Trevor's Twitchings of Australian Birds

Barbary Dove

2010-06-03T00:05:00.000+09:30

Barbary Doves are essentially cage birds both here in Australia and in other countries. As far as I can determine, the original species from which this was bred no longer exists in the wild state in Africa. The bird shown on this post wandered into our garden a year or so ago. It was obviously a very tame bird and had escaped from someone's aviary. The same thing has happened in some suburbs in Adelaide and in other cities and small breeding populations are emerging.

For more information about Australian birds go to Trevor's Birding.

Spotted Turtledove

2010-05-30T00:05:00.000+09:30

Spotted Turtledoves are common birds of parks and gardens throughout eastern and southern Australia as well as parts of Western Australia. They were introduced from Asia in the 1860s. Their soft "coo-coo" calls can be pleasant at first and a common call of many towns and cities. After a few hours of hearing this persistent call it can get irritating to some people. Like many doves and pigeons, their nest is a flimsy platform of a few sticks.

To read more about Australian birds click here.

Peaceful Dove

2010-05-27T00:05:00.000+09:30

Peaceful Doves are delightful little birds. We occasionally have some visit our garden. We love hearing their soft "doodle-doo" call in the trees around our house.

Peaceful Doves are widespread throughout most of Australia except for Tasmania and southern Western Australia. Their preferred habitat includes scrublands, open grassy woodlands, farming country, parks and gardens. They make a flimsy nest of a few sticks.

Read more about Australian birds on Trevor's Birding blog.

Rock Doves

2010-05-24T00:05:00.004+09:30

Rock Doves are also called Feral Pigeons, Domestic Pigeons or Homing Pigeons. They are a common bird, usually introduced, in many large cities of the world, especially in Europe, Africa and Asia.

Here in Australia they are present in most cities and towns and are spreading to farm buildings and factories. I have also witnessed large populations living in rock crevices and small caves along coastal cliffs. Around schools and hospitals and other public buildings, for example, they can pose a considerable health risk from their droppings and as lice carriers.

For more information about Australian birds go to Trevor's Birding.

Black-fronted Dotterel

2010-05-21T00:05:00.000+09:30

The tiny Black-fronted Dotterel is found throughout most of Australia where there is suitable habitat. This species prefers shallow freshwater wetlands, swamps, edges of lakes, rivers and lagoons and sometimes brackish waters. They are usually encountered singly, in pairs and occasionally in small groups. They feed in very shallow water and along mudflats.

To read more about Australian birds click here.

Darter

2010-05-18T00:05:00.001+09:30

The Darter is also called "Snake-bird" because of its long, snake-like neck. As it swims along the surface of the water you can often only see its neck out of the water, not unlike a snake swimming.

The Darter is a widespread water bird in many parts of Australia where there is suitable habitat. It frequents lakes, rivers, reservoirs, swamps, lagoons and estuaries but rarely the open sea. After swimming individuals can be seen perched on a bank, log or tree branch with wings outstretched drying out the feathers which are not water resistant.

To read more about Australian birds, and to see many more photos of them go to Trevor's Birding blog.

Pied Currawong

2010-05-16T00:05:00.001+09:30

Pied Currawongs are found along the eastern part of Australia, from Cape York Peninsula down through to Victoria and to the south eastern tip of South Australia. They are a relatively common bird in their range. Their far reaching call is a well known sound in the forests, woodlands and farming areas in their range, as well as in parks and gardens in populated areas.

The photos on this post were taken from the kitchen window of my son's house in Artarmon in inner north Sydney. It was being harassed by several Noisy Miners.

To read more about Australian birds go to Trevor's Birding, my other blog about birds.

Grey Currawong

2010-05-14T00:05:00.001+09:30

We have several species of currawongs in Australia. These birds which look a bit like crows or ravens are found in many parts of Australia. The common one around where we live is the Grey Currawong. A juvenile is shown in the photo above.

I love hearing its far reaching call echoing through the mallee scrub. It seems to carry for over a kilometer on a still morning. We've lived in our house for over 25 years and for most of that time we never had currawongs visiting our garden. This has changed in the last five years and they are now almost daily visitors.

The local small birds like the honeyeaters do not enjoy these visits. They all set up a terribly noisy kerfuffle for they know that the currawongs will rob raid their nests given half a chance. Many baby birds get eaten by such predators.

To learn more about Australian birds go to my other blog called Trevor's Birding.

White-browed Babbler

2010-05-12T00:05:00.001+09:30

One of the more interesting bird species we have in our garden is the White-browed Babbler. This is one os several species of babblers in Australia, but the only one found near where we live.

I am always amused by these birds - they seem to be the clowns of the bird world, hopping around madly chasing one another or seeking a better place to find beetles and other bugs. All the time the mew like demented cats!

They tend to be found in family groups of 5 - 15 and the whole family will set to and make a rough, untidy nest of grass and fine twigs. Sometime it takes the flock less than a hour or two to make a nest. It is often used for roosting at night.

To read more about Australian birds and see more photos of them go to my other site called Trevor's Birding.

Singing Honeyeater

2010-05-10T00:05:00.002+09:30

There are many different kinds of honeyeaters in Australia. These birds, as their name suggests, are largely nectivorous. Many also eats fruits, berries and insects. We regularly have seven different species of honeyeaters in our garden, most of them resident breeding species.

The Singing Honeyeater is one of these species, present in small numbers, perhaps 4 - 6 at any one time. During our long hot and dry summers they enjoy coming to our bird baths for a drink. They also enjoy feeding on the nectar of the flowers of the many native Australian plants we have in our garden.

To find out more about Australian birds click here.

Yellow-rumped Thornbill

2010-05-08T00:05:00.002+09:30

Australia has a number of species of thornbills, small birds which feed on the ground or in the foliage of trees and bushes. The most common species in our garden and mallee scrub near our house are the beautiful Yellow-rumped Thornbills. Quite often we see or hear flocks of 5 - 15 moving through the garden calling to each other as they feed. On hot days in the summer they are regular visitors to our bird baths giving us excellent views of this tiny bird.

To learn more about Australian birds go to my other birding blog called Trevor's Birding.

Mallee Ringneck Parrots

2010-05-06T00:05:00.002+09:30

Australia has many very colourful birds, especially in our parrots. One of those beautiful birds has to be the Australian Ringneck parrot. This species has several sub-species, including the Mallee Ringneck shown in the photos on this post.

This parrot is a resident breeding species in our garden. We see 4 - 6 of these beautiful birds on a daily basis as they feed in the garden of nearby paddocks and mallee scrub. They are also daily visitors to our bird baths during our hot, dry summers.

You can read more about Australian birds on my other blog called Trevor's Birding.

Striated Pardalote

2010-05-04T00:05:00.002+09:30

One of my favourite garden birds would have to be the tiny Striated Pardalotes. I often hear their "peep peep" calls as they feed in the eucalyptus trees just outside my office window. They are insectivorous and when I'm out in the garden I can sometimes hear their little beaks snapping up tasty morsels as they catch their lunch.

This species is one of several found in Australia. we also have the Yellow-rumped Pardalote resident in our garden. I'll write about that another day.

Pardalotes make a nest in the hollows of trees. They will also make a small tunnel in sand with a nesting hollow at the end of the short tunnel.

For more information about Australian birds go to Trevor's Birding here.

Crested Pigeon

2010-05-02T00:10:00.000+09:30

We have many Crested Pigeons in our garden and the surrounding mallee scrub. On some occasions I have seen as many as forty perched on the power lines going along the road. They are a delight to have around and will often allow me to approach to within a few meters of where they are sitting. They also enjoy coming to drink from our bird baths on hot summer's days.
To read more about our wonderful birds here in Australia, go to Trevor's Birding.

Pacific Black Duck

2010-04-30T00:05:00.004+09:30

Pacific Black Ducks are very common throughout most of Australia where there is suitable habitat. While they often prefer artificial lakes and ponds in parks and gardens, they can also be found in many rivers, dams, reservoirs, swamps, wetlands, estuaries and lakes. Numbers can vary from a pair to many hundreds in loose flocks.
To read more about Australian birds go to Trevor's Birding.

