Sadly, that sunflower - and its cohorts - are no longer.
Witness the destruction wreaked by a wild flock of sulphur-crested cockatoos one overcast afternoon.
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| The advance guard. |
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| Yep...got it! |
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| What do we say? Caught you, um, red beaked? |
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| Backup arrives. |
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| Gossiping over some take away on the roof. |
I take from this a salutory reminder. A sunflower is nothing more than a glorified birdseed holder.
The decimation of my garden's most cheerful asset took less than half an hour - but at least the birds were happy!
Are there pest animals which have been getting up to mischief where you live? Any stories about squirrels? Rabbits? Feral cats?
19 comments:
Oh what a pity... will you be planting them again?
I have squirrels which feed on ripe fruits and damage them. The dogs are not effective as the squirrels are too high up.
And wild boars of course.
I love sunflowers! How disappointing that must be to you! We definitely have our share of pests in the north as well; squirrels, raccoons, deer decimated my tomatoes last year. They were beautiful in the evening and gone in the morning. We also have a black bear that lives in our woods so I have to be careful about what I plant. They LOVE sunflower seeds!
That's sad about the sunflowers, but at least the birds weren't mean about it. They were just doing what they do.
I had to remember that when my parents dog got ahold of a baby bunny a few summers ago. :o( Animals don't know when they're bad.
That sucks! But you're right, at least the birds are happy.
The only pests I know about are the skunks. Luckily, I haven't seen one in a while. I know they're still about though. Their scent is distinctive.
Oh no, they were so gorgeous! Ah well, there's always next season ... and those sulphur-crested cockies crack me up; such clowns (erm, when they're not being so destructive!)
I love cockatoos! They are the coolest birds. :D Especially with how bloody loud they are. And I love seeing them walking around. lol
Those birds are pretty, but I mourn the loss of your pretty sunflower.
We have a pond, which means we have geese. It seems like it would be lovely to watch them waddle in the pond. It is, until they get out and leave "gifts" for my dogs all over the lawn and keep me up honking during mating season until 2 a.m.
But there are pictures and memories. And next year! Loved the post.
Oh, but they're fun to watch. Sorry about the sunflower demise, but I love those birds! Funniest thing I ever saw was a squirrel with a whole sunflower dragging it up a tree backward because it was too big to move it forward. Those critters like their sunflowers!
The birds are gorgeous! Sorry, but I really enjoyed the pictures of them enjoying your sunflower. (:
Although, the sunflower was just as gorgeous. I think I'll plant some this summer and see how visits mine.
So frustrating to deal with critters.
I cannot wait until spring!
Oh no, how sad! It's frustrating when animals get to the garden. We have jack rabbits all over the place and they whittle down our grass. Drives my husband crazy.
I hope you can grow a new sunflower :D
I have squirrels in the tree, my cat prowls the yard (and the neighbors, and the other neighbors, etc.) and my bird feeders are starting to get some love from finches, cardinals and doves.
I have to tell this story: I was a country girl up until 5 years ago (horses, gardens, flowers, the works) so moving to town is quite an adjustment. I'm sitting on the patio one evening at twilight and I see a critter scampering along the power line. My first thought was "oh, little squirrel I hope you don't fall" then I realized that this creature wasn't really scampering, it was slinking. And it didn't have a brushy, fuzzy tail, it had a long, 'nekked' tail. Yep. It was a disgusting city rat. I went back in the house.
Ugh! My cat killed that rat this winter. Yay kitty! :)
Awh that was such a pretty sunflower. I'm surprised they didn't borrow the petals for their hair too lol. I don't suppose there's any point planting more. What is a cockatoo deterent? Not enough flowers in my garden to worry about that :) Do plan to plant some tulips soon though.
Sorry to hear about the sad state of your beautiful sunflower :(
I'm a crusader stopping by to say hi. I know...I'm a slow one getting around to everyone.
Oh my sunflowers never made it to full bloom like yours. The squirrels had them for lunch long before they were in full bloom (or something did!) In fact my whole garden was a series of ransacked snacks for the city scavengers. The dogs ate the apples from the apple tree and the mice, bugs and squirrels ate my garden... LOL! You can't win so feed 'em, I guess! I did get some harvest though so the other plan is just to out plant their greedy appetites! Cheers! (at least your scavengers are pretty!)
Please, those birds are so much better than the big ugly black grackles we have here in TX. Bring on the lovely white birds any day. LOL, sorry about your garden though. I luv sunflowers. And it's a pain to watch something you love get pecked to bits.
Lol, the cockies keep my pencil pine short and squat. I love sunflowers. It's a shame the birds do too.
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