tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-64319801511342863352024-03-05T20:37:57.439+11:00Birds of Tenterfield, NSW, AustraliaA written record of all the birds that are located in the township area of Tenterfield, NSW, Australia.Shirley E Hardyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06693223246748297158noreply@blogger.comBlogger16519999tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6431980151134286335.post-4807015393881912902014-11-20T15:14:00.000+11:002014-11-20T15:14:07.615+11:00No camera; no breeding happening yet.Since Winter began to end this year I began observing the nesting behaviour of the Masked Lapwings and Australian Magpies, and for the passed 9 weeks I have not seen any newborn birds. The Masked Lapwings, Australian Magpies and Eastern Rosellas in my area went through the process of nesting, laid eggs, but nothing hatched. Two Masked Lapwing chicks have been spotted during October but they were dead. We have had an exceptionally hot Winter/Spring which may have actually cooked the eggs. That and with very little rain that we've had in the last 12 months is a good indication for something but what I don't know.<br />
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On top of all of that my camera broke and I have not been able to replace it yet. Until I can replace it I will be updating everything on this website and getting all the pictures, etc added to their appropriate pages.Shirley E Hardyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06693223246748297158noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6431980151134286335.post-23882414201909389962013-06-04T11:11:00.000+10:002013-06-10T20:56:20.935+10:00Post updates about Birds of TenterfieldTrying to sort through the backlog of sightings of birds here in Tenterfield is a never ending job. But thankfully Winter has officially started and the number of bird species currently in town have been reduced to a small handful. Autumn had seen the nomadic species leave town for locating more food. But Autumn has also been a busy time for the Yellow-tailed Black Cockatoos and birds of prey with an ever increasing influx of these species to Tenterfield. A single parent Yellow-tailed Black Cockatoo even stayed in town for more than a week to feed it's juvenile. Lots of notes will be added about that sighting.<br />
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So, for the next few weeks I will be adding a backlog of posts about these Autumn sightings plus lots of new videos and photos. I've also seen a few new (on the bird list but haven't yet seen until now: Nankeen Kestrel; possibly Swift Parrots that I'm still yet to confirm; Whistling Kites; White-necked Heron; Straw-necked Ibis; plus a few other) species, and one species (Yellow Thornbill) that I have finally identified after almost 12 months of it eluding me, that have yet been added to my bird species list.<br />
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Over the last 5 months I have taken lots of photos and videos of all these local and visiting species, so too have I videos to sort through which my brother recorded for me. It's something I need to keep up-to-date with as each new day brings something different worthy of adding to this site.Shirley E Hardyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06693223246748297158noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6431980151134286335.post-71473886609918159102013-06-04T10:39:00.000+10:002013-06-04T10:39:13.611+10:00Update : Unidentified olive backed and aqua blue winged birdIts a new species of honeyeater that has yet to be recorded.<br />
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There was this one day when I was walking about 8 feet passed these birds when they were on the ground and they were feeding with a family group of King Parrots. One of these unidentified birds looked straight at me. I suddenly got very confused because it's face was almost identical to that of the Blue-faced Honeyeater. <br />
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This species face had very similiar markings on it to the Blue-faced Honeyeater. Instead of the top of it's head being black it was the bronzey/brown colour you see on Blue-faced Honeyeaters. The bronzey/brown colour went from the beginning of the beak to the eyebrow ridge above the eyes, then down over the nape which then joined up with the back, which was also the same colour. It had a bare patch of skin around it's eyes but it wasn't the same colour as an adult or juvenile Blue-faced Honeyeater. I believe it may have been a dull green colour - meaning it wasn't metallic looking. It's throat was white. The sides of it face was not like the Blue-faced Honeyeater. It had no black colouration on the sides of it's face: it was just white instead. The eyes looked like a Blue-faced Honeyeater but there was something different about them that I still can't figure out. <br />
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The head colourations of these two species were unusually similiar to each other. It certainly made me remember this unidentified species face when I took a closer look at it. I now believe this unidentified blue winged bird is a subspecies of, or a new species of honeyeater, and is somehow related to the Blue-faced Honeyeater. <br />
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As this species appears to be endemic to Tenterfield, New South Wales, it might be helpful to research the species from this immediate area. I am currently trying to find any kind of bird records that involve bird sightings from Tenterfield that go back 30 or so years. Hopefully someone else may have spotted this species in Tenterfield at some point in the past. I am also thinking of putting a notice on the local Post Office board to see if any local people have photos of this bird at Jubilee Park, Manners Street , between the years of 2001 and 2004. (I haven't done that yet and am not sure if I will either.) That's when I remember seeing them at Jubilee Park all the time. <br />
