Australia: Some home-grown kookaburra laughing tales

My dearest partner loves his birds, particularly the feathered, laughing kind. Not long after he first arrived in Australia, he formed an amazing friendship with a kookaburra he called Scruff.

Scruff was easy to identify. He had a feather flapping around loosely from his wing and he looked as if he definitely had some dirty work to do on a regular basis. No shower of rain seemed to improve his appearance. Or, if it did, it was very temporary, and he was back to his usual rough self.

It seemed Scruff kept an eye on us -from the gum tree branch overhanging the driveway; a little closer on the side fence; a little closer on the verandah railing. Until one morning, we looked through the lounge-room window, and there was Scruff, looking right back at us.

And so it began - stories stranger than fiction! Here are just a few!

One morning, Scruff sat on the clothes line, watching while my partner hung out the washing. (No! There were no unfortunate surprises!) Another morning, Scruff flew right past my partner's shoulders as he bent to pick up clothes from the wash basket.

If we were not rising and shining at the regular time, it became no surprise to hear a rousing chorus of laughter right outside the bedroom window. Kookaburra laughter!

Yes! Of course we fed Scruff! But it was an irregular feed. Often, he seemed to fly in just for company. Often, my partner would lean over the verandah railing, talking quietly to Scruff. And Scruff seemed to nestle close to my partner's elbow, just listening. Often, these quiet convos would last 10 minutes or more. It was so lovely to watch!

And Scruff definitely had a sense of humour. One hungry morning, a magpie swooped in and grabbed Scruff's food before he had a chance to eat any! With great dignity, Scruff flew off over the magpie and pooped! It was a bull's eye! Right on the maggie's back! We could hardly stand for laughing that day!

Scruff accepted us all! My daughter and son arrived from Sydney for a short visit! Scruff still landed on the verandah railing and seemed to like listening to the family chatter!

A day came when Scruff simply did not appear. Then many days passed by. It was 3 months! My partner was very sad, but I had the strangest feeling that only one cycle of the story was complete.

I'm so glad I was right! It was a late spring, mid afternoon! I was typing on my laptop by the dining room window! I felt I was being watched and looked up to the tree outside. I thought I saw...heard...

I had to race outside to check! As I stepped on the verandah, a shape was already on the railing! Yes! It was! I know that loose feather anywhere! It took great encouragement to get my partner to have a look! I must admit, I didn't tell him why!

He stepped onto the verandah! And Scruff gave him a resounding laugh!

But there was more! While my partner and Scruff exchanged stories, I looked to the driveway tree! There, in the branches, were two pairs of baby kookaburra eyes, watching intently!