Spring is in the air
Spring has arrived here in South Australia – and not just according to the calendar. The last few days have been beautiful. Sure, the nights and mornings have been chilly and rather brisk. Sometimes the breeze has also had a bite to it, but the sunshine has been most enjoyable.
The garden birds have all started being far more active and are calling more energetically as well. The Yellow-rumped Thornbills are busy feeding all over the garden, calling as they go. They are probably nesting somewhere too.
The various species of Honeyeaters are also very vocal and active. I’m sure they are also nesting but they can be rather secretive about it. Our resident Australian Magpies are still feeding young in the nest. The Grey Shrike-thrush is very vocal all around the house.
Nearby the Skylarks and the Rufous Songlarks are in fine voice and fill the air with beautiful song. I haven’t yet seen it but there is a Rufous Whistler lurking around somewhere too; his beautiful ‘eee-chong’ call after the whistle is also good to hear.
UPDATE: You can hear a recording of the call at this site:
http://www.birdsinbackyards.net/finder/display.cfm?id=122
Rufous Whistler (juvenile)
White-winged Triller visit
11 Comments »4th September, 2008; Category: Garden birds
This afternoon I had a delightful surprise. We had just arrived back from our lectures in Adelaide and were enjoying a cuppa in the spring sunshine on the front veranda.
An unusual bird flew into the eucalypt tree next to the driveway about twenty metres away. I instantly recognised it as a male White-winged Triller. It sat there for no more than ten seconds before flying away. It must have only spent about thirty seconds in our garden so there was no time to get the camera from the office.
This is one species I would love to get a photo of but so far have drawn a blank. Last year on holiday in NSW I chased one around a few bushes for about twenty minutes, but he refused to show himself in the open.
On checking my database of bird sightings I last recorded this species here in Murray Bridge in 1986, so it has been a long time between sightings. I usually have to travel to see this lovely bird. I hope he liked what he saw and returns – long enough to pose for a photo.
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UPDATE : in September 2009 we had another visit from a male Triller. This time I was able to get a photo.
White-winged Triller (male)
Spring time birding – where are the cuckoos?
Spring is here at last in Australia. Not sure about the rest of the country, but here in South Australia we are looking forward to some slightly warmer days in the coming weeks and months. August this year has been the second coldest August on record. It has also been reasonably wet – not record breaking, mind you, but a very acceptable change from recent years of drought. As for the cold weather – it was only a few months ago in March that we were complaining about a record heat wave.
A few days ago I reported that the resident Australian Magpies were not only nesting, they were now feeding young in the nest. A few days ago I noticed the Common Starlings also feeding young in the nest (we can really do without that, of course). The local Common Blackbirds are behaving as if they have a nest somewhere, as are several species of Honeyeater. I just don’t have the time to check out all of the bushes and trees on our five acre block. The Skylarks are still calling as are the Rufous Songlarks.
Notable for their absence so far this year are all of the Cuckoos. Neither my wife nor I have heard a single Cuckoo of any description. That is most noteworthy as we have usually heard at least the Horsfields Bronze-Cuckoos by now.
Curious.
I’d welcome comments from my Australian readers. Have you heard and/or seen any Cuckoos recently in your part of the country?
Grey Butcherbird
93 Comments »26th August, 2008; Category: Garden birds
Every few days we hear the local Grey Butcherbird calling nearby. From time to time one of them will come into the garden.
Yesterday afternoon I was entertained by one individual calling regularly quite near to the house. This went on for nearly half an hour. I really enjoy hearing its rich, melodious call, especially up close like that.
The resident honeyeaters do not take the same view. Their warning calls indicate that they were upset by the presence of the butcherbird. Perhaps they have eggs or young in a nest somewhere (that I haven’t discovered yet). Grey Butcherbirds take delight in robbing a nest of either eggs or the chicks.
To learn more about this bird and to hear its lovely call, click here.
Here is a photo of a Grey Butcherbird I took some time ago.
Grey Butcherbird
Australian Magpies nesting
A few weeks ago we noticed the resident Australian Magpies in our orchard busily gathering nesting material to refurbish the nest they used last year. All has been quiet for the last few weeks – until this morning.
As I was walking down the driveway to collect the newspaper I heard the very distinctive begging calls of a baby magpie in the nest. I guess we’ll have a pair of very busy parents kept occupied feeding the hungry youngsters over the coming weeks.
Australian Magpie