A Small Family....

A small family of galahs spent yesterday morning enjoying the last of the acacia seed pods left dangling on the trees. Mum and dad were supervising their two babies away from the rest of the flock.

The babies didn't appear to be that old, maybe their first ever flight out into the big wide world.

The babies are easily  recognisable as they are the palest of pinks, with a tiny bit of grey still showing through on their chest feathers.

The babies were not quiet sure what this huge thing was that was walking in the garden and mainly kept themselves hidden in the foliage. It always does surprise me how they can disappear from view sitting in the trees despite their bright plumage.

The rest of the flock was not far away, many were doing early morning flights overhead, squawking as they flew. This family though kept in the same tree, the babies trying to manoeuvre their way through the branches with some degree of difficulty and a couple of hilarious mishaps were seen. This time of year is one of the noisiest in the garden as pink and grey galah babies make the loudest noises as they demand food, often the parents will peck them on the top of their heads in an attempt to quieten the ever hungry youngsters. Over the years I have spent a great deal of time watching the way these birds care for their young, seeing the strong bonds that the entire flock has and how harmoniously they live together often with other cockatoos taking up residence with them.

The normal quiet of the morning is replaced in the summer months with the seemingly endless squawking from hungry babies and the funny antics that the young birds get up to as they explore the world around them......