Australian Magpie Lark

2010-04-28T00:05:00.002+09:30

The Australian Magpie Lark is a common bird in many parts of Australia. It is smaller than the Australian Magpie and often lives in close association with magpies. It is somewhat unusual in that it builds a mud nest in the shape of a small bowl. It can be found in many different habitats but especially prefers sports ovals, parks and gardens.

For more information about Australia birds check our Trevor's Birding here.

Ostriches in Australia

2010-04-26T00:05:00.005+09:30

Ostriches are not an Australian native bird. They occur naturally in Africa, but if I want to see some Ostriches here in Australia I just have to drive for about ten minutes and visit the Monarto Zoo, just a few kilometers from my home.

Monarto Zoo is an open range zoo with large tracts of land for the animals on display. Ostriches were once farmed in Australia in the 1800s for their feathers which decorated elaborate hats. More recently they have been farmed for their meat.

Below is a photo of an Australian Emu for comparison. This was also taken at Monarto Zoo.

To read more about Australian birds click here.

Brown Falcon

2010-04-24T15:32:00.000+09:30

Brown falcons are widespread in Australia. It is a common bird of prey in our country. It is also a common visitor to our garden and patch of mallee scrub behind our house. This photo was taken at the nearby Monarto Zoo, just a few kilometres from our home.
For more information about Australian birds, check out Trevor's Birding.

Weebills

2010-04-20T20:48:00.000+09:30

The Weebill is Australia's smallest bird, averaging only 8 - 9 cm in length. Despite its small size it has a remarkably loud call as it forages for insects in the outer foliage of trees and bushes, often in family groups of 4 or 5 birds. It is found throughout most of Australia (except Tasmania) in drier woodlands, mallee scrubs and mulga.

For more information about Australian birds visit Trevor's Birding.

Pied Butcherbirds

2010-04-17T00:05:00.000+09:30

To untrained eyes the Pied Butcherbird may appear to be a smaller version of our well known Australian Magpie. They are closely related and share similar wonderful singing skills. The melodious call of the Pied Butcherbird is not easily forgotten, filling the Australian bush with its rich calls.

Butcherbirds get their name from their habit of raiding the nests of other birds for nestlings, then attaching the poor baby birds to twigs or in the fork of branches like they are hanging them up in their butcher shop. This habit helps them to pull off bits to eat. They will also eat a range of insects.

For more information about Australian Birds click here.

Black-faced Cuckoo-shrike

2010-04-15T01:55:00.000+09:30

An infrequent visitor to our garden is the Black-faced Cuckoo-shrike shown in the photo above. This species is found throughout Australia and is one of several species of cuckoo-shrikes (they are actually neither cuckoos nor shrikes!).

Their preferred habitats include woodlands, forests, scrublands and parks and gardens. Their soft churring sound is made while flying or sitting in a tree; I find it strangely soothing.

For more information about Australian birds click here.

Eurasian Coots

2010-04-13T01:44:00.000+09:30

The Eurasian Coot is a widespread bird species in many parts of the world, including here in Australia. This familiar waterbird with its bright white bill and bill-shield is very abundant throughout Australia, especially in the eastern half of the continent. It is only absent in the driest inland areas.

The Coot's preferred habitats include rivers, lakes, dams, wetlands, reservoirs and sometimes estuarine waters. They can number in the hundreds in one locality. They are nomadic and can appear in large numbers when conditions are ideal, especially for breeding. The type of nest is shown below. Photos of baby coots can be seen here.

For more information about Australian birds click here.

Long-billed Corellas

2010-04-11T01:26:00.000+09:30

Long-billed Corellas are restricted to the south eastern parts of mainland Australia. They have longer bills than the Little Corella and enjoy similar habitats. I wrote about Little Corellas yesterday.

They can form large flocks in the hundreds. They make their nest in the hollow of a tree.

For more information about Australian birds click here.

Little Corellas

2010-04-09T01:16:00.001+09:30

Little Corellas make up one of Australia's largest groups of parrots, with flocks often numbering in the 100s and sometimes in the 1000s. As such they can become a pest species in wheat and other cereal growing areas.

Little Corellas are widespread throughout inland Australia and are gradually expanding their range. They can be extremely raucous when calling, especially in large flocks. They are also well loved as a pet bird and can be taught to speak a few words.

For more information about Australian Birds click here.

Sulphur-crested Cockatoos

2010-04-08T01:00:00.017+09:30

Sulphur-crested Cockatoos are found throughout northern, eastern and south eastern Australia. Their preferred habitat includes eucalyptus woodlands and forests and temperate rainforests. In the right conditions they can form flocks of a hundred or more, sometimes in association with Corellas.

Sulphur-crested Cockatoos are much prized as a pet and can be taught to say a few words. On the other hand, wild birds are able to cause damage to wooden structures on houses and other buildings, bringing them in conflict with humans. Despite this they are fully protected by law.

To find out more about Australian birds click here.

White-winged Choughs

2010-04-07T00:05:00.016+09:30

White-winged Choughs (pronounced "chuffs") are a resident breeding species in our garden. We usually have a family of about 12 - 15 here every day. Sometimes they are joined by another flock. I have seen a flock of about 30 flew through our mallee scrub near the house.

Choughs make a large bowl shaped nest out of mud, reinforced with twigs and grass. The whole family builds the nest and tend to the young. They are found throughout eastern and south eastern Australia.
For more information about Australian Birds click here

Grey Butcherbird

2010-04-06T00:05:00.001+09:30

Grey Butcherbirds are closely related to the much larger Australian Magpie. Like magpies they are beautiful song birds. Every few days one or two will visit our garden and then fill the air with their beautiful, rich, melodious song. Their presence usually sends all of the smaller birds, such as the honeyeaters, scurrying for cover. Butcherbirds regularly raid the nests of other birds for eggs or nestlings.
For more information about Australian birds click here.

Budgerigars

2010-04-05T00:05:00.014+09:30

Budgerigars are a small Australian parrot much loved as a pet around the world, often in many colour variations. The two shown in the photo above are their natural plumage colours. I don't particularly like the variations produced by selective breeding; why try to improve on perfection!
Budgerigars are found over much of Australia except for the wetter coastal regions. We only occasionally get them visiting our garden which is a pity.
Budgerigars will respond to good rains inland and breed in prolific numbers. Flocks can number in the thousands when conditions are right. They make their nest in a tree hollow.
For more information about Australian birds click here.

Rainbow Bee-eaters

2010-04-04T00:02:00.002+10:30

Rainbow Beeeaters are one of Australia's most colourful birds. They are about the size of a Common Starling but far more beautiful. They are seasonally migratory in Australia, arriving here in the southern part of the continent in early spring, breeding and then returning to warmer parts in the north in late summer, early autumn.

Their nest is a hollow chamber at the end of a 30-40cm tunnel in sand, often in the side of a bank along a road or creek bed. They catch insects - not just bees - on the wing as they soar around.

They are one of my favourite birds and we always delight in their visits to our garden.
For more information about Australian Birds click here.

Australian Pelicans

2010-04-03T00:10:00.001+10:30

The Australian Pelican is a common waterbird found throughout Australia. Like all pelicans they are large birds found in rivers, lakes, swamps, estuaries, bays and sometimes open sea. They are found throughout Australia, even the inland when conditions are right.after rain or floods.

They can be found singly through to flocks numbering in the hundreds. They often nest communally in large numbers, often on islands where there are no predators (eg foxes). Flocks are sometimes found flying at great heights, over several thousand metres.

For more information about Australian birds click here

Australian Magpies

2010-04-02T00:05:00.004+10:30

Australian Magpies are common throughout must of Australia. There are several well recognised races or sub species, including the Western Magpie, the White-backed Magpie and the Black-backed Magpie.

Australian Magpies are beautiful song birds and many people love hearing their warbling and carolling calls. Some people dislike this species during the breeding season. The male will valiantly defend the nest by swooping anyone who dares to come near. Their sharp beak can inflict a nasty wound, often drawing blood.

