1 Today’s first thing is both beautiful and sad. We found two tiny and very pretty birds in our garden this morning and they turned out to be Zebra Finches. We could also hear other unusual bird song and then saw two bright yellow cockatiels in next door’s tree. Realising that all these little beauties had escaped from an aviary, I went door to door asking, leaving the lovely Mr S bird-sitting to prevent the very interested magpies making off with a feathered breakfast. On my way around the neighbourhood I spotted another escapee, a lovely pink bird.
Zebra Finch
Is this a baby Zebra Finch?
Yellow Cockatiel
Is this a Galah?
I eventually found the owner of the birds who came round to try to catch the Zebra Finches, which seemed quite happy in our garden, but with no success. Sadly, he says that none of his escaped birds are likely to survive. If they are not predated, they may well die of stress but if a wind gets up, they may drop to the floor, being unable to fly in wind and then he may be able to get them. They have given us a piquant pleasure all day and have only flown off late this afternoon. I so hope they survive…… Just as I’m finishing this off, I have heard them return.
2 Do have a look at this video of bears in a park in Alberta. We grinned from start to finish.
3 I watched a Youtube video on how to plait Shallots properly and did one bunch like that but it takes ages! I reverted to my old way of plaiting as I did my girls’ hair and, in fact, I like the finished effect better. What do you think?
Using the Youtube way of braiding our Longor, French Banana Shallots to store
My way of braiding our Mikor, Red Shallots
WordsFallFromMyEyes
August 10, 2013 at 8:52 am
Loved the bears video 🙂 My gosh, that is one LOVED tree!!
So very – well, not human, just real…
Carol White
August 7, 2013 at 1:10 pm
Hello. I don’t think the grey and pink bird is a Galah, I think it’s a Parrakeet of some sort. I hope your neighbour manged to get at least some of his birds back.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Galah
mybeautfulthings
August 7, 2013 at 1:14 pm
Thank you! I was just trying to id from googling but wasn’t at all sure I was right. Unfortunately he hasn’t recaptured any of them and today we only have the Zebra Finch with us now; the little white one has disappeared.
greenbenchramblings
August 7, 2013 at 1:03 pm
Zebra Finches are beautiful little things. I always think they have beaks of wax.
flowerpot
August 7, 2013 at 10:07 am
I do hope those birds are safe!
mybeautfulthings
August 7, 2013 at 1:15 pm
So do I!
flowerpot
August 7, 2013 at 9:13 am
Hope they found their way back home and safety.
mybeautfulthings
August 7, 2013 at 9:51 am
Not yet, sadly, and there’s no sign of the little white one in our garden this morning.
Sharp Little Pencil
August 7, 2013 at 4:22 am
I’m so sorry your neighbor couldn’t catch his finches. They are captured so beautifully by your camera.
We had to finches in Puerto Rico. One died and I was able to let the other one go, since they do well in the wild there. The darned little guy came back to help build a nest…. inside our home, in the living room. The birds hatched there and baby Riley was delighted to watch them fly away.
One the shallots – oh, this is one of my favorite ingredients for so many dishes! There’s something earthy and potent about them vs. onion. I make a mean asparagus and shallot omelette, if I do say so… a sprinkle of romano or parm, and you’re eating!
Thanks for a feast for the eyes, Amy
mybeautfulthings
August 7, 2013 at 4:27 am
What a delightful experience for you all – to have the little beauties nesting in your living room. We are very worried about them being in the wild here. They are not so likely to survive though there are plenty of seeds about at the moment.
Your omelette sounds delicious. I shall have to try that combination. Thanks again for calling in. 🙂
Tigress 00 Eyes
August 7, 2013 at 2:40 am
The Video is Funny!
I wonder if that’s a Bears idea of … Poll (scratch) Dancing! Lol!…
mybeautfulthings
August 7, 2013 at 4:20 am
Indeed! 🙂
Thank you for calling in and taking the time to comment. 🙂
babyjill7...Marilyn Griffin
August 6, 2013 at 7:51 pm
like your way so much better…very pretty…sorry about the birds…and for you to know where they might have come from…way to go!
mybeautfulthings
August 7, 2013 at 4:30 am
Hoped you would! I shall do the rest that way too as it is quicker, easier, prettier and it works to store them successfully. Still, it was good to try the new way.
The birds were still flying around quite late last night but I fear we may not see them today…..
All the best to you 🙂
Jim in IA
August 6, 2013 at 4:39 pm
Those are lovely birds. I’m afraid they will be living a life of danger. They aren’t prepared for a life of freedom.
Those bears were having a great time fixing an itch. In fact, I do that now and then in a doorway. 🙂
We were in Alberta in July. We saw one black bear and cub from the car. No grizzlies.
I did a lot of weed whacking out back yesterday. They were encroaching on my yard. I notice today the goldfinches are busier than normal investigating the newly uncovered growth. Their diet consists only of seeds. They will find plenty. The house wrens are busy, too. They have new insects to collect for the brood in the wren house.