This post is all about flying things, with one exception. I have seen a million things that I have wanted to mention, but in the all the time between posts, emails and phone calls, I have forgotten as many things as I have mentioned. So today, I am catching up.
On my last day in Sydney, in my last hours in Sydney, I was out standing on the sidewalk (“the footpath,” as it was referred to me as), with all of my luggage stacked all around me. I was waiting for an airport shuttle to come down the street, and hopefully stop for my frantic waving. As I stood there, looking left, looking right, not quite sure which direction my ride was coming from, I heard a whoosh of air behind me. I turned to see a HUGE white bird, some sort of parrot-like bird, landing on a tree branch down the street a short way. I mean this bird looked like one of the $500.00 birds you would see at the pet store, perfectly white with feathers that stick straight up off the top of its head. Either someone’s expensive bird got loose, or our expensive pet store birds come from Sydney, Australia.
Another night, while still in Sydney, I had walked up the street for a steak. On the way home, I heard this bird calling out over and over again. Its call sounded exactly like that stereotypical “cat-call” whistle associated with construction workers harassing pretty ladies on their way to and from work. Whistling, over and over. I couldn’t help but laugh to myself. But not before thinking it was really someone whistling.
The birds in Woolgoolga are also interesting. There are these bright green ones, with bright red under-bellies. They are everywhere, in trees, on the ground, whizzing by your head when you walk down the street. They look like nothing I have seen before, yet they are so ordinary around here. It is hard to get used to. There are also these birds that look exactly like the symbol for the Baltimore Orioles. Their heads do anyway. And there are these fat, waddling birds that look like pigeons, only they have feathers on their heads that stick straight up. It is funny, really, to see pigeons with hairstyles wandering to and fro. I will get pictures soon. I promise.
Finally, I spent the night in Valla Beach on Friday, with a new friend named Tony, and his family. His wife was mentioning to me how they used to have a guava tree just outside their kitchen, just off the deck, that seemed to thrive on their old coffee grounds. They had to have it removed when they built the lover level of their deck. Tony chimed in, “I think the flying foxes miss that tree too. They were forever feeding on the guava.” Flying Foxes? I asked for clarity. I have never seen a flying fox. Imagine you will up there in Woolgoolga, Tony said. Now I am listened for their bird-like chatter, and hoping to catch a glimpse of one. Flying Foxes! I am sure Mom is glad to be safe in Pittsburgh, after hearing about this.
Oh, and on the bus yesterday, I saw a Kangaroo Crossing sign along the highway. You know the kind, the yellow diamond shaped sign with the black silhouette of the animal in question, with “crossing” written under it, and a distance below that. Kangaroo Crossing, 2 km. I am that much closer to my first real kangaroo sighting. I now know for a fact that they live in the wild in this area. I hope I get see one. With my camera in hand!
Afterthought: Riley, look for a mix on the hard drive called W.F.U.S. (it is under ‘various’ in the music folder). Have Mom help you if you need her to, and listen to track 10. I think you will like it. Or at least find it interesting.