You can read more about Australian birds here

The above photo is a male while the one below is a juvenile begging to be fed.

The Australian Emu

2010-04-01T00:05:00.003+10:30

The Emu is Australia's largest bird. It is one of the largest birds in the world. It is also flightless.

The female lays her eggs in a depression in the ground. The male then incubates the eggs and cares for the young for up to about 18 months.

For more about Australian birds click here.

An Australian Parrot: the Galah

2010-03-31T00:10:00.007+10:30

The beautiful Galah is one of the most recognisable of Australian parrots. It can be found in large numbers throughout most of Australia. Flocks can range from a few individuals (2-10) through to many hundreds all flying together. Their beautiful pink feathers make a spectacular sight when a flock flies overhead.

They are also a very popular pet and can be taught to speak a few words. The photos on this post were taken in my garden. They are all of wild birds.

You can read more about Australian birds here.

Laughing Kookaburra

2010-03-30T17:31:00.000+10:30

On a family visit to Taronga Park Zoo in Sydney this member of the kingfisher family, a Laughing Kookaburra, posed beautifully for my camera. The call of the kookaburra is synonymous with the Australian bush.

To read more about Australian birds and to see more photos of them click here.

Silver Gulls, Victor Harbor, South Australia

2010-03-30T12:40:00.003+10:30

This lovely shot of two Silver Gulls was taken on the beach near Yilki, Encounter Bay, Victor Harbor on the south coast of South Australia.

More photos and articles about about Australian birds here.

Rainbow Bee-eaters

2006-09-30T20:05:00.000+09:30

One of my all time favourite birds that visit our garden is the Rainbow Bee-eater. Their colours are all the colours of the rainbow, hence the name. They usually visit our area about this time every year, staying around for most of the spring and summer months. In our winter they fly north where it is warmer.

They have an interesting nesting habit - they make a 30-40cm tunnel in the sand and have a little nesting chamber at the end. This has fascinated me since I was a child growing up on a farm near here.

So far I have not been able to get a photo of one. When I do, I will try to remember to post it here on my blog.

To read my other blog about birds called Trevor's Birding click here.

The Birdchaser: Last of the Parakeets

2006-03-31T11:48:00.000+10:30

The Birdchaser: Last of the Parakeets

New birding blog site

2006-03-23T15:19:00.000+10:30

I have moved my birding blog to a new web site.

All future entries can be found at

http://www.trevorsbirding.com

I also have a new blog detailing my travelling adventures at

http://www.trevorstravels.com

My other writings can be found at

http://www.trevorhampel.com

Check me out often - I try to update my blogs every day or so.

Rainbow Lorikeets

2006-03-03T08:57:00.000+10:30

Above: Photo of a Rainbow Lorikeet

Rainbow Lorikeets would have to be one of Australia's most beautiful birds. They are aptly named. As they fly overhead in a flash of colour they light up their little patch of the azure blue sky. Their feathers are a brilliant blend of bright reds, greens, blues and yellows. As they screech overhead - and that is an accurate description of their harsh calls - their stunningly red underwings are like a blood-streak across a blue backdrop.

Rainbow Lorikeets are widespread along the northern, eastern and southern coastal regions of Australia. Their preferred habitats include woodlands, rainforests and wherever eucalypts are numerous. They are easily seen in parks and gardens throughout many of our towns and cities.

Despite being quite common I have had some difficulty getting reasonably clear photographs of this species. When flying they seem to be going too fast to focus on them. When feeding they are often well hidden in the thick foliage of a eucalypt tree as they search out nectar from the flowers.

A single tree, if heavily in flower, can be host to twenty or thirty of these stunning beauties, their contact calls a never-ending chorus of murmurings and chatterings. Yet, despite the numbers, most remain hidden amongst the leaves, usually near the top and out of sight - but not out of earshot. In large numbers their screeching can be deafening, especially near sunset as they squabble and jostle for roosting spots.

Rock Doves

2006-03-02T15:36:00.000+10:30

This posting sits a little uneasily. All postings are supposed to be about Australian birds. I am about to break my own rule and show some photos of an introduced species, the Rock Dove or Feral Pigeon. (It is also called a Domestic Pigeon or Homing Pigeon).

Above: Photo of Rock Doves perching on a dead
eucalyptus branch, near Murray Bridge, South Australia.

A few weeks ago I managed to get a good photograph of two Rock Doves perched on the dead branches of a eucalyptus tree near our home. They allowed me to approach quite close before flying off. Many more were feeding on the ground in a nearby paddock.

In Australia, like so many places, they have become a pest species, especially in city parks and gardens. I have also seen large flocks numbering in the thousands along the coastal cliffs in parts of South Australia.

Rock Doves were introduced to Australia many years ago and have successfully spread throughout the more temperate regions of southern and eastern Australia. They have been particularly successful in our larger cities and towns. Very large flocks can also been seen near grain storage silos in rural areas.

Many cities around the world have a massive pigeon problem. The health risk posed by these birds must be enormous, not to mention the mess they make. On a recent visit to Kathmandu, Nepal, I had the misfortune to be the target of not one but two pigeons on the same day. This annoyance resulted in some extra washing in my hotel room that night. I was so pleased I was wearing a hat at the time.

Above: A photo of a Rock Dove on a temple, Kathmandu, Nepal.

Several days later while visiting the city of Patan, Kathmandu, I saw a local lady selling food for tourists and locals to feed to the local population of pigeons. As the seed was spread by her customers, hundreds of pigeons descended from the nearby temples and other buildings in thick clouds of flapping feathers. They all assembled hurriedly in a little chained off area set aside for the purpose. This is not the way to discourage their booming populations. I didn't stop to ask if feeding the pigeons had some religious significance; perhaps it did.

Above: a photo of pigeons in Patan, Nepal.

Spiny Cheeked Honeyeaters

2006-03-01T14:28:00.000+10:30

A photo of a Spiny Cheeked Honeyeater.

Spiny Cheeked Honeyeaters are a resident breeding species in our garden in Murray Bridge, South Australia. While they are not very common or numerous in this area they are widespread. They tend to be found in the drier, inland regions of Australia but can also be found in some coastal areas. They are not present in the tropical northern regions.

Hardly a day goes by without several of them visiting the bird bath near our sun room. They are often seen feeding on the vast array of native Australian plants in our garden. They have a particular preference for the Correas, Eremophilas and Grevilleas which abound in our garden.

While their calls can be somewhat haunting, I love hearing their "yoo hoo" calls as they scrabble around searching for a feed.

Taronga Zoological Park Pt 2

2006-02-27T15:38:00.000+10:30

Photo of a Galah at the Bird Show at Taronga Zoo, Sydney.

The Galah pictured above is featured in the Bird Show at the Taronga Zoological Park. The keeper asks a member of the audience to place a coin in his or her palm and to stand up. The Galah then flies to the audience member and collects the coin. It then flies back to the keeper and pops the coins in the keeper's pocket. After some more banter from the keeper the bird returns the coin to its original owner. It is all very amusing and indicates how some of our birds can be trained to do tricks like this.

As well as seeing many birds, both wild and captive, there are many interesting animals to view. One of these is the Himalayan Thar, a species I saw in the wild only a few weeks ago on a trek through the Everest region of the Himalayan mountains.

Photo of an Himalayan Thar, Taronga Zoo, Sydney.

Another highlight on one's visit to this zoo is the many absolutely stunning views of Sydney Harbour from the grounds of Taronga Park.

It is almost worth paying the entrance fee just to see the great views.

Photo showing the view of Sydney CBD from Taronga Zoo.

Taronga Zoological Park

2006-02-25T20:13:00.000+10:30

Photo of the entrance to Taronga Zoological Park, Sydney.

We are in Sydney visiting our son and daughter in law. Today we went to the Taronga Zoological Park. it has been almost six years since our last visit. There have been many changes made since then. It was quite obvious that big attempts have been made to improve both the animal displays and the overall facilities for humans.

While our prime objective was to view the animal displays, I cannot help being on the lookout for native Australian birds flying around free. Many of the enclosure's feed trays provide a free meal for some of our native species. This Noisy Miner didn't need to get into one of the cages. It just fed from a bottlebrush flower poking though one of the aviaries.

