My little brother Luke came to visit me a couple weeks ago. We had fun taking advantage of a few things Utah has to offer, one of which was visiting the Tracy Aviary. The first bird on this post is a cukaburra. When I saw him, I began singing the cukaburra song I had learned in elementary school. Cukaburra sits in the old gum tree, eating all the gum drops he can see, laugh cukaburra, laugh.... come on you know the one... right? Well my brother Luke had never heard it, so we called my sister and she had never heard it, so then we asked my husband when we got home about it and he thought I was crazy too! The rest of the trip they would mockingly say, "Give me some cukaburra." My point is, back me up if you've ever heard the song. I know I can't be the only one who had to learn it in school. By the way, their official name is Laughing Cukaburra, but apparently he didn't think I was very funny. I used all my best material and not even a peep. Luke, on the other hand, thought I was hilarious;)
Our theory is they put the ducks up front because you are excited to see them when you first enter, but after you see the more exotic birds you'd be like, "Great. A duck." Unless it was a blue duck, because I've never seen one of those.
Our favorite birds were the cukoos. They flew everywhere huddled together like this and they were not shy at all!
They might be cukoo, but they were not crazy enough to take a picture with us. Sad.
A rare sighting of a giant albatross. Just kidding, but the birds sure didn't like to share camera space with people.
The only one I could get to stay in a picture with me was a vulture of course.
The coolest national mascot ever. Beauty, grace, strength and smarts all wrapped up in one animal.
I loved this Golden Eagle that kept trying to fly despite only having one wing. He was very tenacious.
I'm probably putting in a few too many pics, but it's always hard to decide. This crane was beautiful and by far the most active bird in the park.
I included this picture of a speckled hen for my dad, because he likes saying the word speckled.
I think owls are some of the coolest birds. They didn't have many owls here, but I was happy to find this Snow Owl.
Why is it that all the other birds and animals in zoos are caged and peacocks get to roam free? What did they ever do that was so special? It's bad enough to flaunt their beautiful feathers to the other birds, but then they get to be free too?
6 comments:
I'll back you up, Lil -- don't know if I would have remembered that much of it, but I do know there is a cukaburra song! Goodness, I haven't seen Luke in like 10 years -- don't think I would have recognized him!
I love your duck comment. Completely true and completely hilarious.
And I would have been singing the cuckaburra song right along with you.
Thank you for reminding me to visit the Tracy Aviary. I believe that I get a free visit on the first Thursday of the month or something with my zoo pass. I am so there, before the weather gets cold!
I learned that song in 4th Grade, lessee, about 172 years ago. Still remember the words. My song goes like this, "Cukaburra sits in the old gum tree. Merry, merry king of the forest is he. Laugh, Cukaburra, laugh, Cukaburra. Gay your life must be." Uh, the song's pretty gay as well. But I'm sure Crockodile Dundee, Cameron Crowe, and all the Aussie mates know it.
PS I tagged you. It is just a list of seven random things if you want to play. I still think you are hilarious, as is hal fields, whoever he is:).
The cukaburra song got my family through many a road trip between Indiana and Utah. I'll completely back you up on that one. I'll also add you to the recipe list. ;)
Baby Einstein's "Sing and Play" has your Cukaburra in case you are just longing to reminisce. I did a google search wondering what the heck a Cukaburra was that led me to your site.
Post a Comment