Looking at a picture of the actual tiny bird, its beak doesn’t seem suitably proportional to its body. Its beak is too tiny for its tiny body. An incredibly tiny beak! Perhaps that explains why it “farms” for gum tree manna; insect prey are too big for them to handle?
I like the way it gallumphed up to the stuffed toys.
Ain’t it just?!
Yeah, that’s an incredibly tiny beak, even for that incredibly tiny birb. I spose it could eat gnats, midges, local no-see-'ums, fleas. ???
I adore First Dog! He has an editorial cartoon every week in The Grauniad.
I never had a hawk fly between me and a friend, but had a cool experience at a midish 90s Ren Fest. We were heading to a falconry demonstration, and it had already begun. I ran like mad (didn’t wanna miss any more!) right up to the fence & leaned on it, grinning like a fool, 'steada taking a seat. The austringer saw my punk ass, and swung the lure towards me, his gyrfalcon immediately behind. The lure came closer and closer To My Face, and my smile was beatific. I never once blinked. He swung it maybe a couple - three Inches From My Face, and even before it got that close I felt the wind from the gyr’s wings. Utterly sublime. I gasped with delight instead of flinching, and the crowd was no doubt pleased - I noticed nothing but the falconer and his charges, and the great info he provided.
He was chatting with some sweet little old ladies afterwards, a red-tailed hawk (unhooded) on his fist. One asked him whether there are any raptors in Michigan. He told them, “Oh, yes, there are many…” and he began rattling off others after indicating the beauty on his fist. When he concluded his list, I told them, “I saw six on the way up here [Holly, MI] from Detroit.” They ooo’d and ahh’d, then asked where and how I saw them. I explained that if I’m not doing the driving when passing wooded areas, including beside freeways, I continually scour the tops of large trees for large birds, and usually do see at least one. They were very happy to learn this.
The austringer smiled and smiled. He was gorgeous, short, longish wavy dark hair and sparkly eyes, with a terrifying mass of raptor-induced scars almost up to the elbow on his glove hand. Didn’t bother flirting with him: I’d only gone over to thank him, but never did b/c busy w/other fans. Besides, he wore a ring, and we’d already made each other very happy w/o even speaking w/each other.
I’ve always fervently hoped those dear ladies spotted some hawks after that! /fingers crost
The first time I heard a nightingale, we were in Jamaica. The owner of the new place where we stayed was showing me around the property, and I was ooo’ing and ahh’ing at the head-exploding blasts of color from all the plants everywhere. It wasn’t my 1st visit to The Island, but he had plants I’d only ever seen in books, or public greenhouses, if ever. He was amused, another tourist getting its mind blown. I ooo’d and ahh’d over all the bright, beautiful birds, too. The hotel where we’d stayed during previous trips had extensive gardens, but Lloyd’s place had cooler plants & trees, and 4-5X the birblife. I marveled at the unfamiliar songs, and he kinda chuckled. Then I heard the most exquisite song that has ever entered my ears, and I gasped.
“Lloyd?”
“Yeas?”
“That’s a nightingale, isn’t it?!”
“Yes, mon!” He sounded almost impatient, as if he were thinking, “Well, duh!” so I confessed.
“I’ve never heard a nightingale in my life.”
“Oh!” He was genuinely surprised, and dumped any further thoughts of “Duh!”
“It’s so beautiful, I knew it could only be a nightingale.” I smiled up at him, and he grinned down at me. I think that was the moment he decided I was allright. Then we had an intellectual discussion re: The Emperor and the Nightingale, and really knew one another were OK.
Yes! and their threatening stompings can be so adorable.
Thank U @Melizmatic !
That middle set of owl pics… ma’am, your owl is melting…
Quite possible, although the tiny birbs gotta be FAST. Gnats and midges move like the dickens, and fleas are masters of the jump!
Same, right down to saying it aloud, only I used my cursor (an old fashioned pointing hand) instead.
It is magic! How’d they do thaaat?
Another form of strange magic:
(I’ve always loved that toast goes flying up, and ringing telephones jump around in cartoons & comics.)
I’m a bit late with this… it’s a lovely, adorable April Fool’s day post: