Well we’re well and truly in summer now here in York. The mercury has hit 42℃ (107℉), the wheat crop is in and the water level in the River Avon is steadily dropping. This time of year brings the western corellas (Cacatua pastinator) in huge numbers. They migrate here to fatten up on the spilled wheat around the CBH grain handling facility and because of the water in the river. Being seed eaters they need quite large quantities of water to help digest their food. The corellas take up residence in the large gum trees that line

 

the banks of the river and that means lots of them can be found in the Pioneer Avon Park. Unfortunately for the corellas this all roughly coincides with Australia Day and this is a problem at the park because the town chooses to celebrate Australia Day there, lots of awards are handed out  and of course lots of speeches are made. Corellas are noisy – very noisy especially in their hundreds and they can easily drown out a PA system. One year our shire CEO had his wonderful speech (well he thought it was wonderful we the citizens of York thought otherwise) drowned out by raucous squawking and it made him more than a little cross to say the least. To prevent such a thing happening the next year he arranged for the birds to be culled just a few days before Australia Day. This is why York wakes up to the sound of gunfire in the days leading up to Australia Day.