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I ended up by contacting the Australian Museum to get help with identifying this new bird species. The information I provided (written only) of this species was then sent to Dr. Walter Boles and I am currently waiting on a reply back from Dr Walter Boles, the former Collection Manager for Ornithology at The Australian Museum in Sydney. <br />
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It is my hope that come September 2013 the bird will return to Tenterfield in order to breed. Only then can I get a video and photos of it. If it doesn't return I can only assume there are small numbers of these birds not far from Tenterfield somewhere breeding in other areas.Shirley E Hardyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06693223246748297158noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6431980151134286335.post-5821552300474343272013-05-15T12:31:00.000+10:002013-06-04T12:32:57.454+10:00Whistling Kite - Haliastur sphenurusMy brother pointed out 2 raptors flying over the landscape to the south of us. Unfortunately I got no decent photos of the birds but my brother got a video on his camcorder. I've taken screenshots from the video to get a feel for the birds flying nearby. The birds looked the same colour as in the video with the naked eye, and the one being filmed had a wingspan of more than one metre but less than 2 metres. The one being video recorded appeared larger in size than a Brown Goshawk. The other raptor was of a similiar size to the one recorded and shown here (wingspan length only). Apologies for the poor quality video and screenshots. The closest bird was more than 100 metres from us when it was closest to us. <br />
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Whistling Kites seem to check out the area for prey items but do not come into town anymore. I guess their food items have also been reduced to small pockets outside of town. These Whistling Kites were not observed catching anything whilst being recorded on video. <br />
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Raptors, like the Whistling Kite, and nocturnal predators like the Tawny Frogmouth are generally seen during very late Summer to the end of Autumn in the area. Whistling Kites' main diet is mammals, birds, insects and fish as well as carrion (dead animals). They do this by soaring above the landscape. They can also be seen circling certain areas where there might be food that they have spotted.<br />
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Here are some screenshots from the video my brother took of these magnificent birds.<br />
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<img src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-36VmLdCaCbo/UZRWc4zGJ4I/AAAAAAAAKV0/kbJEU8R3Arg/s500/00011-008.jpg" /><br /><br /><img src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-qgRFf5TmODM/UZRWb8ZLacI/AAAAAAAAKV0/oxnTBr3LMI8/s500/00011-007.jpg" /><br /><br /><img src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-YrIKujaPG-g/UZRWbxhXPKI/AAAAAAAAKV0/lbivcO2RsOU/s500/00011-006.jpg" /><br /><br /><img src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-rrzIbB-Qayc/UZRWbeAzOCI/AAAAAAAAKV0/tTuvkNgrIg0/s500/00011-004.jpg" /><br /><br /><img src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-JPXX9Qw9eGE/UZRWaLCEWAI/AAAAAAAAKV0/I9sGpucMS9w/s500/00011-001.jpg" /><br /><br /><img src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-2TXi7T9ZH8Y/UZRWZoxycWI/AAAAAAAAKV0/CycUUAbneLI/s500/00011-003.jpg" /><br /><br /><img src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-beZ_NghJVXg/UZRWZlx_-CI/AAAAAAAAKV0/j-E0jwuMVoE/s500/00011-002.jpg" /></center>
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Plus two cropped and enlarged photos of the bird: <br />
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And here is the video:<br />
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Shirley E Hardyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06693223246748297158noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6431980151134286335.post-75130734507745055832013-04-13T15:07:00.002+10:002013-04-13T15:07:55.748+10:00Too many birds and no cameraI am getting rightly tired of continuing this blog. There are birds all around me yet I now have no camera in which to photograph them, or take recordings of their calls. Mine broke. It is too much of an inexpensive camera to get fixed. <br />
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The birds around here have gone on their merry way to ignore me, and even if I did have a working camera they don't get in range anymore so I can take their photo. Every time I try to get closer to them they just fly away.<br />
