Scraggy by onewing

Scraggy

We have a family of kookaburras that visit regularly and we feed them raw mince.

The two parents we call Onewing (because she has a floppy wing) and her partner Squawk because every time he turns up in our garden that is the first thing he says.

This is one of their babies, not so much of a baby now though. He looked as though he had fallen in some sort of grease and his feathers were sticking together somewhat.

Yesterday I decided to try and give him a shower with the hose pipe to see if that improved his feather situation and he loved it, so when he turned up again today I gave him another shower after I had fed him.

His feathers are looking a bit better now, although in this shot he is still dripping wet from the hose shower.

He is so tame and I am sure he would move in if I let him, ha ha.
A bad hair day! Love this image and the story that goes with it.
February 11th, 2018  
Brought a smile. Great shot. We feed mince to Magpies and Butcher Birds. Maudie is outraged.
February 11th, 2018  
Wonderful capture...Fav
February 11th, 2018  
Looks a character
February 11th, 2018  
Looks a bit like a teenage punk. Fav
February 11th, 2018  
A fabulous close up shot. Fav
February 11th, 2018  
Such a great shot, fabulous detail
February 11th, 2018  
Such a wonderful story! He is gorgeous! I love that he came back for another shower! Fav!
February 11th, 2018  
Great image and story looks like you have a friend for life :)
February 11th, 2018  
FAVtastic :)
February 11th, 2018  
A wonderful image and I love your story - perhaps he is a bit of a punk rocker !!
February 11th, 2018  
A fabulous close up and great stoey Babs! Soon word will get around, then a whole family will move in 😉
February 11th, 2018  
great capture
February 11th, 2018  
Love this! Fav
February 11th, 2018  
Love the idea of him moving in!! What a scruffy haircut but utterly appealing nonetheless.
February 11th, 2018  
He does look fresh from the shower! Fav
February 11th, 2018  
What a gorgeous scruffy fellow, lovely shot Babs :)
February 11th, 2018  
Love that he let you give him a shower! He's a beauty
February 11th, 2018  
Fav. Stunning capture and focusing. What a joy to have him in the family!
February 11th, 2018  
Simply gorgeous image Babs first time I've seen a Punk kookaburra, hope he is soon all cleaned, keep up the good work, Fav:)
February 11th, 2018  
Boo
hahaha hard rocking bird
February 11th, 2018  
newly washed?? nice pic
February 11th, 2018  
fab clarity
February 11th, 2018  
Lovely capture Babs, maybe he's trying to set a new trend :)
February 11th, 2018  
He’s really quite wonderful, I love that he lets you spray him with water. This is a great photo, I love the light on him and your background highlights him perfectly. Fav!
February 11th, 2018  
A super profile portrait. Fav!! 😀
February 11th, 2018  
Cute shot and I love his hairdo.
February 11th, 2018  
Wow...super close up and details
February 11th, 2018  
great details ~ fav
February 11th, 2018  
Great image
February 11th, 2018  
Fabulous shot. fav
February 11th, 2018  
Love the picture and how clear it is, as well as the story! Fav. Hope his feathers get back to normal soon.
February 11th, 2018  
What a cutie - nicely captured.
February 11th, 2018  
Beautiful bird portrait with great nice details. (Interesting nice story.)
February 11th, 2018  
Now that is a tame bird. Wow. And doesn't mind the camera either.
February 11th, 2018  
Fantastic detail a fav
February 11th, 2018  
Great close up but he does look rather bedraggled!
February 11th, 2018  
Very apt title, he looks a tad scruffy but endearing with it!
February 11th, 2018  
Great close up
February 12th, 2018  
@dide @tonygig @sarahlth @mave @susiemc @kjarn @pamknowler @rjb71 @gilbertwood @beryl @peterday @lyndamcg @casablanca @pusspup @hermann @suzanne234 @sangwann @pcoulson @huvesaker @hrs @pistache @merrelyn @louannwarren @carolmw @mittens @seattlite @lynnz @chloette @susie1205 @ingrid01 @linnypinny @pyrrhula @snowy @thistle @happypat @elisasaeter Thanks so much for the lovely comments and favs. Scraggy turned up this morning again for his breakfast and his feathers are looking a lot better. We have had so little rain the last couple of months that he hasn't managed to have a natural rain shower. He does seem to enjoy the hose shower though and I have the spray falling on him quite gently. Yesterday he sat under the hose spray with his eyes closed and head up in the air. He even managed to open his mouth and have a drink at the same time. David videoed it on his camera.
Temperature is about 26 degrees C at the moment so I will hose him again later today when it gets a bit warmer.

@ethelperry Your birds are well fed too then. We have a butcher bird who visits regularly and he even sits on your finger while you feed him.

@ludwigsdiana Ha ha, the whole family have moved in already. We have Onewing, Squawk and their three children. Plus a family of butcher birds who we feed with raw mince too and also hundreds of lorikeets and little corellas who we feed with seed. It costs us a fortune.

@kathiecb He is very tame, he always likes to get in front of the rest of his family and when I go outside with mince he gets so close I have to step over him to walk outside. He loves having his photo taken too, quite a poser.
February 12th, 2018  
Such a great shot & sounds like you’ve made a friend!
February 12th, 2018  
Fabulously clear and detailed close up!
February 12th, 2018  
what a great close up of your friendly visitor
February 12th, 2018  
Fantastic detail!
February 12th, 2018  
How wonderful to have such a relationship with this gorgeous/scraggy bird.
February 12th, 2018  
Fabulous story too
February 12th, 2018  
Straight out of an Australian folk story by May Gibbs. Gorgeous.
February 12th, 2018  
Amazing close-up !
February 12th, 2018  
A bad hair day? Great photo Babs, quite outstanding.
February 12th, 2018  
Thats amazing how tame it is, to let you hose him.
February 12th, 2018  
Somehow he looks resigned! Have to find this shot before looking at the next!
February 12th, 2018  
Wonderful capture and story. Fav.
February 12th, 2018  
I hope he fully recovers - what a stunning image - following you now :)
February 12th, 2018  
@carole_sandford @kwind @lesip @sunnygirl @happysnaps @jgpittenger @365projectorgjenfurj @bintal @golftragic @dianeb @maggiemae @littleconnie @koalagardens Thanks, he is quite a character. He is one of our three regular kookaburras and each one has a different personality and bring so much joy. This chap is really enjoying his showers while the weather is so hot and it does seem to be improving his sticky feathers situation. He must know that the showers are doing him some good. He even had a dip in the bird bath this afternoon too.
February 12th, 2018  
Great shot!
February 12th, 2018  
He is definitely patient letting you spray him with water. I guess he knew his feathers were a mess.
February 12th, 2018  
Wow! Incredible capture and narrative! Fav! :-)
February 12th, 2018  
This is simply excellent Babs and well deserving of all the Favs it has received.
February 12th, 2018  
Brilliant image Babs, I'm sure he appreciates having a personal shower service at your place!
February 12th, 2018  
Will wonders never cease- a boy who likes a bath!
February 14th, 2018  
I don't think he will be far away from you ever now knowing he and the family will get all this attention. Fabulous - a win win, they get treats and you get photos. :)
February 14th, 2018  
Fantastic shot
February 15th, 2018  
Congratulations on Scraggy making the TT! Just so great!
February 19th, 2018  
Congrats on TT!
February 19th, 2018  
Congratulations on your Top Twenty finish!
February 21st, 2018  
Congrats! I missed this one! Fav.
February 22nd, 2018  
Congrats on TT! Fabulous. Capture
February 24th, 2018  
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