Photo of Noisy Miner feeding on a bottlebrush (Callistemon sp)

As we were going along we observed a Laughing Kookaburra sitting quietly on the branch of a tree near the path. This is one species I have been trying to photograph since buying my new digital camera. This was one species I didn't expect to see or photograph today.

Photo of a Laughing Kookaburra in the grounds of Taronga Zoo, Sydney.

One of the highlights of visiting Taronga Zoo is the show put on by a range of Australian birds under the direction of several keepers. It is awesome to observe a Wedge Tailed Eagle gliding about a metre or two overhead as it headed down towards the keeper. We also saw a beautiful White-Bellied Sea-Eagle.

Photo of a White-Bellied Sea-Eagle

Zebra Finch

2006-02-13T22:08:00.000+10:30

Photo of a Zebra Finch

We went to visit Pangarinda Arboretum again today. This is a large plantation of Australian native plants just east of Wellington, South Australia. This is about half an hour from Murray Bridge, or just over an hour from Adelaide.

As is my custom these days my attention was divided between watching birds, making a list of birds I see for my database, photographing any birds I see and photographing the many beautiful flowers in this arboretum. Summer is fast coming to an end here in the Murraylands region of South Australia so there are not too many native Australian plants in flower at present, but still enough for me to get some very nice shots.

The birding was also quite good with 23 species recorded. The best sighting of the day was that of Zebra Finches. I have recorded this species here before, but not in such good numbers. They almost outnumbered the commonest bird in the garden, the New Holland Honeyeater. A number of finches, including an obliging male, came close enough for me to get some lovely photos.

Collared Sparrowhawk

2006-02-08T11:18:00.000+10:30

I haven't updated my blog since late last year. I have been overseas for much of January, first in Thailand and then trekking in Nepal. Soon I will be writing a separate blog for that trip. Watch out for some amazing photography.

In the meantime, the bird life around home continues to delight. Just a short while ago while I was reading today's paper I looked up to see a Collared Sparrowhawk in a tree just outside our sun room. I took one photograph through the window but this was not very satisfactory because the bird was sitting on a branch at least 30 metres away.

I went outside and crept closer, photographing every few metres. I was eventually able to creep to within five metres. Even though this species is regularly seen in our garden, this is the first time I have had the opportunity to get good shots of one. The individual here is an immature. I didn't manage to see what it was eating. It may have been a House Sparrow. It flew off with the evidence.

Bushfire

2005-12-21T11:42:00.000+10:30

Yesterday's weather forecast promised northerly winds with a maximum temperature of 37 degrees Celsius. I decided to go for an hour long walk early in the morning to avoid the worst of the heat.

As far as birds were concerned I didn't see anything out of the ordinary. Numbers seemed to be down by about 50% but this only indicates that they were not calling as much. On my local walks more than half of my bird identifications are by call alone.

I did get a good photograph of two - presumably a pair - of galahs sitting high in the dead branches of a mallee tree near the road.

I was intrigued by the rising sun lighting up the ruins of an old farmhouse less than a kilometre from our front gate. I am very pleased with this shot because it also shows up the thick mallee scrub behind it. During summer months I rarely venture up in that area for walks or bird watching because the few tracks through the area are so overgrown with weeds and grasses one cannot have warning of snakes. Little did I know that a few hours later this area would become an inferno.

Mid afternoon a bushfire broke out just behind this old farmhouse. As the afternoon passed the fire grew worse and by four o'clock, with the temperature around 42 degrees, we and our neighbours decided to pack some essential items in our cars and have them ready for a retreat. If the forecast cool change came early or the wind suddenly changed direction, our house was in a direct line of the fire.

We watched anxiosly for the next eight hours as about thirty fire crews, many from distant towns, battled the blaze. A helicopter constantly dropped water and three fire fighting fixed wing planes dropped fire retardant on the blaze. At midnight another twelve relief fire crews and their trucks came to the scene; some had travelled from as far as Pinnaroo, nearly two hours travel away.

After a restless few hours sleep we were awoken at 4:30am by the smell of smoke; the wind had finally changed. By then there were only a few spot fires visible from our window. This morning the cool change has been welcome relief. Several fire crews are still watching the area. Wisps of smoke can still be seen from a few hot spots. Mallee stumps and roots can smoulder for weeks if left unattended.

The main threat is now over, but the forecast for more hot weather over the next two days will keep us on edge. This, however, has been our only fire threat in over twenty years of living in this house.

Galahs in the morning sun

2005-12-15T13:34:00.000+10:30

On my morning walks through the mallee scrubland and the nearby farming land I often come across or hear the beautiful Australian parrot, the Galah. This species is very common throughout most of Australia. They can often be observed in pairs or small flocks and occasionally very large flocks numbering several hundred.

On recent morning walks I have seen about 4 to 8 Galahs sitting on top of several wattle bushes (Acacia spp) on the side of the road I walk along. They are usually busy eating the seeds. The rising sun catches the brilliant colours of the breast feathers, lighting up the dull green leaves of the bush. On too many occasions I have not had my camera with me.

Yesterday I tried to creep up to get a good photograph. This little flock was very wary and flew off to some nearby mallee trees. I was able to zoom in sufficiently to get a reasonable shot of one of them.

In the paddock opposite there a few more Galahs busily searching for seeds in the grasses in the field. This is a common sight in Australian paddocks. Sometimes the ground seems to turn pink as hundreds of Galahs swoop down to the ground looking for a meal.

Chuffing around

2005-12-14T16:28:00.000+10:30

On my morning walks in the hills to the west of Murray Bridge in South Australia I often come across family groups of White Winged Choughs (pronounced "chuffs"). These amusing birds are reasonably common throughout the mallee districts of our state. Their white wings are quite conspicuous when they are in flight.

White Winged Choughs

White Winged Choughs are usually found in family groups of about four or five through to as many as fifteen and sometimes more. They are often seen foraging for food on the ground. We often watch them from our sun room or in our garden as they strut around with an important looking air. It amuses us that they seem to prefer walking to flying. When startled, they fly up to the nearest tree, their rasping alarm calls carrying far. At other times their calls can be mournful whistles.

White Winged Choughs make a large bowl shaped mud nest. Below is a photograph I took this morning in an area where I have often observed several groups of choughs. This particular nest did not seem to be in use at present. It looks quite new and was probably used in the spring time this year (Sept-Nov). Elsewhere I have observed the whole family group building the nest and later co-operatively feeding the young in the nest. Approximate size of the nest is 20-25cm high and 20-25cm wide.

Mud Nest of the White Winged Chough

Lorikeets, Parrots and Wattlebirds

2005-12-13T22:21:00.000+10:30

This evening I was attracted by some birds calling outside. I went to investigate, thinking that they were probably Rainbow Lorikeets. I didn't take my camera with me.

Sure enough, I had some good views of two Rainbow Lorikeets in the tree next to our driveway. The seeting sun was lighting up the brilliant colours of one of them. I needed my camera. It was still inside.

I casually walked inside trying not to scare the birds away by sudden movements. On emerging with the camera the lorikeets had disappeared - of course! Instead, I was content to get some very good shots of a Red Wattlebird in the setting sun in the same tree. It almost seemed like he was posing for me.

Red Wattlebird

Perhaps the lorikeets had persuaded him to pose for them, because as I walked inside, they emerged from a nearby tree and flew a sortie overhead, screeching their taunts at me. One day, one day I'll get a good shot of them.

Rainbow Lorikeets are quite common throughout the urban areas of Murray Bridge but we only occasionally see them on our home block on the outskirts of the city. In recent weeks they have been daily visitors. This indicates that there has to be enough plants flowering around here to attract these beautiful, but noisy, birds.

On this morning's walk a had good views of two Elegant Parrots. This beautiful species is widespread in this area but they are not common anywhere. I also saw a single Adelaide Rosella. These are common in the Adelaide region and this is the eastern extent of their range and are uncommon in Murray Bridge. If I'd had my camera with me I would have been able to get an excellent photograph of a Rainbow Bee-eater sitting on a gate in the early morning sun.

