Knot strimming the bush
A neighbour of ours was trimming her shrubbery (or as Jilly Cooper might say “strimming her hedges“) last week, when she spied something that caused her to gasp and throw down her secateurs.
Aside: does anyone here read Jilly Cooper? She’s a funny, witty, slightly ribald English writer to whom trimming one’s bush might have a slightly different meaning… if you get my meaning! But I’m not being ribald here. Just distracted. Now where was I? Oh yes. Bushes. Surprises. Right.
My neighbour (the bush trimmer) is a sweet lady, originally from Switzerland, with a fabulous accent and a pretty exuberant manner. And I do mean exuberant… I love it – it’s such a contrast to the so-laid-back-we-are-practically-horizontal manner of most Aussies. We need a little injection of enthusiasm sometimes! She also provides a marvellous array of slightly-mispronounced words during regular conversation which provides endless entertainment for me. But that’s not what I’m on about today … where was I again? Right. You still with me?
Anyway, as soon as I arrrived for a visit and a cuppa, my neighbour waved her arms a lot and insisted I inspect her bush…
Biting my tongue and armed with the camera, we marched over to the bush in question…
And at first I couldn’t see what she was on about…
and I may (or may not) have muttered something about excitable Europeans..
But then…
My eyes (and Nikon) focussed deeper into the foliage …
Ohhhhh… a gorgeous orange eye!
And as I gently pulled back the branches to get a slightly better view, it became clear…
A mother topknot pigeon – on TWO little eggs. And suddenly, I was all European-excited too!
I’m not sure the Mama Topknot was thrilled about her little lair being discovered, but she steadfastly stayed put. (And now that I have linked to a site about Topknot Pigeons, I am beginning to doubt the name of the bird too – pretty much confirming that I am next to useless as any kind of font of bush knowledge. Anyone with a better identification of these little grey pigeons with the stick-up crest, please feel free to correct me. I am quite used to it!)
My neighbour has been keeping me regularly informed on the progress of the nest – I expect another excited phonecall shortly to inform me of the hatching of more teeny tiny little pigeons. Hang onto your hats people… the European feathers could be flying…
🙂
BB
18 Comments
jeanie
Ahh – obviously I have always known them as topknots and found the wiki a bit Hmmm – so I clicked a few links and found the Crested Pigeon – as they are the only two pigeons in Australia with a crest, and the Topknots don’t look right it might be a possibility that our childhoods are based on a fallacy…
Bush Babe
I knew you’d get onto it dear sister… clearly your baby is napping. Should I alert the newscasters? 🙂 BB
debby
Another childhood illusion shattered. *sigh* I hate when that happens. Anyways, isn’t kind of late for birds to be nesting over there, since it is heading into fall there? Just curious. Or do your birds nest all year ’round?
Bush Babe
I think because there is such a short time for hatching these small birds, that they have more than one lot a year… I know there had been an unsuccessful lay of two eggs in the same nest late last year as well. This bird is determined to nest here – hoping the photo shoots don’t put her off too much! 🙂 BB
Leenie
Such a bizarre and exotic pigeon. Her top knot is striking, and those little red eyes don’t even look real. No wonder your friend was excited the momma had chosen her shrubs for the nursery.
UtahZen
She is beautiful! I can see why the European got excited 😉
I love the purple on her tail and the stripes too. Ya’ll seriously have the coolest critters Down Under!
Leanne
What a gorgeous (& persistent) little bird. I love to find nests in the garden – always so exciting! I think we have them down here, too. Are they the ones that are like a squeaky toy when they fly? With each flap of their wings they let out a little squeak. Quite comical when there’s a large group of them.
Tracey
How cool! Keep us informed!
Gem
Well BB – all I can say is that this nest will not be needing any sticky tape!!!
Send your newer readers back to read that little saga!!! Hysterical
Love ya
Bush Babe
Great idea Gem… will definitely do that for the next update!
🙂
BB
Kelly
How fun!! For you and your neighbor, that is. I’m sure mama bird isn’t too happy with the situation!
All the “bush” double entendre was almost too much for me this early in the day, LOL!
Bush Babe
Yeah – sorry about that Kelly. I was in ‘that’ kind of mood yesterday! 🙂
Jayne
Yep, Crested Pigeon is it.
We’ve been getting lots of feathered species going for double layings in recent years with longer warm weather.
Great photo 🙂
A Novel Woman
Cool! I have a pair of nesting cardinals in my hedge. I hope the babies escape the clutches of my two cats, the marauding crows and ravens, and the squirrels. Fingers crossed.
CeeCee
I’m guessing that all trimming ceased the moment she laid eyes on that nest?
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Bush Babe
Hoping to update this post over the weekend sometime – when my internet ‘wakes up’ again as my new month of service begins! (I am so shaped – broadband wise- that I can barely leave this message at the moment!).
Cee Cee – you’d be right!
ANW – hoping to see some pics of your cardinals!
Jayne – I am now going to have to re-train everyone around here now to call these birds a different name!!
Leanne – to be honest, I am not sure. I haven’t been that close to them so far – at least they are quieter than happy jacks!
Kate and Leenie – thanks… I think!
Hilarion Bogolyubov
That is so lovely. Looks beautiful.
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