Ian’s Bird of the Week – Galah ~ by Ian Montgomery
Newsletter – 6/6/15
I’m back home after cutting short the camping trip in Western Queensland owing to a foot problem which made both camping and walking difficult. The foot is responding well to treatment at home in preparation for the New Caledonian trip in two weeks time. So I didn’t return with lots photos of dry country species for you but I did get treated to a fine display by an extrovert male Galah who came along to distract me while I was putting up my tent in Hughenden.
He wasn’t the only distractor; the camp site know-all gave me a lecture on the order in which to assemble my tent. The Galah was more welcome and I encouraged him, unlike the human, verbally. You can imagine the conversation going a bit like this.
‘I’ve heard that you bring birds fame and fortune with your Bird of the Week email. Can I be your bird of the week?’
‘Sorry Galah was BotW in 2006 (below). I like to have a different species each time.’
‘Ah, pleeeease!!!’ (below)
‘Well, okay, we’ll see. But you’ll have to do something spectacular to make it worth my while.’
‘How about this? I’ll look cute and demented at the same time.’
‘Mmmmh. Not bad but the juvenile Galah did that in 2006 and simultaneously begged for food.’
‘I can hang upside-down and look at you at the same time without losing my grip.’
‘That’s better! Anything else?’
‘I can hang upside-down with just one claw, no safety net, raise my crest and nibble my other foot simultaneously without falling off.’
‘Now that’s impressive: you win. You can be the next bird of the week.’
‘Whoopee, thank you!!! Happy camping!’
At that point the camp-site know-all came along.
The Galah said: ‘Oh no! I’m out of here!’ and flew away. Despite their name, Galahs aren’t stupid.
Just in case you are wondering why I said the bird was a male, it’s all in the eyes. Males have dark brown irises, females have red ones as in the photo above taken on a different occasion at Pentland not that far from Hugenden. This is also the case in Major Mitchell’s Cockatoo.
Greetings
Ian
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Ian Montgomery, Birdway Pty Ltd,
454 Forestry Road, Bluewater, Qld 4818
Tel 0411 602 737 ian@birdway.com.au
Bird Photos http://www.birdway.com.au/
Where to Find Birds in Northern Queensland: iTunes; Google Play Kobo Books
Recorder Society http://www.nqrs.org.au
Lee’s Addition:
The works of the LORD are great, sought out of all them that have pleasure therein. (Psalms 111:2 KJV)
What a delightful newsletter. Sorry about your foot though, Ian. We will be praying that you heal quickly so you can make that next trip. Who knows what adventure you will come back to tell us about?
As many of my readers know, the Galah has become on of my favorite birds. Every since our encounter with the Galah at Brevard Zoo, when this photo was taken.
Galah (Eolophus roseicapilla) and Dan
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- Ian’s Birds of the Week
- Ian’s Cockatoo Family Photos
- Birdwatching Adventure to Brevard Zoo in Viera, FL
- Just Back From A Birdwatching Adventure – Viera
- Cockatoos – Cacatuidae Family
- Sharing The Gospel
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Lee's Birdwatching Adventures Plus 
Wow, these are absolutely wild. I thought only bats hung upside down like that. I’d bet that bird really was doing all that just to get attention from the human. How anyone can see all this intelligence and creativity in each of the species of animals and still not believe in an intelligent Creator is totally beyond me.
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I totally agree.
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An old Aussie saying is ‘You silly galah!’ and it came partly from the flocks that followed the grain trucks out west when they took wheat to silos. Grain would fall on the roadside from overfull trucks and Galahs would stuff themselves so full of grain that they could barely fly. Cars and trucks would come flying along the highway and the galahs would not be able to get enough height to escape becoming a mass of flying feathers and body parts.
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I like you commenting, but I hate the results. :)
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I do so love this pink bird!!! And that’s such a sweet picture with Dan.
Also, just for your information, none of the pictures except the one with Dan are showing up on my computer screen. There’s a little symbol that indicates a picture goes in those spots, but no photograph. I’m using Chrome for my browser, and I can see photos on all the other sites and blogs I go to. I can also see all of the other photos posted on this blog. Just thought you’d want to know there’s a glitch with this particular post somewhere.
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Thanks, Sandra. I think I know what I did. I’m on it.
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Try it now, Sandra
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I have a Galah his name is Charlie Feathers, such a character!!
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