Tea with the Birds
Even before my interest in cameras, I loved birds. Listening to them, seeing them, a thrill. The moment I got a camera that had a lens that could practically bring the birds to me, I was hooked. So, it’s really frustrating when they hide from you, or you can hear them but only get to see a part of them. Even with a great zoom lens, this is not easy. Even worse, are Australian little birds, they seem more camera shy than most.
So, what a sweet day to go to tea and find the birds actually come to YOU! They are anything but shy. Why? Because apparently they like strawberry jam. Now, I know it’s not good to feed the birds our food, which is like junk food to them, how can you stop them?
So, with that small disclaimer, I will tell you about our lunch.
So nestled in this lush garden is a Cottage Cafe.
Our tables were amongst the roses and foxglove.
We ordered Devonshire tea for John. He’s cute in his Holden tee shirt he designed.
So apparently you have to tell them you want scones with that. Which John did.
I didn’t get tea, I ordered the toasted Turkish bread with champagne ham and cheddar cheese melted, a side gourmet salad made with their own relish. I can tell you how good it was, I wasn’t sharing any with the birds!
John seemed to enjoy his. My handsome with the cream on his lips.
Since he doesn’t enjoy a wide variety of food like most of us, it’s sure fun for me to watch him enjoy what he does like. 🙂
And then it started. A honeyeater (you know, the same ones that won’t let me get ONE stinking photo of them in our yard), perched on a chair.
And then, my favorite bird, a splendid blue fairy wren flew onto the table.
They kept watch from nearby trees, and when they spotted jam available, down they would come.
Never saw one this close before and so still. I couldn’t take my eyes off it and barely breathed I was so fearful to scare it away.
A big old magpie got into the act.
One lady had a honey eater eating out of her hand.
Milkshake? Don’t mind if I do.
Going in!
Cheeky little bird!
Next came the silver eyes. Many of them. They are so tiny! I have seen them in the garden, but never realized how teeny tiny they are! They are looking guilty as can be with that red jam all in their beaks.
They might be little, but they can tweet up a noise when they want to.
I still can’t get over how close the birds came to humans. Look at this honey eater with his tongue out looking over to see the person.
Even a big wattle bird came to the table!
John had to change to is fisheye lens and use a remote cable to take photos, they came that close.
I was told to stoop down, he wanted his bird loving wife in the photo.
I also had to switch from my camera to my cell phone camera.
I have to admit, I think I would still be there if it hadn’t started to rain. One last look at my beloved fairy wren on our wet table before we went.
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[…] After our tea with the birds, we hit the road towards Nannup. After some thought we realized this gravel road we went down in 2010 was now paved. […]