I work as a postman in the Western suburbs of Adelaide and delivering mail on my motorbike for up to five hours can be quite monotonous and taxing. So I turn to my fine feathered friends for inspiration, entertainment and joy. First there are my favourites, the Willy-Wagtails manouvering in radical tight flight patterns catching tiny insects above the lawns. Sometimes one will see me coming and perch on the letter-box knowing that's where I'm heading, and then when I get close, it will fly to the next one, the record so far is five letterboxes in a row. There are the Magpies that often walk around on the lawns in gangs of four or five busily warbling to each other. I often join in their conservations, whistling to them in similar tones and rhythms. In nesting season there are three birds on my run that swoop me and viscously peck me on the top or back of my helmet. They are magnificent fliers, I have clocked one at 55Km/Hr. Then there are the huge flocks of Sulphur-Crested Cockatoos that roost in the tall Gums, on the banks of the Torrens, with their deafening squawking. They often fight for spots on branches and can hang in all types of awkward positions while munching gumnuts and flowers. I even like the pigeons which some people call the rats of the sky, I think due to their big appetites, varied diets and their tendency to poo everywhere. They often puff themselves up and do cute little dances as part of their courting rituals. Finally, if I'm lucky, I will get a low fly over by a pair of beautiful Rosella Parrots as I approach a tree they have been feeding in. I also observe Spoggies, Minors, a few different species of Honey-Eaters and the odd magestic Pelican floating down the river Torrens fishing.
All the birds, make my day, every day!
Michael Bland
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