Tomorrow.

Tomorrow - I'll take my camera on my walk.

Lapwings Living Dangerously

2005-12-09T22:49:00.000+10:30

On my way to a friend's place this afternoon my car was "attacked" by an angry Masked Lapwing. I slowed right down to make sure I didn't drive over it.

A few metres from the edge of the road was the reason for all the aggro. A tiny golf ball sized bit of fluff on legs was trying to cross the road. It made it successfully to the other side before another car came along. It too, was attacked by the very defensive parent.

This incident reminds me of a similar sighting over ten years ago. It was at possibly the busiest intersection in Adelaide. For those of you who know Adelaide it was the North Terrace, West Terrace, Port Road intersection. The very brave Masked Lapwing parents were trying desperately to keep their two little ones on the triangular grass medium strip. Trying to cross six or eight lanes of busy Saturday afternoon traffic would not have been a good career move. Of course, I was not able to witness what happened. I had to go with the flow of traffice and not sit there bird watching.

Pangarinda Arboretum, Wellington, South Australia

2005-11-27T21:53:00.000+10:30

This morning we travelled down river through Tailem Bend to the small town of Wellington, South Australia. This town is near the end of the River Murray where it flows into Lake Alexandrina. From this lake it flows into the Coorong and out to the Southern Ocean.

Just east of the river at Wellington is the Pangarinda Arboretum. This consists of a plantation of Australian native plants established over a decade ago by local members of the Australian Plant Society (APS). The plantation has been planted in sections to represent different plant regimes from different parts of Australia.

Today's gathering of members of APS was for a special Christmas lunch for members of the three local branches of APS. Members came from the Murray Bridge, Parrakie and Karoonda groups. Also present were members of the family of Ross Foreman who celebrates his 80th birthday tomorrow. Ross and his late wife Pat have been long time members of APS and they have freely given hundreds of volunteer hours of work to the arboretum. After cutting the birthday cake we all moved to another section of the plantation for Ross to open the Foreman Gazebo. This looks over the arboretum to the east and the river to the west.

After the ceremony we all wandered around the plantings looking at the many flowering plants. Some had finished their spring flowering but others, like the banksias, were resplendant in a variety of shapes and colours.

The bird watching was quite good too, with 22 species recorded, despite all the people wandering around. I managed to get some very good flower shots and one good photograph of a thornbill. The following is a list of the birds seen:

White Faced Heron
Pacific Black Duck
Nankeen Kestral
Swamp Harrier
Black Kite
White Ibis
Rock Dove
Peaceful Dove
Crested Pigeon
Galah
Elegant Parrot
Singing Honeyeater
New Holland Honeyeater
Magie Lark
Australian Magpie
Yellow Rumped Thornbill
Common Starling
House Sparrow
Common Blackbird
European Goldfinch
Willie Wagtail

Welcome Swallow

Yellow Rumped Thornbill

One of the members who regularly does volunteer work there reported to me that Zebra Finches had been breeding in the plantation recently.

Morning Walk

2005-11-24T16:42:00.000+10:30

I went for an hour long walk early this morning. I hadn't intended making a list of birds I saw and heard but the birding was so good this morning that I recorded a list of all the species seen and heard.

For my regular walks I have five different routes. Two of the walks have been added only in the last eighteen months. Three of the routes I have used regularly for many years. I have bird lists for some of these walks over the last 17 years and this information is entered on a birding database.

The highlight of the walk this morning was to see four Varied Sittellas. This species is widespread in this area but they are not common anywhere. I have recorded them on only a few occasions. Unfortunately I didn't have my camera with me so I cannot show a picture of one. They behave a little like treecreepers, clinging to the tree branches in all kinds of positions. More experienced ornithologists than me have been quite perplexed as to how these delightful little birds seem to be able to hop underneath a branch - and not fall off. They seem to defy gravity!

Another highlight this morning was to hear several Peaceful Doves. Their soft coo-cooing has an almost ventriloquial quality; it can seem to be coming from a hundred metres away but the bird is actually sitting in the tree above you! I did get a photograph of a Peaceful dove several days ago but it was in too much shadow to see it clearly.

Both of these species are occasional visitors to our garden. It is always a delight to hear and see them so close to our home.

A Happy Birthday

2005-11-23T19:31:00.000+10:30

It was my birthday last week. I had a really great day. The weather was perfect at about 25 degrees, a bright cloudless sky and a gentle cooling breeze.

My wife suggested that we go out for lunch. We tried a recently opened restaurant called Pomberuk here in Murray Bridge. It is a part of the Aboriginal Cultural Centre. Downstairs there is a museum telling the story of the local Aboriginal people. There are also many paintings featuring local Aboriginal artists. On one side of the gallery and museum there is a viewing window where you can see chocolates being made in The Cottage Box factory.

Upstairs there is a gift shop and the restaurant. You may choose to eat indoors in the main restaurant or out on the balcony. The restaurant overlooks the River Murray, less than 40 metres away. The birdwatching is great from this vantage point, although some birds may be frightened away a little by the noise coming from both bridges.

The restaurant is situated between two of the the three bridges here in Murray Bridge. Near the CBD there is a road bridge and a separate rail bridge. Several kilometres downstream is the newer Swanport Bridge which serves the road bypass on the Adelaide to Melbourne highway. I was quite surprised how little noise coming from the bridges actually reaches one as you sit on the balcony of the restaurant. The food was delicious. And reasonably priced too.

This photograph show two of the three bridges at Murray Bridge.
The road bridge is in the foreground with the rail bridge is in the background.
Pomberuk is on the right in between these two bridges.

After lunch we drove a little distance downstream and found a shady tree to park under. we sat there for nearly half an hour watching the river flow past. Very relaxing.

Eurasian Coot are a common bird on the Murray River at Murray Bridge.

Here is a list of the birds I saw during that time:

Rock Dove
House Sparrow
Common Starling
Eurasian Coot
Welcome Swallow
Clamorous Reedwarbler
Black Winged Stilt
Black Tailed Native Hen
Silver Gull
Pacific Black Duck
White Plumed Honeyeater
Noisy Miner
Red Wattlebird
Willie Wagtail
Little Raven
Galah
Crested Pigeon
Rainbow Lorikeet
Blackbird
Australian Magpie
Magpie Lark

Noisy Miners belong to the honeyeater family of birds, but this one has taken a liking to some bread left by someone having a picnic.

Galahs on Guard

2005-11-18T19:43:00.000+10:30

This morning while out in the garden I saw about eight Galahs fly in quietly and settle on the tall mallee tree near the house. I observed them watching me carefully as I tried not to look too conspicuous as I casually went inside to fetch the camera. they were still there when I came out but were very cautious.

I mananged to get a few shots of them before they flew off squawking in their usual manner. Perhaps they didn't like me pointing something up at them. Maybe they were heading off to join the flock I heard calling in the distance. The flock seemed to be quite large; sometimes they can reach into the hundreds.

The shots I managed are not very good photographs. The sky was overcast and the light conditions very poor. Somewhere in my collection of slides I have a magnificent photograph of a pair of Galahs sitting on the remnant of a tree sticking out of the water in one of the lakes at Hattah-Kulkyne National Park in Victoria. The photo was taken with the last rays of sunlight lighting up the rose coloured feathers. I must find that slide, scan it and post it here.

It is a magnificent sight to see a flock of two to three hundred Galahs all gliding and wheeling through the air in unison, the setting sun lighting up their breast feathers like so many rose coloured beacons flaming against the deep blue Australian sky.

Less attractive are the sneaky groups of half a dozen or so that slip under our radar in the early morning light and proceed to demolish the crop on our almond trees weeks before they are ready to pick. Or the brazen individuals that sit atop the pear trees, nibbling around the stem of each piece of fruit, again, only weeks before they are ripe.

Gluepot Bird Sanctuary - more photographs

2005-11-14T21:44:00.000+10:30

I've just been editing some of the photographs I took on my recent visit to Gluepot Bird Sanctuary near Waikerie in South Australia.

