Rainbows of feathers

proud displays

rainbows of feathers

high and low

Two of our most colourful birds, one obvious and one discreet. The Rainbow Lorikeet here feeding on early Spring blossom is now a common sight in our suburb. The brilliant plumage is clearly evident. The second image is a male Common Bronzewing. These birds are not common in suburban Melbourne. We are fortunate in our city of Bayside to have many golf courses and parks that provide shelter and food for a large variety of indigenous birds. The Friends of Native Wildlife, ( a local government supported environmental group I belong) to have identified a secure fenced area around a golf driving range  that provides  shelter for  a small number of Common Bronzewings. We plant native food ground cover   these birds feed from. We also lead education walks in our parks and were delighted to meet this beautiful male and his mate resting beside a dam in a golf course on a recent bird walk.

dinner time

so trusting

young lonely and lost

fledgling bird

A couple of weeks  ago Jill and I were sitting in the garden eating our lunch when this baby Pied Butcherbird flew in and landed on a branch above us. It then flew to the ground and began demanding something to eat. All we could offer  this young carnivore were a few pieces of tinned tuna. That was enough to curb the appetite and it flew back to the branch and had a short sleep. This is the first young one of that species we have seen. When small birds are breeding in Spring adult Butcherbirds raid nests after fledglings. This baby looks cute however it is destined to become a feared marauder in our neighbourhood. The other curious fact about the visit was the time of year. We are almost to Winter and we have had visits from a young Butcherbird, then fledgling Little Wattlebirds and some young looking Magpies during this last month. One more pointer to the effects of Climate Change?

The one a week Photo Challenge word challenge this week is LOST.  This is my contribution . For this years 52 weekly challenges planned by Cathy and Sandra visit Cathy’s blog at  https://nanacathydotcom.wordpress.com/one-a-week-photo-challenge-2017/

an eye for lunch

birds welcome

sharing the garden

for a meal

We have started planting local and high nectar  native tress and shrubs in our garden with the long term plan being more of the little nectar and seed eating native birds will return or visit. The top image shows a Little Wattlebird discovering a Red Ochre Grevillea, the second is  a Crested Pigeon foraging for grass seeds on the ground and the third captures a Rainbow Lorikeet snacking on a native bird seed stick. There are plenty of introduced species such as Spotted Doves and Common Mynahs who need less encouragement or invasive  native species like Noisy Miners and Little Ravens who force out the original small little birds we want to attract. Our aim is to encourage more of the latter and see or hear less of the former. We want to see small Honeyeaters, Pardalotes, more Thornbills and Eastern Spinebills and one day some Wrens.

The one a week Photo Challenge word challenge this week is LUNCH . This is my offer. For this years 52 weekly challenges planned by Cathy and Sandra visit Cathy’s blog at  https://nanacathydotcom.wordpress.com/one-a-week-photo-challenge-2017/

sweet sounds

harp like sound

from spring rosella

song so clear

With Spring comes  frequent visits from various parrots. Crimson Rosellas usually arrive in pairs or small family groups. The first image is a fly by guest who dropped into our front yard , the second image shows these Rosellas can quickly train humans to feed them. If not fed they work on wooden structures to reinforce their requests, (see the rail in front of the bowl after a quick chew with a beak).  Crimson and Eastern Rosellas have a range of song/noises. One sound is a single high pitched and loud “pinnnnnng” that is used to signal  where they are to a mate. Close your eyes and ones imagination could almost think a harpist, (maybe not Laureena McKennitt) was tuning up.

This is my contribution to the wonderful Blog site RonovanWrites  Weekly  Haiku  Poetry Prompt  Challenge. This is number 65 using words Harp&Clear. Discover much more at https://ronovanwrites.wordpress.com/2015/10/05/ronovanwrites-weekly-haiku-poetry-prompt-challenge-65-harp-clear/

Feeding with the tide

with the tide

flesh fit for a gull

floating away

 

This is my contribution to Ronovan’s Haiku challenge, a must experience for all haiku writers. See at https://ronovanwrites.wordpress.com/2015/09/28/ronovanwrites-weekly-haiku-poetry-prompt-challenge-64-tide-flesh/

This juvenile Pacific Gull had found a dead Puffer Fish in the shallows at Ricketts Point and was enjoying a feast all on its own. These fish are highly toxic so I am not sure what the Gull’s tolerance levels were. It did not see eye to eye with the flesh as the second photo shows, then it left the carcass alone.

Hi there

 

a hungry blackbird

begging trusting depending

cherries in season

 As I promised on January 16th here is an update to the blog, “I’m here”.  When mother blackbird transferred daily feeding responsibilities for her 3 fledglings we took on the task with hesitation but sympathy although Charlie encouraged them to move on and beg elsewhere. Hoping these young birds would start listening to their genes and focus on worms, insects etc as their bulk nourishment we agreed to supplement with half a cherry each a couple of times a day. This worked reasonably well for a few days but as they grew bigger so did the sibling rivalry for each others cherries. The male  gave up and disappeared first then gradually only one fledgling remained. She was going nowhere and set up a daily routine greeting the early riser at the back door, hovering outside windows, establishing fixed eye contact to anyone sitting in a window, any tactic as long as a cherry changed hands eventually. This bird has spent  every day in our back yard for a reasonable amount of time. She now does forage for other nibbles and gets excited if given a worm occasionally. Sometimes her sister turns up and we throw a grape or cherry to her however she has become very wary and flighty, maybe of us but certainly of big sister who will grab and sit on 2 cherries if possible. Very occasionally mother turns up and resident daughter attacks her . This is one dominant blackbird. She is very helpful and accompanies me on foot as I water the veggies and herbs. We have set up a personal water bowl at the back door and she often sits in it cooling her feet on hot days. Birdie as we have come to call her is now taking talking lessons to keep her brain active. This involves me making blackbird like noises to which she replies to which I reply to which she replies etc etc. Charlie tends to break this up if within hearing distance. A big test of our relationship will soon come as the last of Tasmania’s summer cherry crop has been and gone this week. In fact we have 4 fresh cherries left as of today. Will birdie accept tinned North American black cherries as her parents did last Autumn/Winter or will we face adolescent tantrums? An update  will happen.