Thanks for not being too offended.

Judging by comments received from friends, my previous posting was not regarded by too many people as "offensive". Maybe in bad taste, but you would not be surprised by that!

Mostly people just made comments along these lines (from Gill):
Typical male....always overemphasising one's attributes and the significance of them!
Fair comment, I reckon.

Oh well, I did at least acknowledge an element of "bravura" in posting those photos.

*****

Here is something nicer to contemplate: The Peacock (Pavo cristatus) from Ranelagh House, Robertson, (when not engaged in posing for their website) has taken to visiting George every morning. I would have to say that he is very spectacular, even in half-moult, without his full display feathers, which are just growing back. His tail feathers are fully grown, but they are plain coloured. The display feathers (the ones with the "eyes" in them) appear to come from low down on his back, just above the true tail feathers. Presumably that means they would be called the "upper tail-coverts", so although we think of him spreading his tail feathers, technically that is not correct.

George sent me this photo today, so I trust that he is happy to see it published. I took some photos of this bird a few days ago, but it did not pose for me the way it did for George.

This bird has no road sense, but he compensates by having great road "presence" - he stands still, in the middle of Fountaindale Rd, until cars stop for him. At that point he strolls off to the side. I would not recommend him trying that strategy up on the Illawarra Highway, but it seems safe enough on the side road.

I am sure George and his neighbours will be less than impressed with this fellow's visits, in breeding season, when he starts crowing, early in the morning - for the call of a Peacock is something which carries for hundreds of metres. Currently his visits are silent.