Baby Magpie
We have had quite a flurry of birds breeding in our garden and nearby over the last month or so. White Winged Choughs, Little Ravens, New Holland Honeyeaters, Red Wattlebirds, House Sparrows, Common Starlings, Blackbirds and Grey Shrike-thrushes to name a few of them.
Australian Magpie
One species that I was surprised about was our resident Australian Magpies. They have been very quiet in recent weeks and I did not find a nest. Not that I looked very hard, mind you. Still, I probably expect them to nest within about 40 metres of the house as is their usual habit.
Yesterday I heard the unmistakable call of a baby magpie calling from the tall eucalypt tree next to the driveway. Sure enough, there was a newly fledged baby magpie all covered in downy feathers and constantly begging to be fed.
UPDATE: I have just written a new articles, with photos, of the latest baby magpie in our garden. To read it, click here.
Newly fledged Australian Magpie
October 2011 Update: This article has seen more visitors and comments than any other on this site. Thanks to all my readers who are so interested in sharing their stories and experiences with baby magpies. I’ve included more photos taken recently in our garden.
Book review: The fearsome flute players is a wonderful books about Australian Magpies and how to care for them. You can read my review of the book here – and there is a special offer for readers of Trevor’s Birding too.
Coffee mugs: you can now buy coffee mugs featuring one of my magpie photos – click here. Search the same site for many other items featuring my bird photos, including shirts, hats, stationery, key rings – and much more.
UPDATE October 25th 2013
Sadly I have had to close comments on this article, the most popular article I have ever written. It has had 488 comments, hundreds more than any other post on this site.
Today I received another 10 comments from someone called LEE who attempted to post some aggressive and crudely worded comments in an attempt to correct what others had written. Such language will not be approved here, nor will very long comments all in capital letters (ie shouting). Please take your inappropriate comments elsewhere – or start your own website.
UPDATE September 24th 2015: Let’s try again. I have reopened comments on this post again. Please keep comments civil.
Baby Australian Magpie just out of the nest
Baby Australian Magpie just out of the nest
Baby Australian Magpie (left) just out of the nest
Baby Australian Magpie just out of the nest
What is a bird note book?
No Comments »4th October, 2006; Category: Frequently Asked Questions
Frequently asked questions about birding #11
What is a bird note book?
This can be any note book you find convenient to carry with in the field. I prefer small 5cm x 3cm spiral bound notebooks that slip easily into my shirt pocket.
Find something that works for you, is cheap, easily written in while birding and meets your needs. You may dispense with a notebook if you are not going to take notes or make a list of species seen, but I would strongly encourage you to add note taking and list making as an extra aspect of your hobby.
What equipment do I need to be a birder?
No Comments »25th September, 2006; Category: Frequently Asked Questions
Frequently Asked Questions about birding #7
What equipment do I need to be a birder? It is entirely up to the individual and what their budget is like. Great enjoyment of birds can be derived from merely looking at or listening to birds – with no equipment at all. Having a few extra items, while not essential, can really enhance one’s appreciation of birds. These include:
- Binoculars
- Field guide
- Note book
- Camera
- Telescope
- Maps
- GPS
- Computer database
- Bird calls on CDs or tapes.
- Magazines, books, DVDs, videos
- Membership of a birding club or organisation.
Over the next few days I will be writing about some of these things.
Red Wattlebird
What is an Ornithologist?
4 Comments »13th September, 2006; Category: Frequently Asked Questions
Frequently Asked Questions about birding #2
Today I continue with this series of short articles about birding.
- What is ornithology? This is the serious study of birds in the natural environment, often as a part of someone’s employment.
- What is an ornithologist? This is a person who studies birds in a serious way and includes those people whose employment requires them to watch and study birds. These people usually keep extensive notes of their findings, write articles for magazines and scientific journals and sometimes even write books or make films about birds.
Grey Butcherbird
How to be a Birder part 18
Hint # 18 Read books about birding and birders
Some years ago I bought and read Bill Oddie’s “Little Black Bird Book.†Apart from being a very humorous look at birders and bird watching as a hobby, this book is full of information about Bill’s experiences as a birder and how to go about the hobby. He gives far more information than I have given in this series of posts. I’m not sure if his book is still in print but it’s worth pursuing in second-hand bookshops or on eBay.
Apart from that wonderful book there are many hundreds more interesting books about birders and ornithologists that are entertaining as well as educational. Recently I read Sean Dooley’s book “The Big Twitchâ€Â. Again this is very humorous and instructive. Sean set aside a whole year recently to go birding. He attempted to beat the all-time unofficial record number of Australian bird species seen in a calendar year. The various sub-plots, including his frustrating love-life, just add spice to the entertainment.
Second hand bookshops and their remainder tables are worth going over as are bookshop sales with discounted volumes. I have made a deliberate choice NOT to access eBay too often lest I be tempted to buy still more bird books to add to the growing pile waiting to be read. It is getting to the point where I need several more bookshelves to house all these wonderful books. Perhaps an extra room could be built on my house; yes, I’ve always secretly wanted a library. Make that two extra rooms; my wife has also wanted a library.
Books I found useful:
The following is a short list of books I found useful when I was learning about birds. The first three may well be out of print. Sean’s popular book is still in print.
- Bill Oddie’s Little Black Bird Book Bill Oddie (Methuen)
- Bird-watching in Australia Ted Schurmann (Rigby)
- Learning about Australian Birds Rosemary Balmford (Collins)
- The Big Twitch Sean Dooley (Allen and Unwin)
Noisy Miner