There are many beautiful and fascinating birding blogs getting around these days. I cannot hope to keep up with them all.
Every now and then I come across one with a difference, a blog that is an unusual take on a common theme. Bird by Bird: sketching a bird a day, one at a time is one such blog. The author doesn’t take photos of birds like so many other bird bloggers. Instead, the birds are sketched, and the artwork is shown on the blog pages.
Beautiful.
Well worth a visit.
I was delighted a few evenings ago to hear an Australian Owlet-nightjar calling in the garden. It’s really nice to observe that it is still around.
A few months ago we would hear this delightful nocturnal bird calling during the day. That’s right – during the day. It would come out of its hollow and sit in the sun for a half hour or so, calling occasionally.
Being a nocturnal bird I had not thought I’d ever get a chance to photograph this species, so it was a double delight – actually seeing the bird AND getting a reasonable photo.
To read more and see a photo click here or here.
I thoroughly enjoy going out birding.
Not only does it get me out looking at all of those wonderful birds we have here in Australia, it also gets me out there in the fresh air and gives me much needed exercise. Generally birding is a relaxing occupation.
Well – at least I thought it was a relaxing, safe and non-contact sport.
Until.
Until I read this newpaper article about a Dutch birder visiting India:
Elephant tramples Dutch Birder: The Telegraph, Kulkata, India.
Birders beware.
Ever wondered what the national bird of Nepal is? Or the national bird of Chile?
Wonder no more.
Someone has made a long list on Wikipedia of all the countries that have a national bird. It also has a list of the official birds of some states or territories of some countries.
Link: A list of National Birds
By the way, the national bird of Nepal is the Himalayan Monal, a large pheasant found in the mountainous regions. This is one species I was pleased to see on my trip to the area in 2006. You can read about it here and here.
European Rabbit in our garden
Our bird baths give us a great deal of pleasure, especially during the warmer months of the year. I am sure that the birds appreciate it too.
I have written often about the birds visiting the bird baths, and many photos featured here on this blog are taken while they are enjoying a drink or a splash.
One of the bird baths sits on the ground. We don’t have much of a problem with cats here so the birds are generally happy to use it. Some of the local lizards also enjoy drinking the water provided, as did a fox one evening.
The new species to avail itself of this water source was the introduced European Rabbit. For more than twenty years we have rarely seen a rabbit on our property. The rabbit calicivirus almost wiped them out in the district, but not quite. Over the last two years numbers have increased to the point where we have about 5 or 6 resident rabbits, including very young animals, and we see them on a daily basis. Not good news. I’ll have to rabbit proof the vegetable garden this coming winter.
Further reading: