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Wednesday 30 June 2010

Laughing Kookaburras


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Laughing Kookaburras (Dacelo novaeguineae), with lizard prey, Cheltenham, New South Wales, Australia: photo by Mfunnell, 2006



We saw a fishpond all on fire and we had a laugh




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Laughing Kookaburra (Dacelo novaeguineae), Blackbutt Reserve, Newcastle, New South Wales, Australia: photo by Ymaup, 2005




I saw a house bow to a squire and I had a laugh




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Laughing Kookaburra (Dacelo novaeguineae): photo by Descramble, 2006



I saw a parson twelve feet high and I had a laugh




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Laughing Kookaburra (Dacelo novaeguineae), airborne, Alexandria Park, Alexandria, Sydney: photo by BenAveling, 2007



I saw a cottage near the sky and I had a laugh




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Laughing Kookaburra (Dacelo novaeguineae), perched on a Silver Wattle (Acacia dealbara), Waterworks Reserve, Hobart, Tasmania, Australia: photo by Noodle snacks, 2010



I saw a balloon made of lead and I had a laugh




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Laughing Kookaburra (Dacelo novaeguineae), Healesville Sanctuary, Victoria, Australia: photo by Dushy, 2007



I saw a coffin drop down dead and I had a laugh




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Laughing Kookaburra (Dacelo novaeguineae): photo by KaiAdin, 2006



I saw two sparrows run a race and I had a laugh




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Laughing Kookaburra (Dacelo novaeguineae), Milwaukee County Zoological Gardens, Milwaukee, Wisconsin: photo by Cburnett, 2006



I saw two horses making lace and I had a laugh




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Laughing Kookaburra (Dacelo novaeguineae), Audley Royal National Park, New South Wales, Australia: photo by Quartl, 2009




I saw a girl just like a cat and I had a laugh





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Laughing Kookaburra (Dacelo novaeguineae), immature, southwest Australia: photo by Cygnis insignis, 2008



I saw a kitten wear a hat and I had a laugh




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Laughing Kookaburra (Dacelo novaeguineae), Frankfurt Zoo: photo by Jutta 234, 2010



We saw a man who saw these too, and he had a laugh




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Laughing Kookaburra (Dacelo novaeguineae), perching in a tree: photo by Keelie Meek, 2007




And said though strange they all were true.




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Laughing Kookaburras (Dacelo novaeguineae), Australia: photo by Henry Kerry (1857-1928), n.d. (Powerhouse Museum Collection, Sydney)


Text adapted by TC from traditional nursery rhyme, "I saw a fishpond all on fire"

11 comments:

TC said...

For the Full Five Kookaburra Experience, click on the bottom image.

It is also interesting to experience at least briefly the sound of the Laughing Kookaburra laughing (or really, singing, more like).

Curtis Roberts said...

This is a wonderful adaptation and a great way to start the morning. I sort of scurried to the source material and then back to your Laughing Kookaburras and its uniquely touching and lovely mood. Our family first met the kookaburras in person and heard their song at the aviary at the Cape May County Zoo in April. They were fabulous. Australia should knight you for this (do they do that?) or at least be apprised of this kookaburra development.

Phanero Noemikon said...

hooray!

STEPHEN RATCLIFFE said...

Tom,

Yes, as Curtis says, a great way to start the morning. I'm trying to open that link to listen to the link but it isn't working (for me) --- meanwhile, quail are out there calling "Chi-ca-go" (back to that cross junction, northwest corner of The Loop) . . . .

6.30

grey light coming into sky above blackness
of ridge, silver of planet above branches
in foreground, sound of waves in channel

composition of picture, both
found on formal grounds

and flat, glance across, eye
seeing objects in space

blue whiteness of sky reflected in channel,
white circle of moon above point across it

STEPHEN RATCLIFFE said...

And oh, what a laugh has the laughing kookaburra (!)

TC said...

Thanks, friends. The world is a wonderment. Sometimes one just has to laugh. If, that is, one is a Laughing Kookaburra.

Cj said...

Hahahahaaaa!

Thanks for the cat & kitten grins, Tom Clark!
purrs!
cj

STEPHEN RATCLIFFE said...

And now we've just read this, and we both had many laughs. . . .

STEPHEN RATCLIFFE said...

and many more laughs lifting to "Laughing Kookaburra laughing". . . .

TC said...

It is lovely, here in this ancient haunted house, to hear so much laughter.

Sometimes when we let the Kookaburras out of the computer to fly about a bit, things become pretty intense. Reminding us it must get a bit loco there in the bush, by the gum tree, at times.

Perhaps it is time to calm down a bit and lend an ear to the relatively tender and discreet laughter of the Laughing Dove.

Anonymous said...

:D Lovely!