Stone the crows - I caught a kooka

[AstralTraveller (David)]

True .... and completely by accident. This is one of those 'photos or it didn't happen claims' but my reflex isn't to reach for the phone.

My wife put some washing out to dry this morning and went out at about 1pm. I got back from work about 5 and went to bring in the washing. As I walked up the yard I noticed some movement under the upturned plastic washing basket. When I got close enough, in the fading light, I could see it was a bird flapping trying to escape the cage. I bent down and saw a distressed kooka so I lifted the basket and it flew off, letting out a few calls.

The mystery is how it got there, especially as the basket was 2-3m from the trolley. It hasn't been windy today. My wife can't remember exactly what she did but my guess is that she didn't use the trolley. We don't bring it down to the house but just carry the basket to the line and use the trolley as a stand. I have seen her put the basket on the ground before and this load was just a few large towels. So my guess is that the basket was sitting on the ground upright and the kooka decided to perch on the edge. It's weight was enough to overbalance the basket and flip it over. The kooka dropped to the ground and didn't get airborne in time to avoid trapping itself - they aren't the quickest bird at getting off the ground. Evolution hasn't taught kookas to get their beak under the edge of washing baskets so there it sat until I rescued it - without a word of thanks.

That's my theory, though there might be other explanations. If I'm right I bet that kooka felt like a goose.

[raymo]

At least you hadn't gone away for a week.
raymo

[redbeard (Damien)]

without a word of thanks.

Are you sure about that?

and it flew off, letting out a few calls.

[AndyG (Andy)]

Gorgeous animals them Kookaburras. I once had a small bat crash land into my model plane shelf when I was a wee lad. We hadn't finished building the house, so it was basically a tin shed by that stage. He got stuck under the wieght of a 1:72 AV/8B, twitching. Kinda looked like that scene with E.T. hiding amonst all the stuffed toys. We caught him in a tupperware box and got to see it close up for a little while, before letting him go.

[AstralTraveller (David)]

Originally Posted by raymo

At least you hadn't gone away for a week.
raymo

True, even overnight could have been fatal. I reckon the local cats would have been interested, though perhaps too well fed to take on that beak.

Originally Posted by redbeard

Are you sure about that?

I see your point. I'm sure it was as thankful as it knew how to be.

Originally Posted by AndyG

Gorgeous animals them Kookaburras. I once had a small bat crash land into my model plane shelf when I was a wee lad. We hadn't finished building the house, so it was basically a tin shed by that stage. He got stuck under the wieght of a 1:72 AV/8B, twitching. Kinda looked like that scene with E.T. hiding amonst all the stuffed toys. We caught him in a tupperware box and got to see it close up for a little while, before letting him go.

Just as well you weren't into 1:12 scale. If you can remember the model numbers you obviously knew your trains much better than I did. I had a fast sleek passenger train and a slow chunky goods train - that's as much as I knew.