Australia’s wildlife is a story in itself. There are so many species I am eager to encounter in the wild and photograph. Yesterday, I went on my first koala mission in a nature reserve about an hour south of Sydney. I spent four hours walking with my eyes fixed on the tops of the eucalyptus trees, but luck was not on my side this time. I will simply have to try again another day. That is the price you pay when you stubbornly refuse to visit a “wildlife prison” – otherwise known as a zoo – just to get your photographs.
Kangaroos, wallabies and wombats are also firmly on my radar. Until then, I will have to “make do” with the birds in my neighbourhood.
Cockatoos are absolutely fascinating to watch. They gather in large, noisy flocks and seem incapable of doing anything quietly. They may not be everyone’s favourite bird here in Australia, but I love them. They are playful, constantly testing each other and fighting over their place in the hierarchy, and they show very little fear of humans. There is never a dull moment. Watching them is a bit like looking into a schoolyard during the lunch break – noisy, chaotic and full of drama.
And then, in the middle of all this commotion, I saw something extraordinary. It happened so quickly that I had to replay the moment in my head to make sure I had actually seen what I thought I had.
I had.
A cockatoo performed a forward somersault in mid-air, seemingly just for the fun of it. I could hardly believe my eyes, so naturally I had to look it up afterwards to see whether cockatoos really can do such a thing.
Apparently, they can!
