Sleeping In

27 January, 2007 Saturday

Sleeping in at our new apartment is entirely out of the question.

I cannot imagine the din at the avian council meeting when the various species of local birdlife got together and decided who should be on ‘crack-of-dawn’ duty each morning, but I have observed that the schedule is as follows:

(note: If you follow these links, and click “sound” at the top of each page, you can hear a muted and docile version of their calls, which sounds nothing like the racket made when an entire flock of the little buggers is crowded into the gum tree just off the bedroom balcony.)


Monday - Magpies
Reminiscent of wooden wind-chimes, their call is the least distressful among the morning troubadours.

Tuesday - Lorikeets
Generally sweet and chirpy, the decibel level swells when they gather in flocks.

Wednesday – Crows and Ravens
After 10 am, I am delighted by their Australian accents, but at 5:30…

Thursday - Currawongs
An obnoxious gargling that typically begins before sunrise.

Friday - Cockatoos
I wondered how long it would take for the charm of their hideous screeching and general bitching to wear thin…three days.

Saturday - Kookaburra
Are they laughing at my Australia Day hangover?

Sunday - Noisy Miners
Their name says it all. A shrill and persistent chirp.


And always in the background are the sounds of Seagulls, Galahs, ducks (which, astoundingly, sound just like ordinary ducks), a host of other birds that have yet to show themselves to me, and a field full of large rabbits, who make no noise at all and are therefore quickly rising to the top of my list of favorite animals.