Trevor's Birding

Striated Pardalote

3 Comments »9th December, 2008; Category: Garden birds, Pardalotes

Striated Pardalote

One of the more common resident breeding birds in our garden would have to be the Striated Pardalote. These delightful little birds are present every day, and we enjoy hearing their ‘peep-peep’ call as they forage for food in the leaf canopy of trees near our home.

We have two species of pardalote present here, the other one being the Spotted Pardalote. That one we affectionately call the ‘squeaky gate’ pardalote, because that’s what its call sounds like.

Both species nest in a hollow. The hollow can be a small tree hollow, or it can be in a burrow dug in the sandy soil around here. They will also utilise a small hollow in buildings, such as between bricks and woodwork.

New Holland Honeyeater gets hot

No Comments »8th December, 2008; Category: General

New Holland Honeyeater

We have several rather insipid looking red hot poker flowers in our garden at the moment. The New Holland Honeyeaters think that they are great. They come frequently during the day for a feed. I managed to capture a good shot of one of them a few days ago.

Click on the photo to enlarge the image.

Related articles:

Great Birding Moments: Noisy Miner – this shows a better photo of the flower

The Rabbit and the Honeyeater

2 Comments »7th December, 2008; Category: Animals, Garden birds, Great Birding Moments

Rabbit in our garden

Yesterday I saw one of our resident rabbits hopping through the garden near our rose bushes. It stayed long enough for several good photos. Until earlier this year we only ever saw hares on our property. There were very few rabbits here over the last decade or more – since the accidental release of the rabbit calicivirus in 1995. This year has seen the return of rabbits immune to the virus; not in huge numbers but worrying all the same. We have at least two living on our five acre block.

After taking the photos of the rabbit, a Singing Honeyeater flew in to collect several insects on the window. It paused briefly on the window sill, long enough to get this good photo. It was less than two metres from me.

I love special birding moments like that.

Click on the photos to enlarge the image.

Singing Honeyeater on a window ledge

Galah

12 Comments »6th December, 2008; Category: Bird baths, Garden birds, Parrots and Lorikeets

Galah

We have a great variety of birds in our garden and on our five acre property. Some of these birds are resident breeding species, others are regular visitors while some are only occasional visitors.

Galahs are regular visitors, either flying over in flocks ranging from less than a dozen through as large as three or four hundred at a time. Sometimes one of these large flocks will land in the large tree near our driveway; their screeching can be a little noisy at times.

A few days ago the individual shown in the photo above decided to investigate our bird bath. He was very hestitant about the whole affair, and flew off wthout drinking. I’m pleased he decided to stay long enough to get a nice photo.

White-faced Heron visits for a swim

9 Comments »23rd November, 2008; Category: Garden birds, Herons and Egrets, Waterbirds

White-faced Heron in our swimming pool

Yesterday we were delighted to have a special visitor to our swimming pool. Mind you – it would have been rather cold going for a swim. Winter seems to have returned after some very hot weather. Summer is officially just over a week away, yet we have had several days in the mid teens.

White-faced Heron in our swimming pool

This White-faced Heron wasn’t after a swim though. He was keeping a sharp eye on the frogs in our pool. Yes – you read that correctly. I’ve neglected the swimming pool for so long that the frogs have moved in. At least it’s getting some use.

The water level is down a metre too, and will take quite a deal of water to get it back to normal levels. Despite the current water restrictions, I feel okay about doing this. I haven’t added any water for several years now, relying only on rainwater from part of our roof.

White-faced Heron in our swimming pool

From memory, this is only the second time a White-faced Heron has landed in our garden in over 25 years. It’s about time the Little Pied Cormorant paid a visit.

You can enlarge the photos by clicking on the images.