On several walks I took and during a long drive through the park on the last day of my visit, I observed that many of the mallee trees were in flower. These flowers act like magnets to the many honeyeater species common in the Australian mallee environment. The most common species attracted by the flowers was the Yellow Plumed Honeyeater.

Yellow Plumed Honeyeater

Yellow Plumed Honeyeaters seemed to be almost everywhere, and very common wherever the mallee was in flower.

Towards the end of my drive through the reserve I stopped to identify two birds feeding on the ground near the roadside. I was delighted to observe a male and female Chestnut Quail-Thrush calmly walking along searching for food in the leaf litter. I managed to photograph both of them but the best shot was of the male.

Chestnut Quail-Thrush

The striking plumage makes for excellent camouflage, but this individual was quite obvious on the bare earth.

In the small hours

2005-11-04T21:03:00.000+10:30

I couldn't get to sleep last night. I don't want to go into details. At 2am I decided to get out of bed, check my email (eek, eek, I becoming a geek!), did a little web surfing and then proceeded to do some writing.

At about 3am I heard the unmistakeable call of an Australian Owlet-Nightjar, a small nocturnal owl-like bird common in this area. I have heard this species calling many times here and in other places, especially when out camping. When a neighbour (also a birder) called to me one afternoon several years ago I was able to actually see one for the first time. It was in a tree near their back fence. They are amazingly dainty and much smaller than I had anticipated.

We also have some other nocturnal birds that visit our garden. The most common is the Tawny Frogmouth. we love hearing its call near the house and usually grab a torch to search it out.

From time to time we have also had Barn Owls visit and many years ago a Boobook Owl was heard calling nearby.

Bath time

2005-11-02T15:14:00.000+10:30

While we were enjoying our lunch today two Australian Ringneck parrots came to our bird bath. They proceeded to have a very thorough soaking, as the photograph shows.

I guess that they were feeling rather hot. Today is the hottest day we have had since last summer. Spring here in Murray Bridge, South Australia, has been very mild, sometimes even cool with plenty of lovely rain.

Going Botanical

2005-11-01T16:48:00.000+10:30

Yesterday my wife and I visited the Mt Lofty Botanic Gardens. These gardens in the Mt Lofty Ranges are part of the Adelaide Botanic Gardens and are about 15-20 minutes drive from the CBD.

It was a glorious day and just right for a walk through this delightful spot in South Australia. It was about 25 degrees Celcius, clear azure blue sky with a gentle cooling breeze just right for the exertion of walking uphill. These gardens are a feature of the eastern slopes of Mt Lofty, the highest point dominating the Adelaide skyline.

The section we walked through is dominated by extensive planting of Rhondodendrons. These magnificent plants were mostly out in flower and made a dazzling display in the Australian bushland surrounding them.

The forest we walked through was dominated by an introduced bird unfortunately. I love the call of the Common Blackbird, but when it drowns out the calls of our lovely native species it is disappointing. I must have seen and heard over 50 of this species in the hour and a half walk.

Other species included a small flock of Yellow-Tailed Black-Cockatoos, several Grey Fantails, a single Eastern Spinebill and many Crimson Rosella parrots. In the upper section of the park the only bird I managed to photograph was a Grey Currawong, too busy searching for his afternoon snack under the bark of the nearby trees to worry about my camera clicking away.

After our walk we drove down to the lower section to have afternoon tea in the lakeside picnic grounds. Here I was able to get many good shots of a Black Swan, a single Magpie Lark, several Eurasian Coot, Pacific Black Duck and many Wood Ducks. The Hoary Headed Grebes out in the middle of the lake were too far away to get good photos.

Getting a bit cocky

2005-10-26T14:10:00.000+09:30

I had a great delight yesterday morning as I put out our bin for our weekly collection of rubbish. No - putting out the bin is NOT the highlight of my week. It is a neccessary activity once a week before midday every Tuesday.

As I was returning along our driveway I heard the unmistakeable call of a cockatoo. Two in fact. High in the sky to the west of our five acre (2 hectare) block on the outskirts of Murray Bridge I saw two Yellow-Tailed Black-Cockatoos (YTBC). This was a new species to add to our home list.

YTBCs are widespread across much of South-Eastern Australia. I have seen small flocks of them some 60km to the west in the Mt. Lofty Ranges. I have also recorded a few at Meningie some 80km south of here. I have also seen large flocks of over 100 at Coonalpyn about 90km South-East of here and even larger flocks in the South-East of South Australia. This is my first record of this species in or near Murray Bridge. The habitat is generally not suitable for them. The native pines east of the River Murray may sustain a small population for a limited time but there would be few large nesting hollows present to attract them to breed in this area.

It was a delightful start to the day. Unfortunately they flew over too quickly to get out the camera. To see a photograph and a drawing of this species click here.

Gluepot Bird Sanctuary

2005-10-24T11:53:00.000+09:30

It has been quite a while since my last entry. I've been busy and quite often distracted by other things in my life.

A few weeks ago I had my first visit to Gluepot Bird Reserve. This is about 64km north of Waikerie in South Australia. This large tract of mallee bushland used to be a working sheep station. In 1997 the members of Birds Australia purchased the land and have set it aside as a bird reserve. This area has a high concentration of threatened species present and so it has become a very valuable part of Australia's reserves. I was one of the many members who donated funds for its purchase.

The main reason for visiting on this occasion was to attend the very first course held at the reserve. It was a Nature Photography course and was very beneficial. It forced me to become more familiar with my Canon Powershot S2 IS digital camera.

This Grey Butcherbird visited my campsite.

Pity it looked away just as I took the photo!

Gluepot Reserve is a wonderful birding destination. The new Visitor Centre is not only packed with information, it is also a beautiful building. The course I attended was held next door in the shearing shed which had been converted into a lecture hall. The final touches were being made as we arrived for the first session on the Saturday morning.

Gluepot Reserve has many roads which enable the visitor to experience the different environments within the reserve. After rain these roads can become like a "gluepot" hence the name of the station. Bird hides have been placed in strategic places to observe the birds up close.

I only had time to access several of the more than a dozen walking tracks. These tracks take the keen birders deep into the mallee and spinifex country where the birds abound. Several camping grounds enable one to camp right where the birds are common. The camp sites are all set in beautiful scrubland.

My camping spot at Gluepot Reserve.

I was able to add a new species to my Life List; the Black-Eared Miner. This species of honeyeater is nationally threatened but relatively easy to find in parts of Gluepot. Although I missed out on many other species I would like to have seen, such as the Scarlet Chested Parrot, I am determined to return frequently in the future.

On one of my drives on the Monday I was able to get some good photographs of several Bearded Dragons.A Bearded Dragon lizard on the road side at Gluepot.

Australian Ringneck

2005-09-14T19:28:00.000+09:30

Working in the garden this afternoon I needed to stop what I was doing to take some photographs of a local species of parrot, the Australian Ringneck (also called Mallee Ringneck). I did not have to go looking for the bird in question. It was almost like it came looking for me! It flew right up to me in our plant nursery and sat on a nearby branch, not more than 3 metres away.

Of course, the camera was in the house, so I tried to casually walk into the house hoping that the ringneck would stay there. It didn't but flew to a tree some 50 metres away. I continued working, all the time watching for the bird to return. I didn't have to wait long. It settled in a tree near the house. I quietly went inside with the camera, planning to use our sun-room as a hide. We have three bird baths about six metres from a large picture window. We have had hundreds of very enjoyable meals watching the parade of birds coming to drink or bathe. Again, a very "good" waste of time, being very relaxing and enjoyable.

Today's visitor was taking quite a deal of interest in the water. After taking some good photos through the window I decided to go outside and see how close I could get to the ringneck. I was able to get to about 3 metres away while the bird came down to the bird-bath and proceed to have a very thorough bath. I managed to get several more excellent photos. I then pressed the video button on the camera and filmed the bird washing and preening for about two minutes. I haven't yet worked out whether I can make this video available on this blog.