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So I am going to have a break from this blog for a while, possibly for more than a month. It may be a long time before I can afford a new camera, if I can find a suitable replacement. This blog is now officially on standstill until further notice.Shirley E Hardyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06693223246748297158noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6431980151134286335.post-41383965765259162013-04-13T14:58:00.000+10:002013-04-13T14:58:19.538+10:00Recent 45cm Pied Butcherbird sightingBack on the 27th March 2013 at 3:18PM my brother and I had stopped at the bridge on Douglas Street to look at the water in the creek. We were just standing there looking at everything and I had my camera ready to take photos of anything I could see that might suddenly show up, like a duck. Moments later, out of the corner of my eye I saw something very close to us to our left up in the air, and it was flying very fast. Without any sound this large bird flew over the bridge avoiding my brother and I and flew like crazy as if it was chasing something. I didn't see anything in front of the bird. It wasn't until it was about a second or two after sighting it as it was flying away along the creekbank that I could identify it as the 45cm Pied Butcherbird. I could barely keep my eyes on it - it flew that fast. <br />
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As I watched, moving quickly and suddenly to keep my eyes on this bird, it flew straight across the bridge then zigzagged right to left, then suddenly dove down to the ground. I never saw it come back up again and lost sight of the bird at this point. It is possible the Pied Butcherbird continued flying rather than diving to the ground, as it was flying a lot lower (about 5-15 metres above the ground at this point) the further away it was from the bridge. I lost sight of the bird at about 100 metres from where I stood on the bridge. <br />
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The thing that surprised me the most was it's speed. I've seen Australian Magpies fly in 2 separate speeds, the normal speed and a hurried speed. This Pied Butcherbird easily flew faster than a Magpie's hurried speed (or top speed). <br />
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I did manage to take a photo of the Pied Butcherbird flying passed but the photo came out all blurry. It's too blurry to post and it didn't even have the bird in it, and I had the camera pointed too far to the right. <br />
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This Pied Butcherbird is turning out to be a really difficult fellow to photograph. But I am glad it is still in the area even though I do not see it very often. Shirley E Hardyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06693223246748297158noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6431980151134286335.post-14336600913347999732013-03-14T12:25:00.001+11:002013-03-14T12:25:52.319+11:00Is there a point to all of this?<div style="text-align: center;">Sometimes I just want to</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-GGVRulQE67A/UUEZrNlqsKI/AAAAAAAAJ14/w53ysDwADtA/s1600/Sig_GW_02.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="106" psa="true" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-GGVRulQE67A/UUEZrNlqsKI/AAAAAAAAJ14/w53ysDwADtA/s320/Sig_GW_02.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
It is hard to be enthusiastic about photographing and filming birds in this town when there is so much destruction happening here. You don't really see it happening every day but over time you do. It is what people don't do that makes me wonder if people here care about anything other than themselves.<br />
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The real problem in Tenterfield is a lot of trees and bushes are removed every year but it doesn't look like the plants are being replaced by new ones. Tenterfield is becoming drier and hotter as a result. The birdlife just can't adapt to what humans do to plants so they are forced to move out of the area. <br />
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Birds are incapable of becoming residents as they have very little plants to nest, roost or feed from and that's within an area of 24 squared kilometres. What little plants are available here are only good for a small number of birds. Less than 40% of those plants are perfect for small nesting birds.<br />
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Now the strange thing is any bird species that is in the area and is looking for a mate usually finds a mate nearby. There seems to be no problems with young birds finding mates. The territories of birds seems not to be a problem either. There's a lot of bush surrounding Tenterfield and most of it is nothing but trees. Nesting sites seem to be a problem with some species but generally birds adapt and breed anyway with what vegetation is available. <br />
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Protection from storms, especially hail, is definitely a problem here for birds. One hail storm producing up to 7cm hailstones can kill hundreds of small birds in just 20 minutes. With all the open space and people mowing vast amounts of grass you'd think they'd plant a few trees and bushes so they have less to mow. But no... people just continue to mow their paddocks and grass to keep it neat and tidy. All that people care about in this town is the visual appeal of mowed grass!!!<br />
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If people do buy native plants to put in their garden they don't, generally, seem to realize that it takes new native seedlings up to 7 years to produce their first lot of flowers. Generally 7 years is the standard amount of time one has to wait. That is a long time for a bird to wait for a native plant to flower. The bird could be dead by then. <br />
