Birds

The Royal Botanic Gardens in Melbourne, Australia were founded in 1846 and are considered to be among the best botanic gardens in the world. AIMG_5955

King Penguin, Melbourne Aquarium, Melbourne, Australia. "The King Penguin (Aptenodytes patagonicus) is the second largest species of penguin at about 11 to 16 kg (24 to 35 lb), second only to the Emperor Penguin. There are two subspecies—A. p. patagonicus and A. p. halli; patagonicus is found in the South Atlantic and halli elsewhere. King Penguins eat small fish, mainly lanternfish, and squid and rely less than most Southern Ocean predators on krill and other crustaceans. On foraging trips they repeatedly dive to over 100 metres (330 ft), and have been recorded at depths greater than 300 metres (980 ft). King Penguins breed on the subantarctic islands at the northern reaches of Antarctica, South Georgia, and other temperate islands of the region. The total population is estimated to be 2.23 million pairs and is increasing." en.wikipedia.org/wiki/King_Penguin AIMG_5880

Venice, Italy AIMG_4922

A seagull swims in the canals in Venice, Italy. The colors of the surrounding buildings are reflected in the water. AIMG_4856

A male wild turkey in my yard was posturing for the hens, but refused to do anything but walk away and squak at me when I approached AIMG_5558

Canada Goose AIMG_5312

European Starling still in winter plumage. The European starling was introduced to America in the 19th century and has become a very common songbird. AIMG_5318

Canada Geese used to be seen in Massachusetts only during the winter, but now they have established residency year round. They are bold birds who are easily approached for photographs. AIMG_5310

Southwick Zoo - Common parakeets originated in Australia but are kept as pets throughout the world. AIMG_5364