too (I assume that's normal for Corellas?). |
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Post by Sharyn and Mr P on Jul 20, 2015 10:52:27 GMT -5
I honestly don't know much about the breed except for the one Goffins I've been exposed to, which is my foster, Daisy. It was the orangeish coloring around the birds face in the picture that reminded me of Daisy. Since she has been on a better diet after coming to my house, her feathers around her beak and nostrils have all gotten orange colored. Her coloring around her eyes, though , is not blue. As far as I know, Daisy does not talk, although a few times it has sounded as though she is trying to say something. Goffins, in general, do have the ability to talk.
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Post by aaron on Jul 20, 2015 12:17:56 GMT -5
Wow, quite a beak on that Corella! I immediately thought of the Goffins when I saw it.
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Post by easttex on Jul 20, 2015 14:07:58 GMT -5
The Australian Ringneck is a beautiful bird. Love that black head! Am I the only one who doesn't get the cartoon? I understand what they are saying, but I can't connect it with anything in the picture. |
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Post by Jan and Shah on Jul 20, 2015 16:13:15 GMT -5
Easttex, I think you have to be an Aussie to get that joke. It is fairly layback in country areas. I know the first time I travelled around the country, I was shocked at how slow people were - we would go to a pub and wait ages to be served as the barmaid was chatting to the locals. Being a city person, I was outraged at how slow everything was. You do get used to it and, in the end, it was a great way to learn about the area you were visiting as the barmaid would spend just as much time talking to you as she did with the locals. No-one is in a hurry. Oh, BTW, some of the places we visited only had a pub and a post office - so that is why I spent so much time in pubs. That's my excuse anyway |
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Post by biteybird on Jul 21, 2015 3:05:21 GMT -5
Am I the only one who doesn't get the cartoon? I understand what they are saying, but I can't connect it with anything in the picture. Haha Easttex, sorry, our sense of humour can be a bit bizarre! The way I see it, Ayers Rock (Uluru) is being towed by the cattle to Sydney Harbour to get shipped to the US for a good price! After all, we don't need it, it's just a bit of rock.  |
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Post by easttex on Jul 21, 2015 14:36:11 GMT -5
I get it now! I didn't recognize Ayers Rock, silly me. It's probably as iconic to an Aussie as the Statue of Liberty is to me.
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Post by Jan and Shah on Jul 21, 2015 16:55:16 GMT -5
Gosh, I really got the wrong end of the stick  Sorry Easttex. |
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Post by easttex on Jul 22, 2015 6:13:03 GMT -5
No worries, Jan. I think everything you said was true for here, too. When we first moved here, my European husband was shocked by the slow drivers. On the other hand, on the county roads you likely to get lots of friendly waves from other drivers, so I guess it kind of evens out. |
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). Here is an Australian Ringnecked Parrot (labelled on the aviary as a Regent Parrot) but I've also seen it called a Port Lincoln Ringneck. Unfortunately the parrot would not face the camera... 
Sorry Easttex.