14. CUCKOO SAVING A CUCKOO

I’m playing fetch with Rex between watering plants. The dog sniffs the air, rushing towards a bird lying sideways. I hurl the ball away to distract the kelpie before he eats the window striker.

13. HELLO POPPY

When my boyfriend visited me in Victoria, I caged Bernie the Budgerigar.

12. THE ITCHY TWITCHER

I’m not really a birder, not an authentic bird watcher. The binoculars mostly stay in their case. I see birds with the naked eye when I’m gardening, or inside through the windows without curtains.

No authority on breeds or types; I’m not even a member of the local bird society. I flirted with the idea of becoming a proper twitcher when I passed a dam on the dirt road to town years ago.

Google image of some serious bird enthusiasts.