More About the Rainbow Lorikeets

I am not sure how long I will have to live here before I cease to be amazed by walking out my front door and spotting brightly colored parrots in the trees.  It is almost impossible to miss the Rainbow Lorikeets with their radiant flashes of color as they swoop from tree to tree, often in pairs or in flocks.  Almost as if they want to make sure that you pay them the attention they are due, the birds are as noisy as they are colorful, making continuous screeching sounds as they chatter back and forth. 

A whole flock of Rainbow Lorikeets seem to live in the trees that form part of our local park.  James is constantly begging to visit the park, and for now, I am quite willing to take him as often as our schedule permits.  He enjoys the climbing frames and slides while I keep busy trying to get that elusive perfect photo.  One day last week the sun happened to be making one last hurrah just before it set, and as we arrived at the park, I noticed a lone lorikeet in the otherwise empty branches of a deciduous tree.  It cooperated by staying put for several minutes, chattering almost continually, but allowing me to take the following pictures before it joined its mates.

My latest book purchase, Fascinating Australian Birds, chooses to begin with the Rainbow Lorikeet.  It explains that this friendly bird feeds "greedily" on pollen, blossoms and nectar, primarily from eucalypts among other trees.  The tongue of the Rainbow Lorikeet is shaped like a brush to help in the process of gathering pollen. 






My eldest child does not understand my fascination for birds, and when she pressed me the other day to explain my interest, I found I could not satisfactorily answer her.  I do know that I did not at all appreciate them at her age.  Like her, I far preferred burying my face in a book to gazing at the trees overhead.   Now I have the privilege of both reading books about Australian birds, and then taking a walk to have a look for myself. 

There are numerous reasons one can offer for why so many people enjoy birdwatching.  It is an inexpensive hobby that can be practiced nearly everywhere, and also one that changes with the seasons.  Perhaps one of my favorite passages in the Bible offers another clue to their popularity: an antidote to anxiety.  After admonishing us not to worry about our life, we are told to "look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them.  Are you not much more valuable than they?  Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life?" (Matthew 6: 25-27) 

Comments

[Linsey Smith]

The kids and I enjoyed this one as well.:) God's creatures are so amazing.

[Deborah]

I have always been fascinated by birds. My dad knew the names of all sorts of birds and would patiently identify them for me over and over until I learned them for myself. Now I have fun watching for birds w/ my kids. I can't get over the birds in your pictures. They almost don't look real, they are so colorful. What fun!

[Shanda]

The end of your post was so beautiful, Christie. Yes, we can look at the birds and imitate their carefree life...God gives them the food they need each day and a song to sing.