Usually we have only two Australian Ringnecks around in the garden. In recent months there have been four, two of them juveniles. They aren't in our garden constantly but rather roam over a wide range of the local environment. We usually love seeing them near to the house like today. When they decide to raid the orchard and nip the buds off the pear and apple trees we get just a tad annoyed - no - angry. We also get no fruit! Today I observed only one bird; I wonder if the other is nesting somewhere?

Little Brown Birds

2005-09-14T13:33:00.000+09:30

I have started photographing birds in the wrong way. I have taken on those LBBs (Little Brown Birds) which cause so much angst amongst birders. Some of them are annoyingly difficult to identify, even when conditions seem good.

They are sometimes hard to get good views of even when they sit still. Some of them never seem to sit still for even a second. Then they are too far away to be certain about the ID or they are partly obscured by foliage, twigs or branches. The opposite is sometimes a problem; too close to focus one's binoculars yet too far away for the naked eye!

Our little patch of mallee scrub has an interesting set of LBBs on tap just waiting to annoy me and to engage me in an identification detective trail through several field guides. One species is simple; the Yellow-Rumped Thornbill has a very bright yellow rump displayed prominently as they fly off. The Yellow Thornbill is easily confused with it if the shadows are playing tricks with your eyes; fortunately this species is not resident on our property. It is an occasional visitor.

The Chestnut-Rumped Thornbill, another occasional visitor, should be easy to identify, but this species is easily confused with the Inland Thornbill. Fortunately I've only recorded this latter species on one occasion on our property. Still, it shows that one has to be ever vigilant and not assume anything.

Throw into this mess the smallest LBB of all, the Weebill. It is also Australia's smallest bird. Sometimes the trees around us just burst into song from these delightful little birds. It can seem the the trees themselves are singing. Combine that with the peacefulness of our scrub, the bright sunshine and soft breeze, having to get on with tasks becomes a real challenge in discipline. Much easier to sit back and enjoy the day. Mind you, we sometimes do just that, cuppa in hand. It is a "good" waste of time, our equivalent of taking time to "smell the roses."

Having said all of that I feel reasonably confident that the three photos in today's blog are in fact Weebills. Well, I'm not too sure of the last photo; the bill seems too pointed.

Going cuckoo

2005-09-12T22:59:00.000+09:30

I haven't added an entry for several days. I had a busy weekend and the only free time was taken up watching the amazing battle between Australia and England in the Fifth and deciding Ashes Cricket Test. Watching cricket is another of my passions. I often accompany my daughter Rose to the test cricket at the world's most beautiful cricket ground, the Adelaide Oval.

My only observation of note today was hearing a Horsfield's Bronze-Cuckoo near the house. Try as I might I couldn't even get a glimpse of said cuckoo, never mind attempting to get a photograph. The first cuckoo of the spring I heard about two weeks ago and then only for a few seconds. Today's individual hung around for about an hour.

Spring is well and truly under way here in Murray Bridge. Many birds are busy breeding, native plants are flowering and exotics like roses are sprouting new leaves in profusion. We have a few vines are they are also showing their first leaves. In our small orchard the fruit trees are either in blossom and have buds about to burst. The above photo shows a beautiful Nectarine blossom. The second photograph shows the magnificent bloom of the Grevillea "Winpara Gem", a popular Australian plant.

I have noticed that the Crested Pigeons are not very conspicuous at present. I wonder if they are nesting somewhere? I must have a good snoop around tomorrow. Meanwhile, here is another beautiful photograph of one of the local Crested Pigeons sun-bathing near the house last week.

How sweet it is

2005-09-09T21:43:00.000+09:30

I have been trying for several days to capture a New Holland Honeyeater doing their usual gymnastic tricks while feeding. Just before lunch today I managed to get one upside down feeding from a flower in an Eremophila youngii. Eremophilas are commonly called Emu Bushes.

No - I haven't inserted the photograph upside down! It's the bird that is upside down. The curved beaks of the Ausralian honeyeaters are ideally suited to feeding from many of the Australian plants like the Eremophilas, Correas and Prostantheras with their tube shaped flowers.Of course the New Holland Honeyeaters don't have it all to themselves. The Red Wattlebirds also insist on their fair share of the spoils. The above photo shows a Red Wattlebird busy in another eremophila nearby. A few seconds after this photo was taken a New Holland Honeyeater tried to chase the wattlebird away, only to have the tables turned and become the one being chased.
Wattlebirds can be bossy creatures, especially if another bird tries to muscle in on their patch of food. The above photo shows a rare moment in the life of a Red Wattlebird - sitting peacefully on a branch of a Eucalyptus citriodora or Lemon Scented Gum. On closer inspection of the photo I just realised that this individual is keeping the above eremophila plant under surveillance.

My new interest in butterflies continues unabated. I didn't realise how many butterflies we have around our garden until I started quietly stalking them, camera poised. Today I managed several reasonable shots of the Vanessa kershawi or the Australian Painted Lady butterfly. We have at least two other species common in our garden, but I have yet to get a good shot of them. I know of at least two other species that have visited in the past but I haven't seen them for several years.

Here's another challenge I could set myself. Try to get some photos of the dragonflies we have around here! Then I could move on to other insects, such as ants and beetles. And what about caterpillars? Oh, and then we have quite a selection of reptiles, including Brown Snakes (which are very dangerous so I don't want to get too close; the zoom lens will help there).

As for lizards, they are on the move already. I have included a photo taken yesterday of a Stumpy-Tailed Lizard (also called a Shingleback). We have quite a few individuals on our little estate. I haven't seen any young Stumpy-Tails for a few months. We did see several in the autumn months. We enjoy seeing them come to one of the bird baths for a drink. The Aussie expression "flat out like a lizard drinking" is so apt. To illustrate how common this species is in the Murray Bridge area, our local poetry competition is called "The Stumpies". I'll try to get a link to details of this award.

We also have a range of geckoes and skinks on our land, all of them quite beautifully marked and would make wonderful photographs to include in this journal. Then we have the following mammals present (or occasional visitors): Western Grey Kangaroo, Common Brushtail Possum, Short-Beaked Echidna, Brown Hare*, European Rabbit*, House Mouse*, Black Rat*, Red Fox* and feral cat*(*introduced). I am sure we probably also have four or five species of bats but I've only indentified the Western Broad-Nosed Bat.

Mmmm... methinks I've opened a can of worms here!

Worms???
How photogenic are worms??

PS. I'm so pleased I do not have to buy film for this new camera.

Golden moments

2005-09-08T11:38:00.000+09:30

Every now and then one has a Golden Moment in birdwatching. Several weeks ago I had the delight of close views of a male Golden Whistler. How the bright colours lit up the winter gloom. This particular bird has been an irregular visitor throughout the winter months. More recently I have seen the female several times.

In my excitement, however, I didn't take the time to focus the camera as sharply as I would like. Consequently, these shots are not of the quality I would like. The bird was moving around quite a bit too, and this only made the task even more difficult.

Despite these problems and difficulties, these photos do should how brilliantly the male Golden Whistler lights up the Australian bush. Add to this visual delight is the lovely rich call of all the whistler family. We also have occasional visits by Rufous Whistlers. Another great songbird is the Grey Shrike-Thrush. We are so grateful that we have a resident breeding pair near our home. In recent years they have nested inside an empty plastic plant pot in Corinne's plant nursery shed!

Magging with Magpies

2005-09-07T13:46:00.000+09:30

Okay - this is my second entry for today. So what? My excuse is to show off some more photos.

Corinne and I were sitting outside enjoying the lovely spring weather while we ate our lunch. Bright cloudless sky, gentle breeze and about 20C. It doesn't get much better than this. Someone has to be out there watching our wonderful Australian birds.

Our local Australian Magpies are currently nesting. They refurbished the nest they used last year. In so many parts of Australia we would be cautious about going anywhere near an occupied nest for fear of being swooped. We are very pleased that "our" magpies have always been very friendly. In over 20 years of living here I've only ever been swooped once; that was my fault for attempting to imitate a magpie's call. (I must have used a swear word or some other indelicate phrase.)

I have been frustrated in recent weeks about not being able to get any really decent photos of the local magpies. They did not present any good opportunities for good shots - until lunch today. I included several of the shots taken today.

