Wednesday 19 June 2013

Wild Bird Wednesday 49 - Wild, but not natural.

Like most Australians I don't live in a very natural looking environment.  Despite many of the myths - think Crocodile Dundee - most of us live in rather urban surroundings.  I live in a suburb that was once market gardens and dairy farms, but has long since been swallowed by the expanding beast that is Melbourne.

This means most of the birds I see are wild in state, but not living in nature.  While its true you can find the odd bit of bush land scattered about, and that given half a chance "weeds" (often, but not always native plants) will grow almost anywhere, most of my immediate surroundings are man made.

So, I had a think about this and decided to find some images that I thought made the most of the man made - there is not pretence in these pictures that they have been taken in the wilds - the back of Burke as we might say here.

So, here we have that most free of species, the flying bird, taking the urban and making just a little less bland, just a little more interesting.

(OK, so the pelican shot is not suburban, but its not natural either!)

Silver Gull
Silver Gull (on a hot tin roof)
Pelican Marker
Now its your turn to join in with WBW.  Remember to link back to here - to visit other bloggers and to invite and newbies you encounter on the web who may be interested.  Over to you.

42 comments:

  1. the gull doing the 'captain morgan' rum pose is cute! :)

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  2. Stewart, there is no doubt that the Gulls everywhere have adapted to live amongst us in a totally unnatural habitat.

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  3. No matter where they are taken, if they are not in hand, or in the home, they are in nature and flying wild... I say and these are great no matter too. Have a grand week Stewart~

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  4. I chuckle when I see Sea Gulls in the Walmart parking lot, scavenging for the most part. What about "Sea" is in a parking lot ... or on a fence or a hot tin roof. It is true that they are true survivors and have adapted to our most unnatural surroundings. But, no matter what background you put them in, they are quirky, funny and even beautiful. Love the pictures! As for the Pelican, he is spectacular. He looks like our fresh water Pelicans. Might I assume he is on a lake, as opposed to the ocean? Whichever, he is a regal fellow. I like the wide angle and your choice of composition :) Have another great week, Stewart.

    Andrea @ From The Sol

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  5. Great photos!
    The Gulls are almost everywhere in Norway. My post this week shows Gulls at sea!

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  6. The gull is probably one of the most adaptable birds in the world.
    I love the little pose on that fence post you caught this guy doing!

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  7. Is this anything like "Cat on a Hot Tin Roof"? [ Sorry, trying to be funny. It was a lot funnier in my mind ]

    Great Gull Images Stewart

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  8. Love the first gull! And the hot tin roof comment made me laugh! The urban sprawl is just as bad here. Sadly.

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  9. We will take our birds wherever we fin d them! Thanks for hosting

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  10. Great gull shots!! Boom & Gary of the Vermilon River, Canada.

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  11. You don;t have to go far to see some amazing creatures. From Findlay

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  12. Cool and crisp sea gull shot. Architecture and urban places can make for great shots.

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  13. Nice pictures of the gulls and pelican. The first gull looks like he is having one short and one long leg!
    Greetings Pia

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  14. Even "common" birds are fun to photograph. We are seeing an increase in pelican number now as the west is drying out.

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  15. Great gull shots, Stewart. I have to drive at least 15 minutes to see a gull. They are usually found on parking lots such as in the Walmart store parking lot. Thanks for sharing and hosting. Have a happy week!

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  16. Hallo Stewart!!Great photos!!Every day i see gulls!I love those birds!!
    Have a lovely day!!
    Dimi..

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  17. Reminds me of when I was living in Texas as a boy and used to go hunting for snakes and horned toads in the little piece of Texas desert that remained in a field across the street from my house.

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  18. Great shots, Stewart! I really like the first one.
    Clever food for thought here, too - on wild vs. natural.

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  19. Love these...especially the gull on the roof! Great shots!

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  20. The Crocodile Dundee lifestyle is a myth? Oh my! Tell me it isn't so.

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  21. I'm in the burbs too. 99% of my bird photos are taken in my yard. I do like the gulls, and of course pellies are my fave!

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  22. It's funny seeing a seagull- I grew up on an island and seagulls were a huge part of our existence.

    But oftentimes not in a GOOD way, haha - we all called them "rats with wings."

    Yet, they truly are majestic looking.

    You take wonderful photos.

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  23. That was the only gull species I ever saw in Australia!

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  24. That first shot is just perfect!

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  25. I especially like the pelican marker; they're amazing with their big webbed feet how they will choose to sit on something like that (and street-lights)

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  26. I wonder how much feeling birds have in their feet if he can stand that hot tin roof?!!!

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  27. Cute shots Ester comment made me giggle.

    Happy Shooting

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  28. Great photos, Stewart! I love their red bills!

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  29. Funnily enough, my post this week also reflects on wildlife in suburbia. Roos & rosellas in Melbourne?

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  30. Beautiful pictures of the seagulls.
    Very well photographed, Stewart.
    Kind regards, Irma

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  31. Nice Gull!! Thanks for hosting this!!

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  32. Lovely shots, Stewart!

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  33. I like that first shot-- this reminds me of the birds I see in store parking lots...walking around with popcorn or french fries in their beaks...and I think how strange for a bird to want to eat human junk food.

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  34. Tolle Fotos :)
    Liebe Grüsse Babs

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  35. The silver gull posing on the rusted fence post is beautiful!

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  36. That first shot is just brilliant Stewart. I think gulls are on object lesson in adaptation, survival and making the best of the way man has messed up the environment. Thakns for hosting again Stewart.

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  37. Hi Stewart... Gulls should be the world birds, is there no place you can't find a gull???
    I know that here they are always at Walmart or the sewage treatment plant,or at the beaches trying to steal you lunch!!
    You don't leave a bag of chip out hahaha !!
    Your Silver Gull is a lovely feller!!
    Grace

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  38. To them, they are still in the wild! I'm so glad that at least some of the wild things can (and have) adapted to urban areas. It's nice when developers consider animals when they build new areas.
    Nice pics Stewart!

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  39. I enjoyed this post... I guess I do have the stereotype that all you Australians live in beautiful natural surroundings!

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  40. Hi Stewart For me it does not matter where I see the bird, birds are free to go wherever they want, it is up to us as photographers to photograph them wherever they are. being fairly new to blogging, I am not sure what this WBW is all about or how to be part of it? Margaret

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  41. So true, Stewart!!
    Gulls are probably the most adaptable birds and will take up residence anywhere... usually where the best chance of a free feed is!

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