cassowaries - isn't that some sort of giant bird?

Yes, 6' tall. I have never missed them around Bramston Beach. Touch wood.

Those large cockatoos and other large birds can do a lot of damage. We had a pet Umbrella Cockatoo once and it was like taking care of a two year old - constantly. And smart ... they can outwit you and escape their cages quite easily. Not to mention those strong, strong beaks.

Tee I have a Citron crested cockatoo. They are not known as talkers but Tangerine has an extensive vocabulary. The last words I hear when I leave for work each day are "bye bye Daddy. I love you." Lol, it's not my wife saying that.

Yes, Tee is right! We have an African Grey and she is always trying to chew something up. Oh, and don't let that beak get a hold of you! You could loose a finger but they are beautiful and Very Smart birds!

First off...Sorry that the quality is not better. I took these through my kitchen window...

Looks like the young'uns are getting eager to make a get away!

Claudia: Wish we had the Gray Catbirds here year round, they are one of my favorites. That does look like a Swainson's Thrush ... pretty bird! Lucky you and Margaret to get to have them visiting your gardens!

J: Nice shot of the Robin ... we didn't see many of them at all this past spring.

Glen: Love those Cockatoos, they are such beautiful birds! Many folks here in the U.S. keep them as pets and years ago my husband wanted a pet Umbrella Cockatoo but we ended up with an Indian Ring-necked Parrot in the household for awhile. It wasn't nearly as large as the Cockatoo but it had a strong bill/beak. It was a loud bird and did not like being caged. We clipped his flight feathers so he couldn't fly away. I know a lady whose daughter lost her African Gray Parrot years ago because her dad forgot the bird was on his shoulder and walked out the front door ... they never did find their parrot. Sandy, our Ring-necked Parrot got along with our cat very well, they were buddies and would sit together in the recliner with my husband; the cat never tried to eat the bird which amazed me! The cat went missing after awhile and the newspaper did a story for the local section but we never did learn what happened to Crazy Cat. I still think to this day that it was a drugged out neighbor that did something to her. We drove everywhere, put a lost/found ad in the paper and went on wild goose chases with some of the calls we got; my husband walked the woods looking for her but we never found her. Sandy the bird went into a sort of depression for awhile, he really missed his feline buddy. Eventually we gave Sandy to a lady who had a female Ring-necked Parrot who became his best friend. The lady thought Sandy was too old to breed but the two birds ended up having a couple of clutches!

The larger parrots have such strong beaks, even the young ones! I remember when we were shopping at a pet store (for Sandy) I was holding a young parrot on my wrist and when I tried to put it back on it's perch it didn't want to go, it latched onto my finger (not intentionally) and WOW, did it hurt. It just didn't want me to put it down, LOL. So I walked around holding and petting it for awhile and then one of the store employees took it for me when we were ready to leave. Back in the late 60's my sister and I were in a pet shop in Miami and there was a beautiful Maccaw walking around the store. The employees said it was a very friendly bird and my sister picked it up and walked around with it for awhile and when she tried to put it back, it bit her finger drawing blood. I was always very aware of the large birds after that.

terrafirma said:First off...Sorry that the quality is not better. I took these through my kitchen window...

Looks like the young'uns are getting eager to make a get away!

They are great!!!

MY House Wrens have arrived for the summer and have been singing for the past few days. Just love the singing. They always nest in my yard as I have lots of houses for them.

Oh, those babies are so adorable ... just wait til they fledge the nest and start learning to fly.

Oregon Junco and Spotted Towhee enjoying the fence feeder

Yes, very sweet. Go birdies!!

The babies are still hanging in there this evening! Causing mom & dad to 'hover' at the opening for feeding! Will certainly be keeping a close eye for the next couple of days! Saw one of the parents bring in a baby anole for dinner! Such a wonderful learning experience!

@Newyorkrita, So happy to hear that the wrens have arrived! They definitely make your garden feel full, don't they!

Deb: Great pictures ... love that beautiful Spotted Towhee!

Thanks Lin, I love their bright orange satanic eyes! Fun to see so many different 'backyard birds' across the country.

terrafirma said:The babies are still hanging in there this evening! Causing mom & dad to 'hover' at the opening for feeding! Will certainly be keeping a close eye for the next couple of days! Saw one of the parents bring in a baby anole for dinner! Such a wonderful learning experience!

@Newyorkrita, So happy to hear that the wrens have arrived! They definitely make your garden feel full, don't they!

Sure do. They nest here each year.

Earlier Lin mentioned parrots, reminded me of a parrot I once knew, back in Houston where my daughter lives...
...really quite the chatterbox.

They certainly can be. Love the parrots.

Beautiful towhee and Juncos, Deb. I have had a couple of Oregon variety of juncos here. I like my birds to be outside! I had a small parakeet as a teen and decided very quickly I was not bird person.... at least not as a pet!

Claudia: It's Deb in the Pacific NW who posted the Oregon Junco and Spotted Towhee photo's. I'd love to have those beauties down here in Florida but I'm afraid they never come this far southeast.

J: That sure is a pretty bird! Parrots are very smart and can be real chatterboxes, learning quite a few words and phrases. Back in the 1980's, my husband visited a pet shop; when he opened the door he immediately heard "Help, let me outta here!" "Help, let me outta here!". It was a parrot that belonged to the shop owner and I remember a time years ago when the owner of a local pet shop was babysitting for a friends parrot while the guy was traveling; that bird constantly whistled the tune to the Andy Griffith Show. Parrots sure are smart birds!

This photo is from 2007. I was visiting my sister in south Fla. and their next door neighbor has a parrot that I thought was so pretty. He jumped right onto my finger and was so friendly. This is "Mango", a juvenile Caique Parrot who was in great need of a beak trim:

Evening Grosbeak - or, as I fondly call them, the clown birds. They always make me laugh with their antics. This one scared away a smaller bird by hopping straight up in the air several times, flapping its wings. He looked rather ridiculous but it worked. They tend to come in groups for a day or two, then go elsewhere.