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The main thing I'm whinging about is if the observed information I provide about all these species is of any benefit to anyone out there? With some species I can provide an unending source of information as those species are residents. The majority of species listed on this site are species that either live here temporarily or are just passing through. Any information gained about these particular species is just an added bonus. In Tenterfield the birds have it tougher than normal. Any given moment a human can come along and uproot their food supply, destroy a bush or tree with a bird's nest in it with no consideration at all for the birds, or cut down a tree that was producing shade. Any human activity is a big threat to the bird life in this town yet no-one cares less or does anything to protect what little habitat there is left in the area.Shirley E Hardyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06693223246748297158noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6431980151134286335.post-3074064455431820122013-03-14T11:26:00.000+11:002013-03-14T11:26:51.268+11:00Brown Goshawk sightingHaving the opportunity to film any kind of Raptor or Owl in the area is "You have to be in the right place at the right time to do so". This opportunity arose and I grabbed it with what tools I had in my possession at the time. Brown Goshawk sightings in Tenterfield is rare, rarer than sighting a Tawny Frogmouth which is pretty rare these days. Apparently Brown Goshawks are secretive birds but there was nothing secretive about this sighting. The poor bird was under attack by Pied Currawongs. Let me explain what happened.<br />
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On the 12th of January 2013 a bird landed in one of the gum trees in my neighbour Carol's side garden. At first all I heard and saw was just a commotion of activity of birds in the trees. Pied Currawongs were flying everywhere in and out of the trees. They all seemed to be chasing each other. That was my first impression. But when the Pied Currawongs began chasing a bird out of the tree I knew something was up. Pied Currawongs don't usually chase anything, especially not any local species. They are quite timid and relaxed birds. But the Pied Currawongs were going mental in the trees.<br />
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I started filming the birds and saw a larger bird than a Pied Currawong in the tree. It made a sound I'd heard before and instantly knew it was a raptor of some sort. The Currawongs were swooping it and getting really close to it. The raptor tried mostly to ignore it's attackers but spent a great deal of time chasing after the Pied Currawongs to get them to leave it alone.<br />
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Studying the videos I took of the whole incident it seems there may have been 2 Brown Goshawks in the trees. I can't be certain though. I done some research on it's call and learnt it was a Brown Goshawk. <br />
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This attack went on for quite some time before and after I stop filming it. I noticed that the House Sparrows in the area panicked when the Brown Goshawk was around and ended up over at my place, hiding in the tree by my bedroom window. This happened after I finished filming the attack by the Pied Currawongs. The Sparrows sounded nervous and panicky. Then they went quiet after a while, hoping not to be heard.<br />
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Brown Goshawks used to frequent Tenterfield a lot but now they rarely come to this part of the woods. I had never seen one in a tree before. I always used to see them on wing in the air. One of their main food sources is House Sparrows.<br />
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It must be really hard for raptors to be constantly chased and attacked by other birds. The Brown Goshawk obviously just wanted to rest for a while but whilst in those trees it barely got any rest at all. <br />
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The Brown Goshawk was in the area for about 4-5 days prior to me filming them. After filming it was gone about 24-48 hours later, never to be seen or heard from again.<br />
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Below are the 2 videos I recorded of the Brown Goshawk. I have a digital camera that refuses to zoom. <br />
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I filmed this raptor because I love the sounds they make. It reminds me of when I was living in South Australia where there were plenty of raptors. My experiences with wild raptors have been up close and personal, for they ventured close to me back then. Now they don't, and filming this raptor was something I didn't want to miss.Shirley E Hardyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06693223246748297158noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6431980151134286335.post-11751643132011222712013-03-13T06:46:00.000+11:002013-03-13T06:46:08.014+11:00Bar-shouldered Dove Geopelia humeralisWay back on the 22nd December 2012 I was bored and decided to whistle to the birds just to see what would happen. Now, in the area a Bar-shouldered Dove (I've only just identified this bird call as that of the above mentioned Dove) had moved in just a day or three beforehand. There was only one bird calling out therefore I assumed only one individual was in the area. I heard no more than one bird of this species whilst it was here. It made the odd call which made me alert to it's presence. When it called out it only done so 3-4 times then went quiet. I didn't hear the bird again for several or more hours later. I haven't hear this bird in Tenterfield anymore but in the past I have heard it here often.<br />
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The Bar-shouldered Dove started hanging around the Crested Pigeons. I heard them both calling out from the same tree several times prior to recording this video. They were all together when this video was recorded I believe - I just can't remember precisely right now.<br />
