Backyard Birds

I’m participating in the Aussie Backyard Bird Count from 19-25th October.  Thousands of people across Australia take part.  It doesn’t matter where you are you just have to record the species and numbers of birds you see in a 20 minute period.  As if I need an excuse to watch birds!
 
This is a female Australian King Parrot, I just managed to capture at the end of my street, they usually travel in pairs, but its partner wasn't in view.


A very healthy and large specimen, evidently they can live for over 25 years...Isn't it a beauty?
 

My second image is the bottom half of a Kora, a West African Harp which was used in tonight's performance of "Desdemona" a literary and music collaboration based on Shakespeare's Othello. 


The extraordinary narrative was about Shakespeare's doomed heroine Desdemona  who speaks from the grave about traumas of race, class, gender, war and the power of love... yes it was thought provoking and very confronting.  What a great opening to this year's Sydney Festival.


The lady in front of me had booked a seat for her Teddy! yep got a picture of that too!