Ang Kalatas October 2018 Issue | Page 7

journal Kookaburras make themselves at home By ALFREDO 'Ding' ROCES Story and photography I was feeding my kookaburra friends, as usual, in our backyard just outside the kitchen when I ran out of food. So I strode back to the kitchen for more chow, leaving the door ajar. Next thing I knew, the chief kookaburra sauntered in and perched himself on a chair in front of me waiting for his meal. Two others followed looking at me expectantly as I stood chopping their meal. Three others waited outdoors patiently along with a butcher bird. I yelled out loudly to (my wife) Baby for help. After a spell she came to feed the birds outside. Those inside were quiet. Suddenly the head kookie flew, only to find his path blocked by Baby feeding on the doorway. He circled our dining table and crash landed in the kitchen sink! I approached Mr Kookie but that only made him panic, and he flew off into the guest room trying to get away through the window there www.kalatas.com.au which was barred with glass. By this time we were somewhat alarmed. I dashed downstairs to the garage, grabbed the hand net I use for fishing, and after some attempts finally bagged kookie. I took him outdoors where he was set free. In all that excitement, I had picked up my Canon camera to record the event only to realise the battery was flat. So I simply tried to make do with the cellphone. I could not adjust the speed nor use the flash because I am still learning how to use the cellphone. I told Baby to use the Fuji camera I had on the table only to find out later it had somehow been set to manual focus! Well, we still managed to record the event, although properly prepared and calm, the quality of the images would have been far, far more lucid. Excitement leads to missed opportunity. But it was all good fun. The experience must have traumatised poor Mr. Kookie, and he has probably spread the news throughout the bird kingdom of his frightening experience, because my kookie friends have not been back since. AK NewsMagazine, Vol 9 No 1 | OCTOBER 2018 07