There’s nothing quite like taking a leisurely hike and immersing yourself in the beauty of nature. Kym Beechey, an avid hiker, knows this all too well. She often takes her time, appreciating the scenery around her, but capturing the wildlife on camera has proven to be a challenge. However, on one fateful day in Australia’s Popran National Park, luck was finally on her side.
Beechey is no stranger to the rapid movements of the birds in the region, making it difficult to photograph them. So you can imagine her delight when she spotted what she believed to be a newborn tawny frogmouth, a bird that bears an uncanny resemblance to an owl, perched on a limb. With a stroke of good fortune, she quickly grabbed her phone, ready to capture the moment.
As she zoomed in to get a better image of the small bird, her excitement quickly turned to disappointment. The bird she thought was smiling for the camera turned out to be something else entirely. It was a banksia pod, an adorable seed pod that resembled a happy little bird.
Native to southwestern Australia, banksia pods can also be found growing in New Zealand and Papua New Guinea. While they may be reminiscent of pine cones, banksia trees are not conifers and have no relation to pine trees. The pods themselves are the fruit of the Banksia genus of plants, and they come in all shapes and sizes. Some species, like the Banksia grandis, produce large seedpods that capture the attention of artists and craft enthusiasts alike. You can even find them for sale online!
These distinctive pods break open to disperse their seeds, giving them their unique appearance. While the banksia’s beautiful flowers may fade away, the cones remain on the tree, yielding new seeds and sometimes even blooming alongside mature cones.
Though the “baby bird” turned out to be a whimsical trick of nature, it brought a smile and a laugh to Kym Beechey. She may not have captured a rare bird on camera, but she gained another charming image to add to her collection of stunning wildflowers.
This delightful encounter serves as a reminder that nature can sometimes play tricks on us, as even the most seasoned hiker can mistake a plant for something entirely different. Have you ever come across a plant that resembled another, perhaps shaped like a bird or another animal? Nature has a way of surprising us, and these moments make for wonderful stories to share.
