Ibis for lunch

A few weeks ago, I was intrigued by the Australian White Ibis poking its long beak around in the grass.  What a marvelous adaptation!  But upon closer inspection today, these birds officially give me the creeps!

Look at that beak!

We spent the morning at the Royal Botanic Gardens, bird and eel watching from a safe distance.  We had lunch outside and quickly realized we had some uninvited guests.  There were about ten of these big white birds swarming around our table.  The kids and I were with two Aussie mums and their kids, so I tried to hide my discomfort.  They seemed used to the company of these birds and it was entertaining for the kids.  Had I been alone, I probably would have run inside.  These were not pigeons or seagulls.  These were like vultures the size of ducks with 10 inch pointy beaks and beady eyes.   Not the kind of company I like to keep.  

The ibises pecked right up to our feet and we brushed them away.  Two or three of them would perch on the railing beside our table eyeing our food.  We kept waving them off and they would come right back.  Kiran Doolittle is very protective of all creatures.  He did not like us shooing the birds away.  This all made it really hard to enjoy lunch in the otherwise picturesque gardens. 

Kiran and his Ibis today

We tried to ignore one perched next to Kiran, but its beak snapped out and grabbed half of his sandwich off his plate.  I tucked Kiran's head under my wing and tried really hard not to scream.   Kiran was not too phased by it and he went right back to defending these creepy creatures.  The nightmare got worse when I heard wings flapping behind me.  Then ibis wings brushed into my back.    I really wanted to run then.  We swatted a few more away and kept guarding our food.  Then poor Priya had bread snatched from her plate.   And that was the end of lunch.  

Still looking creepy.