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Anyway, I went outside and decided to start recording a video as there was nothing else to do. There was no "different bird activity" happening at the time and nothing new to take photos of. I was bored out of my brain so I just started whistling. Deciding I would whistle to the birds was an act and idea of spontaneity.<br />
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I am not a good whistler. I can't whistle properly and I've never learnt to whistle properly so I apologize for my terrible and loud whistling in this video in advance. I held the camera too close to my face.<br />
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Moments before I started whistling the Bar-shouldered Dove was quiet. Actually I hadn't heard it call out for 1/2 a day. I had no idea if it was even in the area still. To my surprise the Bar-shouldered Dove responded to my very first whistle and kept responding by calling after I whistled again, and again, and again, etc. I couldn't believe my ears that this bird was calling back to me over and over and over again. I wasn't even whistling the same note as it was yet it still responded to me.<br />
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Below is the trimmed video (from the original) that just has this bird calling back to me. At the end of the video I changed the note I was whistling and the bird stopped calling back to me. Go to <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CN4DsHBZKyk" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue;">this video</span></a> (on <a href="http://www.youtube.com/user/BirdsofTenterfield" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue;">my Youtube channel</span></a>) to find out what bird calls are heard next. (There's 2 videos to my whistling spontaneity.)<br />
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I never saw the bird in irder to get a photo of it, and I could not see it when I went looking for it in the tree. The Bar-shouldered Dove left Tenterfield several days after this video was taken and I haven't heard it since. It was last located by itself for at least a day in a large gum tree near the edge of another neighbour's paddock before it disappeared.<br />
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Bar-shouldered Doves left Tenterfield some time ago. This particular individual was passing through town as there were no others of his kind in Tenterfield.Shirley E Hardyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06693223246748297158noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6431980151134286335.post-40236976280324174612013-03-12T13:14:00.004+11:002013-03-12T13:14:59.566+11:00Think before you chop plants downGIVE THE LITTLE BIRDS A CHANCE TO BREED PEOPLE!!!! THINK BEFORE YOU ACT.<br />
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The Flats where I live are under new management (new owners) and we (the renters) were told all the plants in the garden (front and back) are to be removed and planted out with Grevilleas along the boundary line within the next 3 months. The new owners care about, or so they say, about the birdlife.<br />
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Well, yesterday turned out to be the day when everything was chopped down. No-one had a say about any of it. Everything was chopped down except 4 tiny Grevilleas and 2 tiny Photineas and a few smaller plants only 4 of which were fully mature plants. All the other plants chopped down were mature or semi-mature shrubs/trees. Earlier in the morning I was filming a small bird that kept going into one of the Jasmine? bushes and another bush and I had been curious as to why it was also going into the plum tree in the middle of the lawn between Flat 2 and 3 for several weeks now. The plum tree had been mutilated so much it was now a bush not a tree.<br />
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All the birds in the area, the small ones anyway, had finished breeding, and this was a new species of bird in the area. I didn't understand what this particular bird was doing. This morning I checked the videos I had recorded yesterday and I learnt, to my horror, the bird was actually nesting and in fact had 2 to possibly 3 nesting sites in the front garden - meaning 2-3 separate nests.<br />
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Well, so much for the new owners caring about the birdlife. The nesting sites were chopped down within a matter of minutes. I just hope there were only eggs in the nests and not chicks but I suspect that the adult bird may have been feeding chicks, going on passed video recordings of nesting behaviour of another small species. The adult bird remained in the Pine tree across the road as it watched helplessly in horror as it's nesting sites and possibly it's children were killed and destroyed by a man wielding a chainsaw and Roundup poison.<br />
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Today there is no sign of the adult bird/s and they have left the area. If they plan on starting again I have no idea where they would find new nesting sites with such dense foliage as was found in the front garden. I've seen the type of plants in the area, and there are no dense foliage plants within at least 1km of where I live, especially in flower right now.<br />
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<strong>LISTEN UP PEOPLE:</strong> If you plan on cutting anything down make sure no bird is nesting in the plant first. If the plant has to be removed, and there is a bird nesting in it, WAIT FOR THE BIRD TO FINISH NESTING IN IT FIRST. Think before you act.<br />
