tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5089828552519076506.post2516837236309558571..comments2024-03-28T15:55:53.792+10:00Comments on down to earth: The natural world - we are all part of itUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger24125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5089828552519076506.post-3213579252687833282013-03-20T14:17:10.688+10:002013-03-20T14:17:10.688+10:00I love the sunflowers and the birds. We get the sa...I love the sunflowers and the birds. We get the same birds here at Rosemount (near Nambour) and I especially love the blue rosella we see year after year, who likes to sit in the same spot in the broken section of a wall.<br />I've often wondered if it's possible to train dogs around chooks as I'd like to have chooks, but we have an old Staffie, totally movement orientated and I think it's a bit too late for him. The kookaburras fly low over our paddock looking for snacks and I think they secretly enjoy the dog chasing off after them without a hope of ever catching up. An audience of kookaburras in the trees almost applaud. Nature is a delight.Janine Chttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11303851595351976670noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5089828552519076506.post-3559301494825513542009-12-15T01:37:57.224+10:002009-12-15T01:37:57.224+10:00You mentioned Hanno training your dog to not charg...You mentioned Hanno training your dog to not charge the chooks. I was wondering if you would know of any more information that would be available to train dogs on how to act around the chooks. I have not found any and I am at a loss of what to do with our dogs around our chooks. They are not nice to them at all. It would be nice if they could both live together peacefully and I would not have to worry so much. We are in Michigan in the US. Thanks AimeeUnknownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01415917214712228830noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5089828552519076506.post-17165868990630018192009-12-09T14:02:43.027+10:002009-12-09T14:02:43.027+10:00I've been reading here a while, but I've n...I've been reading here a while, but I've never commented. I think this is my favorite post so far here! I'm an animal freak, and I must admit that I'm a little envious of those fabulous birds and such that have been visiting your home! Such wonderful pictures! Thanks for sharing them.Anne Marie@Married to the Empirehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16600919522369171555noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5089828552519076506.post-48903565211427101412009-12-09T10:27:25.797+10:002009-12-09T10:27:25.797+10:00what a beautiful place... i cannot imagine seeing ...what a beautiful place... i cannot imagine seeing those beautiful birds flying wild like they do there. It is cold and rainy here and I bought bird seed today, trying to keep a few small birds around for the winter here.Little Penpenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01374048900216199298noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5089828552519076506.post-24401062388292438982009-12-09T10:18:40.855+10:002009-12-09T10:18:40.855+10:00Everything looks so ALIVE where you live. We have...Everything looks so ALIVE where you live. We have had dreary rain, which makes everything look dull and gray. It is suppose to turn to snow tomorrow.<br /><br />My son is thinking of taking a semester of college in Sydney his junior year. I'll have to show him a picture of your snakes. :)Brenda@CoffeeTeaBookshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02719695370857675146noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5089828552519076506.post-13715854404525949612009-12-09T04:16:21.312+10:002009-12-09T04:16:21.312+10:00What a wonderful post, and a wonderful way to live...What a wonderful post, and a wonderful way to live. If more humans respected the other life forms that inhabit this earth, we would all be better off!Lillahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00449062457106001834noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5089828552519076506.post-78436483954115663232009-12-09T02:18:23.203+10:002009-12-09T02:18:23.203+10:00Eck! I think I would be happy with just the Aired...Eck! I think I would be happy with just the Airedale and skip the pythons! Airdale vs. python--that would be interesting.Kimberlyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03383635329315687176noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5089828552519076506.post-16514371621416654322009-12-08T17:34:41.134+10:002009-12-08T17:34:41.134+10:00I agree -- when the 'rat ecosystem' develo...I agree -- when the 'rat ecosystem' develops, it's time to remove the food source at night! The chooks won't miss it as they don't eat once they have roosted. <br /><br />We don't need to store much feed (only 2 chooks) so we keep it in a lidded plastic bucket in the laundry. I don't expect rats to go there as it's too 'human' an area.Chookiehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07230973711859964063noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5089828552519076506.post-42117914728799196382009-12-08T17:27:41.355+10:002009-12-08T17:27:41.355+10:00I can't believe the birds you Aussies have in ...I can't believe the birds you Aussies have in your yards :-)<br /><br />Reyna, I don't know what the wildlife food chain is like in Australia, but using the poison that causes rats and mice to bleed to death in the U.S. means that animals that prey on them, like hawks, some endangered, can die as well. It is also reportedly a pretty bad death, according to a raptor rehabilitator I know.Karen Annehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13306986336556283751noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5089828552519076506.post-78274213188057433462009-12-08T14:15:28.021+10:002009-12-08T14:15:28.021+10:00I left a blog award for you! Your blog is "O...I left a blog award for you! Your blog is "Over the Top"! <br /><br />You can pick it up here:<br /><br />http://homeward4.blogspot.com/2009/12/over-top-blog-award.html<br /><br />JanetMiss Janethttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10823824102742294403noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5089828552519076506.post-69384417767769797622009-12-08T13:50:13.447+10:002009-12-08T13:50:13.447+10:00Your comment about removing the chook food reminde...Your comment about removing the chook food reminded me of why I no longer leave the girls food out for free choice... The first time I saw a big rat in the daytime, sit up in the middle of the garden and look at me, then amble over to the feed dispenser in their pen and chow down, was the last time my girls had the food dispenser sit there. I am not going to pay my hard earned cash to feed rats! I'd wondered how they managed to go thorough so much food so quickly. Now I feed the chooks twice a day, and of course in betweentimes they can forage as well... It is a little more work on my part, but also a special part of my day.Alisonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01994300004330705947noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5089828552519076506.post-86417317989061850172009-12-08T12:10:49.440+10:002009-12-08T12:10:49.440+10:00Rhonda you mentioned you will have to take the foo...Rhonda you mentioned you will have to take the food sorce out at night. Can you do that? The feeders can be taken out. Yet haven't the crooks flipped some out of the container around on the ground enough to still be there to attract the snakes? I was just asking so you could inform us. We haven't had a snake problem yet but was wondering. I know we have some snakes here but I have only seen a few. JodyAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5089828552519076506.post-76828158114067543032009-12-08T11:48:55.671+10:002009-12-08T11:48:55.671+10:00I forgot to mention that snakes are very important...I forgot to mention that snakes are very important to the eco system. We try to leave them alone, unless they are venemous. We also have quite a bit of wildlife in the area, coyotes, possums, skunks, assorted birds and various birds.Otter Momhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10150285495175373444noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5089828552519076506.post-59436509051143836962009-12-08T11:47:46.487+10:002009-12-08T11:47:46.487+10:00Although I didn't know it at the time, I was r...Although I didn't know it at the time, I was raised with Cherokee beliefs about animals and the natural world. I strongly believe that we are all connected, we are to be the caretakers of the earth and the animals but the animals also have a special connection to us. Some people refer to them as spirit guides. It's more that each person has an animal that is special to them, sort of an animal guardian angel in a sense. In my case, it's tortoises/turtles. My brother's is probably the coyote. My daughter's is most likely otters. I am Christian, it's not an un-christian belief but it would take up too much room to explain it here! But our animals have always been very special to us, my father had a similar gift to Hanno - being able to charm them and all animals (and kids!) were drawn to him.Otter Momhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10150285495175373444noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5089828552519076506.post-18482243905893099812009-12-08T11:39:44.002+10:002009-12-08T11:39:44.002+10:00We would put the chooks to bed alright! Koda, are ...We would put the chooks to bed alright! Koda, are you not even tempted to chase them?Inky and Mollyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12017906263672083309noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5089828552519076506.post-39062721594387445542009-12-08T11:36:58.364+10:002009-12-08T11:36:58.364+10:00You've yet again unintentionally made me homes...You've yet again unintentionally made me homesick for Australia! At this time of year my parents house in Sydney has lots of beautiful Rosella's feeding off their grevilleas. We just sit and watch them while having a cuppa it is very relaxing. I really miss the birdlife as there isn't much here in Japan :(<br />Miss the cricket too!achanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07061864051216906521noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5089828552519076506.post-22502476804534252852009-12-08T11:08:26.001+10:002009-12-08T11:08:26.001+10:00I know and understand that snakes serve a purpose ...I know and understand that snakes serve a purpose but can I just say "EEEEEEKKKK!!!!" lol We have garter and bullsnakes in my part of Nebraska and they completely scare the daylights out of me!! Beautiful photos of the birds, though!