My morning constitutional walk today took me down the hill to our 'village' shopping strip, where I usually buy a paper to catch up on weekend sports results. On the way, I traversed an historic grove of pines, under which a huge flock of White (sulphur-crested) Cockatoos were scuffling and screeching over fallen ripe pine-cones. The noise was horrendous... an unfortunate trait of these otherwise fairly lovable creatures who, in captivity, are usually charming us with their remarkable ability to mimic human speech.
The ground not being all that flat around the tree bases, I wandered a little close to one pugnacious customer who, perhaps thinking I was challenging its right to a haul of sweet pine kernels... made a raucous noise as it launched a sudden feint towards my bare legs! I spoke (squawked?) harshly at the feathered pretender who promptly thought better of its bravado and, flew away.
The encounter was a draw insofar as a possible contest was concerned. However, good fodder for a cartoon(?)
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