Rufous Whistler
We have many beautiful birds here in Australia and the Whistlers would be up there in the most beautiful list of many people. Here in Murray Bridge we have two species, the Golden Whistler and the Rufous Whistler.
While neither whistler is a resident species in our garden, they are both regular visitors. Their rich melodic calls are a delight and the brilliant colours, especially of the Golden Whistler are truly wonderful.
A few days ago we had a male juvenile Rufous Whistler come to visit the bird bath. This is the first time either species had come to drink, but then it was a very hot day so it is not all that surprising I guess. I did observe that he was very hesitant while approaching the water. It was plain that he was not at ease and was being very cautious.
Rufous Whistler (juvenile male)
While the photo is not brillaint (it was the only one I managed before he flew off) it does show the black breast band and rufous belly beginning to develop. This was a very good addition to our list of species that have visited the bird baths.
Related Articles:
- Time for a bath – a list of visitors to our bird baths.
- Close encounters of the bird kind – close up views of a female Golden Whistler
- Golden Moment – close up views of both a male and female Golden Whistler
- Rufous Whistler – another encounter with a juvenile bird.
A Goldfinch at the Bird Bath
We have a constant parade of visitors to the bird baths we have in our garden. I haven’t done a statistical analysis, but I would say with confidence that the most frequent visitors would have to be the many New Holland Honeyeaters. They would be closely followed by the Pardalotes, both the Striated and the Spotted. The list of species seen drinking from the bird baths is growing. This has been particularly so during recent months. The summer has been very hot and very dry.
European Goldfinch
One recent addition to this list was the European Goldfinch. This introduced species is widespread in south eastern Australia, including Tasmania. I understand that while is it widespread and can be locally common, its numbers are not great anywhere. Here in my home town Murray Bridge in South Australia there are several colonies around town, including one large group living near the Post Office and Railway Station.
We live about 5km from the Post Office and the Goldfinch is only an occasional visitor to our garden. It is therefore an interesting addition to the list of birds that have visited our bird baths.
Related articles:
- European Goldfinch – another article about this species.
- Birds in the heat – more about birds at our bird baths.
- Time for a bath – visitors to our bird baths (including a complete list).
European Goldfinch
Chestnut-rumped Thornbill
In our garden we have recorded over one hundred different species of birds over about 22 years of residence here. About forty of these are what I would regard as resident, that is, they are present all the time or daily visitors. About a similar number are regular visitors, that is, they may be seen once a week or even only once a month. Some of the seasonal visitors would fall into this category. The remainder would be classified as vagrants, occurring only from time to time with no observable pattern to their appearance.
Yellow-rumped Thornbills are resident in our garden. I have seen Yellow Thornbills here a few times over the years and in the nearby districts quite a few times. The same could be said of the Chestnut-rumped Thornbill. This species was a regular visitor to our garden in the late 1990s and 2000, but my records only show a few sightings here since then.
From time to time over recent days we were aware of a different bird call in the garden but I was unable to track it down. A small flock eventually came to the bird bath and in so doing they revealed themselves to us. They didn’t stay for long and I was only able to get one rather poor photo. If you look closely you may be able to see a little of the rusty coloured tail. As they fly away from you, this area is a bright chestnut colour; they are aptly named.
Chestnut-rumped Thornbill
Chestnut-rumped Thornbills are essentially a bird of the inland of Australia. Murray Bridge (where I live) is about as far south as they are found. They can also be found throughout much of northern South Australia, western New South Wales, south-western Queensland, central Australia and southern Western Australia.
UPDATE: since taking the photograph above the Chestnut-rumped Thornbills have visited the garden again. This time I was able to get some better shots of them.
Click on the photos to enlarge.
Chestnut-rumped Thornbill
Chestnut-rumped Thornbill
Chestnut-rumped Thornbill
Some unusual visitors to our bird bath
I have written on a number of occasions about the birds that visit the bird bath in our garden. (Click here for one article with several photos.)
A non-bird visitor to the bird bath
While having lunch yesterday a Stumpy Tail Lizard (also called a Shingleback Lizard, one of the Blue Tongue Lizards of Australia), came wandering through the garden towards to bird bath on the ground. He paused to gobble down a few eremophila flowers before having long drink from the bird bath. He probably stayed for some five minutes, drinking deeply a number of times, before wandering off again.
Stumpy Tailed Lizard
A very cheeky visitor
Then late last night at just after 10pm I was outside seeing off a friend who had come to visit for the evening. We were standing about ten metres from the bird bath which was on the ground. As we were saying goodnight, we both stopped and turned because we had heard loud slurping noises coming from the bird bath.
As it was in the shadows I stepped inside, grabbed a touch and found that a Red Fox (an introduced species) had been visiting the bird bath for a drink. He casually wandered off in the beam of the torch light, quite unconcerned about my presence a few metres away. I’m not sure if I’m pleased that he feels quite at home in our garden. I must warn our next door neighbour to lock up her chooks and guinea fowl.
I didn’t get a photo of the fox.
Related Articles:
- Time for a bath – visitors to our bird bath, with many photos.
Cats and Blackbirds
One of my readers Trisha recently made an amusing observation about an encounter between one of her cats and a baby Blackbird. Trisha has given me permission to quote her here:
I have just spent the morning watching one of the strangest sights I have ever seen.
I live at Queanbeyan, (near the racecourse) with three cats. They are happy to stalk the sparrows and mynas – and I let them – but for some reason Crested Pigeons and Blackbirds are not of great interest.
This morning there was a great cacophony of bird alarms, so I went out to check. There was a baby blackbird in a tree with the outside cat looking up at it. The baby came down to ground level (the blackbirds all like to eat the dry cat food) and of course the cat pounced.
I raced out with my trusty water pistol in time to see the cat take the baby by a leg out into the driveway where the parents were twittering and put it on the ground. As it did so it looked up as if to say “Will you all just shut up!” and then walked away back to his favourite morning sleeping spot.
Mum and Dad both came down and chivvied the baby back to the food bowl and shoved a few bits of cat food down its gob, and then back to the nest. Doing this meant that they had to walk past the cat! Yet, peace returned to the neighbourhood.
In regards to cats – I get annoyed when they are all branded as murderers and cold-hearted killers. They are basically doing what a shark in the ocean does, and what any other predator does. However, I also believe that cat-owners have a responsibility to try and create a balanced environment. My cats are collared, which includes 4 bells plus a leap alarm. They are locked in sundown in winter, and 7pm in summer. They are let out at 8.30am, and invariably come back in around 9.30, and spent most of the day on my bed. If I am not home, they are not outside.
Anyway – I enjoy my birds, blue-tongue lizards, cats and possums and there is not a lot of drama in their co-existence. Maybe I’m just lucky.
What an amazing incident!
I’d like to thank Trisha for permission to publish her comments in this article. It is good to hear of a responsible cat owner. If only all cat owners were so.
Related articles:
- Common Blackbirds – my most popular article.
- Do Blackbirds Swoop? Dealing with aggressive bird behaviour.
- A bit on the nose – an amusing encounter with a Red Wattlebird.
Common Blackbird (male)