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| On 08/08/2011 Connie and I stopped in at the Bellagio Conservatory and Botanical Gardens to take in their summer exhibit entitled, “2011 Summer Garden”. Changing four times a year, with the seasons, this is one of the best “free” things in Vegas. Between the fountains, the glass flower art on the ceiling in the lobby, and the gardens, you've got yourself nearly an hour of breathtaking beauty. Having gone early in the morning this time, it was much less crowded than normal and as a result, much more enjoyable. This year the aviary at the back of the exhibit was filled with more than two dozen parrots, Rainbow Lorikeets like the two above on one side and Eastern Rosellas on the other. | ||
| Description: The Rainbow Lorikeet (Genus: Trichoglossus; Species: haematodus), sometimes called Lories, is a species of Australasian parrot found in Australia, eastern Indonesia (Maluku and Western New Guinea), Papua New Guinea, New Caledonia, Solomon Islands and Vanuatu. In Australia, it is common along the eastern seaboard, from Queensland to South Australia and northwest Tasmania. Its habitat is rainforest, coastal bush and woodland areas. This small to medium sized parrot averages 10 inches in length and weighs between 3.5 and 5.5 oz. Both adults have a brown/black head with lilac/blue streaks on face; collar yellow/green; red breast banded with blue/black; dark green abdomen; green/yellow thighs to undertail coverts; green upperparts and tail; orange underwing coverts; yellow, and a wide band under the wing. Their bill is a orange/red and the eyes are a dark orange. They have a very clownish personality and are also known as being a honey-eater. They love to eat nectar's and soft fruit such as cantaloupe and grapes. Their call is a series of repeated notes, sharp, rolling while in flight; shrill chattering while feeding and soft notes when at rest. | ||
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| The entrance to this summer’s exhibit, a playful carnival and patriotic displays of Stars and Stripes, was filled with ‘dancing’ fountains in front of an over-scale replica of the Liberty Bell topped with a giant American bald eagle made from coconut chips, magnolia leaves and chopped strawflowers. On the right was a moving 11-foot-tall carousel; on the left was a 40-foot 1942 full-scale Ferris wheel. Just steps away was a stone-based rustic greenhouse containing 30 live birds (lorikeets and rosellas). Looking up at the 60-foot ceiling, the sky was filled with a wide variety of colorful hot air balloons. One can spend nearly an hour admiring the exhibits and taking in all of the beautiful flowers. It can be a very tranquil experience. |
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