I’m over at The Greenists today talking cow flatulence. Head on over for a wee sniff…
My spring break started in earnest this morning. As Boy Z and I went out for a celebratory morning constitutional, we spotted this fellow in the gum tree in our back yard…
I know my Australian readers will scoff that finding a koala in your back garden in Adelaide is about as novel as finding a squirrel in your back yard in Albuquerque, but it’s a first for me.
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by Florida Girl in Sydney
17 Sep 2009 at 16:07
I’ve never seen a koala (or kangaroo for that matter) outside a zoo here, but then again– I don’t get out much.
Florida Girl in Sydney´s last blog ..Honk If Your Husband Makes You Crazy
by ZenMom
17 Sep 2009 at 16:44
Koala > Squirrels.
ZenMom´s last blog ..Every Now and Then
by Monty
17 Sep 2009 at 18:48
Do they serve Koala meat out there? I wonder what it tastes like.
Monty´s last blog .."Thunderbolt and lightening very,very frightening"
by jams O'Donnell
17 Sep 2009 at 18:56
I hope it’s not one of those Killer Drop Bears!
jams O’Donnell´s last blog ..What and where am I? There’s a prize in it
by ssg
17 Sep 2009 at 19:37
that is cool
ssg´s last blog ..hello again
by headbang8
17 Sep 2009 at 20:00
“I know my Australian readers will scoff that finding a koala in your back garden in Adelaide is about as novel as finding a squirrel in your back yard in Albuquerque, but it’s a first for me.”
Nobody’s scoffing. Koalas are a lot rarer than kangaroos–endangered, even, in some places–and they’re pretty fussy about the class of tree they inhabit. Since their entire diet consists of leaves from that single tree, they have to be. A koala in your backyard is extraordinary, even by Australian standards.
@Monty. Note the word “endangered”. Kangaroos, though, are pests. Luckily, they taste delicious with a red wine glaze.
As Ogden Nash says:
The kangaroo can jump to lengths incredible.
He has to jump because he’s edible
I could not eat a kangaroo,
But many fine Australians do.
Those with cookbooks as well as boomerangs
Prefer him in tasty kangaroo meringues.
headbang8´s last blog ..Photo Friday: My Favorite Spot
by Danielle
17 Sep 2009 at 20:14
The other day at a school I was working at there was a koala with a BABY on her(?)back in their oval and we (the reception class) went out to have a gander. I was so excited!! I wish we got them as often up here…
Having said that, my husband LOVED squirrels when he visted the U.S. It was so cute. He’d be like “ANOTHER SQUIRREL ON THE FENCE!” um yes…. only him and my dogs were excited about that :-p
by Monty
17 Sep 2009 at 20:37
@headbang8: Their being endangered is all the more reason to taste em before they become extinct?
Monty´s last blog .."Thunderbolt and lightening very,very frightening"
by Joe
17 Sep 2009 at 21:03
I want one!!!
Joe´s last blog ..Wordless Wednesday v. Is that CAKE?
by Noble Savage
17 Sep 2009 at 21:15
Cool! I wanted a pet koala so badly when I was about six.
Noble Savage´s last blog ..Wordless Wednesday: Gendered clothing for the toddler set
by SciFi Dad
17 Sep 2009 at 21:16
As Canadians, my daughter and I have the same comment: that’s pretty cool.
SciFi Dad´s last blog ..My Process
by The Unbearable Banishment
17 Sep 2009 at 21:53
I am such a rube that I didn’t realize you COULD see a koala in your backyard. It never dawned on me that there were any wild koalas left. Doh.
The Unbearable Banishment´s last blog ..Daughter in a Maelstrom
by Technobabe
17 Sep 2009 at 22:58
It’s nothing to skoff at for me too. Wow! I get excited to watch the squirrels, raccoons, birds, bunnies, deer around here. To me, this is watching nature. But where you live it must be awesome. Enjoy your spring break!
Technobabe´s last blog ..Some Dogs Are Treated Better Than The Wife
by mjrc
17 Sep 2009 at 23:07
i think it’s waaaaaaay cooler to see a koala than a squirrel. when we lived in brooklyn we referred to squirrels as rats with fluffy tails, which is not a compliment!
mjrc´s last blog ..Jam on the Brandywine, aka Camelstock
by Jacob
17 Sep 2009 at 23:51
I spent at least a week in Australia and never saw a single freaking koala in the wild. We had to go to some animal park that was basically a glorified petting zoo where I was molested by a wombat to see them and all they did was sleep. All they ever do is sleep. They are sleepy bastards.
But, I’m assuming you have more North American readers than Australian (well, all of your commenters I know are American) so you’re at least giving us a cool story even if the jaded Aussies think it’s mundane.
To them, I saw, placental mammals are boring. Stop getting so worked up about them. Marsupials are the weird ones.
Jacob´s last blog ..Things I Learned Over the Weekend
by Jacob
17 Sep 2009 at 23:52
I’m also an incompetent typist apparently. I say, not I saw.
Jacob´s last blog ..Things I Learned Over the Weekend
by heather
18 Sep 2009 at 00:07
My husband also went crazy the first time he saw a squirrel in Minnesota. He followed it to the tree and watched it for the longest time.
heather´s last blog ..You Don’t have to be a Prostitute
by Jan
18 Sep 2009 at 02:11
There are squirrels in Albuquerque? May wonders never cease…
Seriously, though, a Koala in your back yard is tres cool.
