Trevor's Birding

Magpie bathing antics

No Comments »8th May, 2009; Category: Bird Behaviour, Magpies and Currawongs

Yesterday I was reading while sitting in the sun on our back veranda. I love sunny autumn days in South Australia.

After a few minutes I was interrupted by a young Australian Magpie attempting to have a bath. The veranda is only a few months old and I still haven’t connected the down pipe from the roof to the rainwater tank. My wife has put a tub underneath the outlet to catch dew and rain so we can then use the water to keep the garden alive. With the recent rain this tub was full of water.

This young magpie tried every method he could think of to have a bath, but the water is about 30cm (12″) deep. He ended up vigorously swishing his head in the water which ended up splashing all over him. But that wasn’t enough.

He tried stepping down into the tub but ended up just flopping into deep water most ungracefully. Several attempts later he gave up and flew off to preen. It’s one of those amusing incidents where you wished you had a video camera in your hand at that very moment. Sorry – no video. You’ll just have to be content with a still photo instead.

Australian Magpie

Strange Willie Wagtail

1 Comment »7th May, 2009; Category: Bird Behaviour, Flycatchers

On our walk this morning we saw a very active Willie Wagtail, flitting around in the early morning sun gathering his breakfast.

As we approached I noticed something different. It didn’t look normal. As it flew past quite close to us I realised that it had no tail. In fact, it looked quite dumpy, not at all like a Willie Wagtail. It still managed some nifty aerobatics as it gathered its morning food.

Needless to say I didn’t have a camera with me, so below is a photo of a normal looking Willie Wagtail.

PS: Should I have called it a Willie Wag???

Willie Wagtail

Feral Pigeons pipe dream home

2 Comments »1st May, 2009; Category: Pigeons and Doves

Rock Doves (Feral Pigeons)

We have quite a few Feral Pigeons (Rock Doves) in various places around our home town of Murray Bridge, South Australia. They are present in large numbers around the CBD and the various large factories and other types of buildings around town.

On our way home from visiting the shopping areas we often drive past a used steel and metal outlet. Along the boundary fence they have some large racks on which are stored numerous steel pipes, as shown in the photos. The local feral pigeons have decided that these pipes make excellent apartment buildings. They have been nesting and roosting in the pipes for quite a few years. Obviously there is no great demand for these pipes in the used pipe business.

I’ve often tried to remember to take my camera with to get a few photos of them. I remembered earlier this week.

What I want to know is how they survived the heat of our recent extreme summer. With air temperatures often reaching 48C+ and the sun temperature probably 55-60C, how did they survive. And were the eggs in the nests cooked nicely after several such days of high temperatures?

Rock Doves (Feral Pigeons)

Birding can be an arresting hobby

4 Comments »29th April, 2009; Category: Birders, Parrots and Lorikeets

Flowers of Eucalyptus porosa

I was almost arrested this morning.

Let me explain. We went for our normal early morning walk down the road along one side of our property. Part of this walk takes us past the external fence of the local prison complex. We think nothing of it every morning.

Along this stretch we had excellent views of about five Purple-crowned Lorikeets feeding on the flowers of the local mallee trees known as Eucalyptus porosa It’s a shrubby form of gum tree and quite common in this area. The photo above shows the flowers.

The lorikeets were quite unconcerned with our presence. In fact, I was able to watch one feeding at head height about a metre in front of me. It would have made an excellent photo with the first rays of morning sunlight highlighting the colours.

I was both pleased – and annoyed. No camera! And I do not yet have a photo of this species. Usually they are high up in the foliage feeding – or streaking across the tree tops at speed. Here was the ultimate photo opportunity – and no camera.

Ten minutes later we were home. I grabbed the camera and hopped in the car and drove to the same spot. Of course, Murphy’s Law – they’d flown off. All I managed was several shots of the trees and flowers. Then it all turned pear shape. Remember – this was right next to the boundary fence of the prison.

My actions immediately attracted the attention of the ‘boundary rider’ on his quad bike. Over recent months the prison has had a spate of people on the outside throwing tennis balls filled with drugs over the fence RIGHT WHERE I WAS STANDING! Talk about being a bit stupid. I had some quick explaining to do. He immediately reassured me that I certainly didn’t look like a drug supplier.

Whew! Talk about birding being a dangerous hobby!

Anyway – all’s weel that ends well! Except that I still don’t have a photo of that species!

Maybe next time!

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Flowers of a Eucalyptus porosa

Rain at Last

2 Comments »25th April, 2009; Category: General

Rainbow Lorikeets

South Australia – along with many other parts of the country – has been suffering terribly through an extended period of drought over the last few years. The land is parched dry and the flora – and probably the fauna as well – has been suffering.

Over the last three days however, the state has received its best rain in over four months. Here where we live in Murray Bridge it’s the best rain we’ve had in over eight months. In fact, except for a few showers a few weeks ago, this is this only rain we’ve had this year. And the weather people are forecasting more of the same over the coming days.

It is about now that grain farmers (mainly wheat and barley) are preparing to sow their seed for the coming season. This is perfect timing for them. Now we wait for good follow up rains over the next six months or so.

I have been interested to note that most birds have been relatively quiet today. Mind you, they’ve probably been sheltering from the heavy rain.

I don’t have a photo of the rain. Instead I’ve included a photo of two Rainbow Lorikeets.

Special Note: Today is Australia’s most sacred non-religious day: ANZAC DAY. On this day we stop to remember those who served in war.

For my special tribute, go to my writing blog.

LEST WE FORGET.