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
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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