Men at Work

When I came down the next morning Chris and Bill were already hard at work chopping away at the bank of soil and rock next to the driveway. Chris wanted to create a gully for rain and mud to be channelled around the curve to the road below. Seems he wanted to keep his new drive nice and clean (and un-slippery).

They were excited and sent me hurrying off to get my camera. Seems they'd dug out several scorpions and funnel web spiders. Neither is good news as far as I'm concerned.

Observe the carefully chosen health and safety clothing designed to protect one from poisonous insects, skin cancer causing sun or other pick and shovel injuries.

Yes, that is a topless (obviously cherished) hat on a bald man.
Seems they had a 3rd crew member, a hungry kookaburra, supervising their work from a tree overhead.

He was completely fearless, swooping in on their work to gobble down any tasty morsels their digging uncovered, then returning to his perch to watch. They barely managed to save this

scorpion long enough for me to snap it; this spider wasn't on the menu, however, as it was already dead. Only the live ones would do for our gourmet hero.


(If you are really into critters, you can click on the picture to get a closer look).

Later, Jane told me a story about her daughter who was at a wedding feast hosted in an open sided tent. Jen was talking and gesturing, waving a chicken leg in her hand. Only it was suddenly gone, having been snatched away by a kookaburra who dived through the open gazebo to help himself to what she inadvertently offered.
I figure our digging supervisor probably saved Bill's life about a dozen times, at least. In spite of their habit of cackling loudly at about 4 am, the kookaburra has become my very favourite bird.