Taronga Zoological Park Pt 2
Above: 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.
Above: 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.
Above: Photo showing the view of Sydney CBD from Taronga Zoo.
Galahs in the morning sun
No Comments »15th December, 2005; Category: Birds, Camera, General, Murray Bridge, Parrots and Lorikeets, Photos
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.
Lorikeets, Parrots and Wattlebirds
No Comments »13th December, 2005; Category: Birds, Camera, General, Honeyeaters, Murray Bridge, Parrots and Lorikeets, Photos
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.
Galahs on Guard
4 Comments »18th November, 2005; Category: Parrots and Lorikeets
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 managed 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.
Updated Nov 2013.
Bath time
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.
Australian Ringneck parrots
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.