Esplanade Busy Bodies

The other morning when I was down at the Esplanade (which I apparently never posted about) the tide wasn't all the way in and that always leads to some busy bodies near the shore.

Just a fairly small patch of mud was keeping the Bar-tailed Godwits busy (I'm guessing I've identified it right, I just like taking photos). Well a couple of them busy, the rest were having some time at the Esplanade beauty parlor. 

This really seems to be pretty normal morning, well all day, routine. However I did spot something else happening in the background, much more interesting than preening birds. Mind you the fact that they can clean themselves with that long pointy beak is something amazing.

There in the back, closer to the mangroves but still in the shallows was a lone pelican.

I don't know what he had found but he was sure having a grand time finding it. By the way my use of he has nothing to do with whether this pelican is a he or she, a pelican just seems like a he to me.

He was keeping a watchful eye on whatever it was he was looking for.

And he was sticking very close to the shallows and wavelets.

 He would dip his head in sideways, staying fairly flat to the water.

or leave it wide open for the water to go through.

Or he would paddle along watching, often beak open dragging in the water.

Then awkward looking dip and he had something.

Then down the hatch it went.

Those others busy beautifying weren't worried by what he was up to at all.

I'm not sure how much attention he was paying to where he was going.

Maybe he was following his food.

His feeding was interesting to watch. I've only seen them going deeper, head down like a duck, for food.

He drifted further and further down the Esplanade until he suddenly changed hi mind and headed a little deeper. It seemed he had finished for the time being. Funny fellow, all serene after his more clown like fishing.

Say 'Hi' to Noggin

From the title you probably guessed this one already, yep another calf, another boy.

His name is Noggin because he has a big head (named by Miss S) and he is a bit of a boof head.

 

That brings us up to four poddy calves and in the words of Miss S "we've never in the history of here well that I've been alive EVER had four poddies at the same time." So because of the new addition we no longer can have the Three Stooges or Three Amigos we now have ... the Fantastic Four.

 

Noggin came in through the yards at the beginning of the week with some cows but he was just a tag along and didn't belong to any of them.

 

So he was captured ... let me tell you he is a heavy little thing.

 

 Then held on the trailer on the Toyota/ Golden Chariot for the ride back to the house.

 

While I was passenger and instructor we let Miss S have a go behind the wheel. The smile was worth it. I guess I can add driving instructor to my job description that is found way back here.

 

On arriving back at the house Noggin was released into the house yards and the recaptured for a feed. I think I must be getting pretty good at the calf wrangling bit as yet again I found myself with a calf clamped between my knee while learning to feed. He is a tall one to because I could only just stand over him with feet flat on the ground. He took to the bottle really fast.

 

Here are the other three from the Fantastic Four having a feed. Three calves on one feeder makes for an interesting feed time.

 

From left to right there is Sadie, Angel and Crusty all checking out their new yard mate.

Afternoon Feed

Okay so now I am probably going overboard with the calf photos but how can I resist sharing the three stooges and all that milky cuteness.

Angel and Sadie having their evening feed.

 

Yum, yum.

 

What's yours taste like? Can I have some?

Milk bath.

He he I got it! Lesson never take your mouth off your food.

Crusty

Clamping Crusty between my legs to feed him after catching him.

Yum, bottle time! (photo proof that I do what I say)

Gone? Are you serious?

Miss S giving Crusty another litre of milk while hold him still.

See I can do it myself. No one is holding me now.

 

Nearly empty ..

 

All gone ... You've got to be kidding!

Okay this will do I guess, tasty.

Note: Crusty is a lot easier to catch and feed than Angel who was a two or more person job. She just helps herself to the feeder now. Crusty will get the hang of the bottle soon enough he already chases it around when it is empty.

Crusty

What do you think of when you here the word crusty?

I think of dried mud, dried weatbix, crusts, Crusty Demons, Crusty the Clown etc.

Well this is the newly named Crusty.

 

 

We have yet to find out whether he has a crusty temperament or is a bit of a daredevil as he has only been in the house yard for a matter of hours. Let us hope it is neither of those options. According to Miss S his coat reminds her of fresh crusty bread with the dark cooked bits and the bits where there is flour.He is a bit of a cutie with is splotchy coat. I think he definitely got in on the Shorthorn genes.

 

 

First bottle feed.

 

Angel?

This is Angel.

 

 

She is orphan calf number two for this muster, which is now over after a month of constant cattle and horse work for the bosses.

 

Now Angel isn't much of an Angel. It is one of those name it the opposite things.

 

She has attitude and speed.

Thank goodness she has worked out the feeding thing now because it was taking two of us to block her up, catch her and feed her. 

 

It was a two person feeding job as well. One person to stop her running away (me gripping her between my legs usually) and to help hold her head up and another person to hold her head and pry her stubborn mouth open. While all this was happening the person sitting on her (me) and holding her squeezed the teat on the calf feeder attempting to get it somewhere neat her mouth. She would eventually give in and latch on and suck up the milk like a vacuum cleaner but until that happened you got very milky.

 

She still looks like a sweetie though doesn't she.