Hi there honey - encounters with honeyeaters

2005-09-07T11:02:00.000+09:30

We are not short of honeyeaters in Murray Bridge. They are common everywhere in this district and are probably the most common bird in most people's gardens. Other species may outnumber them along the river or in the farming areas. For example, Straw-Necked Ibis numbers along the dairying flats are very numerous. I have seen flocks of over 400 on many occasions. Flocks of Galahs of that size are also evident, especially where wheat is cultivated. Along the parks and trees lining the River Murray large flocks of Little Corella can also be seen on occasions.

In the gardens, however, the honeyeater species tend to dominate. We do have some Noisy Miners in the area but they are not (yet) the dominent species they seem to be in other parts of Australia. In the Murray Bridge district New Holland Honeyeaters probably outnumber all other species of honeyeater. Red Wattlebirds are also very common as are White-Plumed Honeyeaters.

Last Monday we went to visit my wife's mother. She lives in a retirement village, Murraylands. Part of the complex opposite her unit is a plantation of native Australian plants, established 20 years ago and maintained by the local members of the Australian Plant Society. The local group is in recess due to lack of members, Corinne (my wife) is the immediate past-president and I am also a past-president.

While Corinne was collecting cuttings for propogation I was taking photographs of various flowers for her. (I have included several photos at the end of this posting.) There were many birds in the locality, including a number of White Plumed Honeyeaters. Two of them came close to investigate what I was doing, so I took several photographs. I was basically shooting into the sun so the photos are not candidates for "Best of Show" in an exhibition. They turned out quite dark so I have enhanced them to show them here. I only include them here because of the unusual stance of the birds.

The first photo (above) shows one bird looking straight down at me. The eyes are what caught my attention. It's a rather bizarre view of a bird. The second photo shows the other bird's response to the focussing beep on my camera. It obviously heard the soft beep as I focussed. Pity about the lack of colour.

The native plant garden at Murraylands Homes is about an acre in size. It includes a wide range of Australian plants, including eucalypts, wattles, grevilleas, correas, eremophilas, callistemons and many others. Below I have included a selection of the shots I took.

Correa reflexa "Sellick's Beach"

Grevillea "Winpara sunrise"

Alyogyne huegelli (Native hibiscus)

Raven about butterflies

2005-09-06T13:53:00.000+09:30

Yesterday we sat outside in the beautiful spring sunshine to eat our lunch. The temperature hovered around a very pleasant 20C. The gentle breeze and the deep blue sky contrasted with the frenetic activity of birds all around. Our patch of earth may only measure two hectares, but we have 30 to 35 species of birds resident with another 70 or so occasional visiting species. The constant stream of species keeps us interested in the changing patterns of activity.

Breeding is in full swing, including Australian Magpie (white backed), New Holland Honeyeater, Yellow-Rumped Thornbill, Crested Pigeon, Red Wattlebird, Little Raven, House Sparrow and Common Starling. And that's only the species I am aware of; there are undoubtedly several others secretly nesting in some tree or bush somewhere.

As we ate I had the digital camera at the ready. I was not disappointed. Several Little Ravens came to visit the "lookout tree", a tall, old mallee tree near the house. This tree is probably the oldest on our property and could be over a century old. Several years ago several Galahs took a liking to a hollow branch. They ring-barked the trunk just below the hollow thus killing the upperhalf of the tree. It now serves as a "lookout" perch for a wide range of species, including the ravens.

As my wife and I finished our lunch my attention was attracted to a butterfly. This conveniently landed on a nearby flowering bush. It, too, stayed for lunch, giving me the opportunity to photograph this beautiful creature. Later in the evening I was able to research Australian butterflies on the internet. I discovered several wonderful web sites on Australian butterflies, including an excellent one specifically on South Australian species.

(check out http://users.chariot.net.au/~rgrund)

I think I've discovered a new love. The species in question is Vanessa itea or the Australian Admiral butterfly. I know this Blog is supposed to be about birds but I can't resist being diverted occasionally. It's my Blog and I'll include what I like. To this end I've included several photos of the butterfly.

New Holland Honeyeaters

2005-09-05T10:32:00.000+09:30

New Holland Honeyeaters are a common Australian bird, especially in parks and gardens. Good views of them can be easily had as they flit to and fro from bush to bush. Sometimes they even sit still enough for good views of their beautiful markings. On rare occasions they even sit long enough to capture a photograph!

This stunning photograph was taken a few days ago while looking over our neighbour's fence. The bird posed long enough for me to take several shots. The green object it is perched on is the handle of a small hand operated plough. Our neighbour has several old farm implements in his front garden.

Over the years I have been interested in the occurance of New Holland Honeyeaters in our garden. They are probably the most numerous and widespread species of honeyeater in the Murray Bridge region. In the first 15 years of us living here they were only occasional visitors to our garden and patch of mallee scrub. I have kept monthly records of all birds seen on our property since January 1985. My database of bird observations (BirdInfo) shows a sudden increase of observations in late 1998. From that time to the present New Holland Honeyeaters have been the predominent honeyeater species here.

Other species of honeyeaters recorded here include:

Red Wattlebird: resident, breeding species.
White Plumed Honeyeater (resident, breeding)
Spiny Cheeked Honeyeater (resident, breeding)
Striped Honeyeater (occasional visitor, one breeding record)
White-Eared Honeyeater (occasional visitor)
Yellow Plumed Honeyeater (occasional visitor)
Singing Honeyeater (resident, breeding)
Brown-Headed Honeyeater (resident, breeding).

One possible explanation of this change is the maturing of many of the native Australian plants we have planted over the years. Our property is now far more bird welcoming than, say 15 years ago.

Everything is quite ducky

2005-09-04T21:13:00.000+09:30

As I awoke this morning I was aware of quacking noises outside.

Now, although we live in Murray Bridge which is situated on the Murray River, Australia's longest river, our property is a good five kilometres from the river.

The quacking persisted. Those ducks are here again, I thought. Pacific Black Ducks are common in this area and are not restricted to just the river itself. It is not usual to find them in parks and gardens. Two, sometimes three, are regular visitors to our own garden.

"Our" ducks have taken a liking to our in-ground swimming pool (affectionately known as "the swamp" - look at the photos and you will know why). Almost daily they visit for a swim or just to laze by the poolside. They don't seem to mind how frosty it gets here in winter, poolside is the place to be.

Last year they slipped a surprise under our radar. Before we knew it, we were the adopted "grandparents" of six ducklings. Sadly, their parents abondoned them. We quickly discovered that raising little ducklings is not a skill one acquires overnight. They were far too weak, cold, wet and hungry when we took over as substitute parents.

My first Blog entry

2005-09-03T14:51:00.000+09:30

I am a first time Blogger. This is my very first entry having successfully stepped through the setup process.

I am reasonably familiar with the world of blogging because I regularly read the blogs of my daughter Rose in England and son Simon in Sydney (when he's home), mainly to keep up with what they are doing and where in the world they are!

I plan to include recent interesting sighting of birds in and around our garden and property on the fringe of the rural city of Murray Bridge in South Australia. Our home is situated on 5 acres (2 hectares) of land. We have about two acres of mallee scrub and have planted several thousand trees and small plants on the rest.

I will also include reports on any trips I take here in South Australia and in other parts of Australia - and overseas when that happens. I also hope to include photos of birds (and other interesting things) taken with my new digital camera, a Canon Powershot S2 IS. The 12x zoom facility is great for birds shots.

It has been raining steadily here all morning so we are confined to the indoors. The bird life has been very quiet during the rain, but when I went to check the rain guage a few minutes ago I observed five rather wet Crested Pigeons on a nearby power line. Sometimes I have observed up to 30 or 40 of these beautiful birds all perched on the powerlines that run along the side of our property. Here is a photo of a Crested Pigeon taken yesterday. It was quietly sunning itself near the house. I was able to sneak up to within about 4 metres from it.

Yesterday I also managed to get a good shot of a male Mistletoe Bird. These delightful little birds are quite common around here and are frequent visitors to our garden. About 15 years ago this was the first species I recorded nesting in a plant we had planted on this property.