Golden Whistler
Earlier this week we were just finishing our lunch when my wife saw a male Golden Whistler skulking in the bushes near our sun-room. I raced for the camera and stealthily went outside to track it down.
It was still there, feeding in the bushes. I managed to get quite a nice collection of photos. Below is the best of them. (Click on the image to enlarge the photo.)
Golden Whistler (male)
I have found that the Golden Whistlers we have visiting our garden are generally rather quiet, feeding happily with little fuss in the various native bushes and trees in our garden. They rarely give their strong, beautiful call, but when they do, it has a rich quality that makes one stop and listen.
I am so pleased with this photo I think I might print it on good photo paper and mount it in a photo frame visitors to admire – and for my own pleasure every time I look at it.
Australian Magpies nesting
Australian Magpie
While working in the garden pruning the fruit trees this morning, I noticed that our resident Australian Magpies are getting ready to breed. They are currently refurbishing the nest used last year. Fortunately we don’t have to worry about them swooping us because “our” magpies are a docile mob – unlike some magpies in other parts of the country.
Several previous articles on this topic may be of interest to new readers.
Sad demise of a Tawny Frogmouth
12 Comments »22nd July, 2008; Category: Garden birds, Nocturnal birds, Owls Frogmouths and Nightjars
The Tawny Frogmouth of Australia is one of my favourite birds. I first became acquainted with this lovely bird while on numerous camping trips with my young family back in the 1970s. Its gentle ooom-ooom-ooom call near our tent was strangely soothing. It is one of the iconic sounds of the Australian bush when all is quiet.
From time to time we also hear one calling near our home. When we have the television off, of course. It is a lovely sound to drift off to sleep to, and where we live there is very little traffic on the road passing our home late at night. From time to time we will catch a sight of this secretive bird during the day, perched on a branch trying for all the world to look just like the branch. Many times an individual has crashed against a glass door or window trying to grab a moth that has ventured towards the light.
It is with deep sadness that I report therefore that my wife found a dead Tawny Frogmouth drowned in our swimming pool. Somehow it had been trapped by the water – not that there is much water in it at the moment; the water almost completely disappeared during the long hot and dry summer and with water restrictions I haven’t been able to fill it again. The winter rains have not been sufficient to refill it to normal levels, even with part of the roof rainfall being directed straight into it.
It was a sad day indeed. Such a lovely bird.
I did take a few photos, but they would be a rather morbid addition to my collection of photos on our photo gallery.
Opportunistic Birds
I am sometimes amazed at how opportunistic some birds can be. Quite a few species of Australian birds will migrate long distances to take advantage of rain or floods in some part of this country. Honeyeaters come and go in response to the flowering of native trees. Various hawks and kites will come to an area over run with a mouse plague, while other species respond to a locust plague.
This week I’ve witnessed a response to a very localised situation. We are having some areas next to the house concreted tomorrow. A few days ago the builder did some quite extensive work with a bob cat, leveling the area to be covered. A storm water drain was also installed, further disturbing the soil.
Both the resident Willie Wagtails and Australian Magpies took immediate advantage of the situation, feeding on the exposed worms and beetles. Both species are quite unafraid and feed within a metre or two of where we were working. Unfortunately I was too busy to race inside for the camera.
UPDATE:
The concrete slab was poured the next day, denying the birds any more feeding opportunities on that patch. Looks good too – this area will become a great outdoor living area for us – and I hope the birds like it too when we introduce a few plants into the scene.
Below is a photo of the cement being poured.
A new concrete slab being poured in our back yard.
Golden Whistlers in the garden
Golden Whistler (male)
We are having some lovely autumn weather at present. What a contrast to the severe heat waves of the summer just past. It would be perfect if it rained one day; in fact – we need many days of good soaking rain in our area.
A few days ago I was relaxing in the garden reading a book. My daughter was sitting nearby also enjoying a book. A sudden burst of song a few metres away sent me scurrying for my camera. “Whistler!” I called as I disappeared inside.
Golden Whistler (male)
Emerging with the camera I was pleased to get several reasonable photos of both a male and a female. There was another uncoloured juvenile male hanging around too.
It had been quite a few months since the last visit by this species to our garden.
It was an added delight on a thoroughly delightful day.
Golden Whistler (female)