<br /><br />KristinaAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5089828552519076506.post-69729387147555654392009-12-08T10:40:35.462+10:002009-12-08T10:40:35.462+10:00Hi Rhonda, I'm not sure if it works with pyth...Hi Rhonda, I'm not sure if it works with pythons but we have redbellies where I live and we hose them with some water and they go on their way, if they come back closer to the house though we feel there is little option other than to do as Hanno did with the first python, I have young children around and they are a deadly snake to have lurking in the yard. I do love your birdlife too. We have galahs (which come and hang off my back wire door each morning), rosellas and I just love the king parrots too! At the moment we have our second family of wild ducklings for the spring/summer wandering around, just too cute.<br /><br />Susieq.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5089828552519076506.post-52137314085989144962009-12-08T10:05:20.943+10:002009-12-08T10:05:20.943+10:00Oh I love the wildlife you have there, sorry to he...Oh I love the wildlife you have there, sorry to hear of the accidental killing of the first python and the second one is a beauty. i'm pleased to read of someone who doesn't see the wildlife as menacing because they are doing what they need to do to survive and think your solution to remove the rat attractor is a good one.Kellahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04007237364629419063noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5089828552519076506.post-52356909905537368582009-12-08T09:37:43.763+10:002009-12-08T09:37:43.763+10:00I used to live up your way and we were woken to so...I used to live up your way and we were woken to some excitement coming from our goose house late one night. We ran down and found a snake like that wrapped around our female gooses neck. Her mate was trying to save her. In the end it was her or the snake. We saved her.Kellihttp://scatterbrained.typepad.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5089828552519076506.post-7343639951015408452009-12-08T09:06:11.054+10:002009-12-08T09:06:11.054+10:00Hi Rhonda
We have a python living in our roof, who...Hi Rhonda<br />We have a python living in our roof, who works tirelessly to keep our chook pen rat-free. Before the python moved in, I had all sorts of trouble with the rats - the biggest being how to kill them humanely. In the end I consulted my vet, who also keeps chickens and only uses chemicals when there is no alternative, who advised me that the most humane method was the use of those wax tablets of poison that cause the rats to bleed internally and die. I think I prefer the python, even if it gives me a huge shock every time we cross paths.<br />I also love bunya nuts - my favourite way to eat them is to fry them up with garlic. Yum! I'm very impressed though that your mate Beverley can shell them by hand......<br />ReynaReynahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04901690860583967825noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5089828552519076506.post-18435720734668097012009-12-08T08:06:41.415+10:002009-12-08T08:06:41.415+10:00Is Hanno available for training a bouncy little do...Is Hanno available for training a bouncy little dog? :) I must be more consistent with Bill's training with the chooks. I see Jacky (above) has mentioned bunya nut pesto, I tasted some at a food show once.Rosehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14751315680374413649noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5089828552519076506.post-86662831618152334722009-12-08T08:03:17.015+10:002009-12-08T08:03:17.015+10:00gosh, reading this post, makes me wish even more t...gosh, reading this post, makes me wish even more to visit Australia one day.... wild life, great weather and most of all, the great people living there.... you're one lucky lady, with your husband, children, animals and good heart!!shandorahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13945627419311409453noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5089828552519076506.post-90633735570890039622009-12-08T07:45:25.893+10:002009-12-08T07:45:25.893+10:00Hi Rhonda, Bunya nuts are one of those treats liv...Hi Rhonda, Bunya nuts are one of those treats living in this area. Last year I made chunky bunya nut pesto, lots of work get the nuts ready, but well worth the effort. - I''m just wainting for some to show up. <br />JackyAnonymousnoreply@blogger.com