Jan´s last blog ..This Little Piggy Went To Market…
by Cat
18 Sep 2009 at 03:35
I can’t imagine walking outside to find a koala in a tree in your backyard. Too cool.
Cat´s last blog ..Misspelling Can Lead to Permanent Brain Damage
by Vixen
18 Sep 2009 at 03:37
Really all kinds of nifty. We did see a squirrel in the backyard here when we first moved in. I think he left as soon as he spotted our dogs.
If I plant a gum tree, will a koala come live in my yard?
Vixen´s last blog ..WW~My Baby Grew Up, Happy 23 Baby Boy
by Nichole
18 Sep 2009 at 03:42
No. Way. That’s so darn cool. I pulled Piper in to see the picture, and she said, “That was great!” Your yard koala is totally awesome.
Nichole´s last blog ..Photojojo a-go-go
by jen
18 Sep 2009 at 04:16
hot damn – koala!!
jen´s last blog ..if you’re leaving, come back soon
by SeattleDad
18 Sep 2009 at 04:37
Will trade a couple squirrels for a sturdy Koala.
SeattleDad´s last blog ..Wordless Wednesday: Tricycle, Tricycle…
by ELLIE
18 Sep 2009 at 05:10
I get all excited by seeing foxes in London; when really they are just pests.
ELLIE´s last blog ..Cool Lapses, Felix Acts
by ms picket to you
18 Sep 2009 at 15:35
And this is exactly why i love the cables in my house that let me connect to you.
ms picket to you´s last blog ..Ms Picket Checks Up On Her Home Management Systems
by NATUI
19 Sep 2009 at 06:20
I agree that this is the on the cool side of the fence. Because a koala won’t steal your child’s snack bowl off the picnic table, skitter 60 feet up the nearest tree and gnaw on it with its rabid little teeth.
NATUI´s last blog ..Going To Bed Ugly Increases Your Sex Drive
by yellojkt
19 Sep 2009 at 14:19
*I* think it’s pretty cool to see a koala. I get excited just seeing a rabbit in my yard.
yellojkt´s last blog ..Racist or Crazy?
by April
19 Sep 2009 at 15:39
I’d be jumping up and down with excitement if I saw a Koala! Matthew and I are always oohing and aahing over the huge spiders around here, and they’re everywhere.
April´s last blog ..Wordless Wednesday: Puppy Dog Eyes
by Agnes
20 Sep 2009 at 09:50
Headbang is right – they are a rare sight. I’ve never seen a koala outside the zoo either. Although I’ve heard them – when camping once I was kept awake half the night by two koalas gettin’ all romantic like. They are not very discreet!
Agnes´s last blog ..Trawlin’ The Blogroll
by arizaphale
21 Sep 2009 at 21:35
I still get excited by koalas too. You got a great shot!
arizaphale´s last blog ..Status Check: Near Exhaustion
by admin
22 Sep 2009 at 11:24
FGIS – I guess it’s one of the advantages of living in the suburbs of a not very big city as opposed to living in a very big city.
Zen Mom: But are chipmunks > or = squirrels?
Monty – Chicken.
Jams –
SSG – You are cool.
Headbang – They aren’t endangered here, but they are less common then kangaroos. Well, in the suburbs they would be more common than kangaroos, but you get my point. This is the second we’ve seen in our new neighborhood – Bedford Park is lousy with koalas.
Now I want a nice rare kangaroo steak…
Danielle – I’ve not seen one with a joey. Very cool!
Joe – $1000 AUD + S&H
NS – Me too. My dad went to Australia when we were young and brought us back stuffed koala teddy bears. I’ve wanted one since.
SciFi – Yeah, but you have moose which themselves are pretty cool.
TUB – There are loads of them down here. So many so that there were discussions of culls on one of the offshore islands.
Technobabe – My favorites here are still the birds. Loads of lovely birds.
MJRC – Ah, I always liked squirrels. They can be annoying because they get the dog agitated, but still sweet little rats.
Jacob – I’ve been lucky to see a fair bit of native wildlife in the wild. But I haven’t seen any snakes yet, I’m a little disappointed by that.
Heather – Understandable if you don’t have them in your native land. Although, most of northern Europe is pretty well populated with squirrels, no?
Jan – Actually, I have no idea. But it was the first ‘A’ North American city that came to mine.
Cat – Was pretty cool. Boy Z was fascinated. The dog, strangely, couldn’t care less.
Vixen – Hey, you never know.
Nichole – Yard koala. I like that.
Jen – I’m trying to think of the coolest wildlife we saw in Oxford. Hedgehogs! Definitely.
Seattle Dad – I kind of miss squirrels.
ELLIE – Foxes are cool British wildlife as well. And pheasants. I always liked phesants.
Ms Picket – As I understand it, it is actually a system of tubes.
NATUI – No, but may give your dog a nasty whooping in a pinch.
Yello – Now rabbits I don’t like. They always ate my gardens.
April – Are spiders as good as the wildlife gets in SF?
Agnes – We used to hear them all the time in our old house. But they are pretty common around here.
Ariza – Thanks. He was really close.
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by Walking down the street carrying a baseball bat | a free man
11 Feb 2010 at 21:16
[...] with gum trees and bougainvillaea and the occasional banana tree. This is great for spotting koalas and kookaburras and parrots and all manner of lovely native wildlife. But when the sun goes down, [...]