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Let's say you don't know if a bird is nesting in a bush or tree that you want to cut down. Firstly look at the plant you want to cut down. What type of plant is it - does it have dense foliage or thin foliage? Thin foliage means you can see individual branches and the branches are not bunched together to form a dense layer for anything to hide in. If this is the case it is safe to remove the plant knowing nothing will nest in it.<br />
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However, with a plant (shrub) that has dense foliage you need to study the plant and what birds goes to it before you remove it. You must watch and listen to any birds going to the plant for about 2 weeks prior to removing the plant. You should notice, if a bird is nesting in it, that the same type of bird (and generally they call out when hanging around a nest or potential nesting site) will visit the bush quite a few times during the day, especially in the morning. <br />
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If nesting in the bush/plant the bird will disappear into the bush/plant and not come out for about 5-15 seconds. It may just look like the bird is feeding from the bush, if the bush is in flower at the time. But looks are deceiving.<br />
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If this is the case with any bird going into the bush DO NOT CUT THE BUSH DOWN UNTIL <strong><u>ALL BIRDS HAVE COMPLETELY ABANDONED THE BUSH</u></strong>, which will be several weeks after first seeing them going into the bush.<br />
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Don't be hasty in chopping any plants down until you know for certain there are no birds nesting in it or about to nest in it. To do so will cause birds to grieve and never return to your garden.Shirley E Hardyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06693223246748297158noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6431980151134286335.post-58744114803511725932013-03-11T03:51:00.000+11:002013-03-11T03:51:01.996+11:00I doubt this is a Noisy FriarbirdWay back on the 21st December 2012 at 10:28AM I heard a very strange noise. It was the noise of a Noisy Friarbird, so I've learnt through researching this bird's call. But thinking about this bird, whatever it was, was here just 3 days after the 45cm Pied Butcherbird arrived in the area. In all my time I have never heard this type of bird call before, and have not heard it since. It does sound somewhat remotely similiar to some of the sounds the Pied Currawongs make though.<br />
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The bird in the video was about the size of the 45cm Pied Butcherbird, and may have actually been the Pied Butcherbird for several reasons. <br />
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<ol><li>I have never seen nor heard a Noisy Friarbird in Tenterfield and I've been here since 1995.</li>
<li>The juvenile Pied Butcherbird, being new to the area and lost, made lots of different calls during the first month it was here. It appeared it be distressed and frightened and was alone dispite it's parent looking for it.</li>
<li>The Pied Butcherbird juvenile is able to mimic the sounds of an Eastern Koel and other bird species quite accurately even at a very young age.</li>
<li>This bird was being attacked by smaller birds which is what happened to the Pied Butcherbird when it arrived. It seems only the larger birds are attacked by smaller birds. Normal sized Pied Butcherbirds are not attacked by small birds in the area. I haven't seen it occur anyway.</li>
<li>During the first few weeks of the Pied Butcherbird being here it flew frantically across Tenterfield making all kinds of noises. It was the most distinctive and vocal bird in the area at the time.</li>
<li>If this bird were indeed a Noisy Friarbird it would have at least stayed in the area overnight before moving on. It's call would have been heard more often and I may have actually seen the bird.</li>
<li>This bird was behaving like it was lost and frightened rather than just passing through town.</li>
</ol><br />
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I honestly believe that this is the distress call of the Pied Butcherbird juvenile. I remember listening to this bird for several hours straight and felt totally sad that it was lost and in distress. I heard it call out like this for most of that day, relentlessly calling out in hope to be heard. I hoped that it's parents would hear it calling out but they never did. It's plight to be heard by it's parents seemed futile but it hung around the area. This bird was relentless in everything it done.<br />
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It wasn't until about week 3 that I believe the bird gave up and decided it would never see it's parents again and was homeless. So it began to settle down and got on with more important things in it's life. Those 3 weeks must've been torture for the bird as no other bird gave it peace nor comfort. No bird adopted it either. And no bird stopped chasing and attacking it when it was distressed. But the last time I saw this bird it wasn't being attacked by anything. Birds left it alone.<br />
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Why the bird had been separated from it's parents is anyone's guess really. Perhaps a raptor chased it but couldn't catch it and the bird kept flying as it was so scared until it found itself lost in Tenterfield? All I know it is not a bird from Tenterfield as there are no extremely large Pied Butcherbirds here.<br />
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I cannot help but think that if this bird becomes a parent, which it will in time, it will be very protective of it's chick/s. For some reason I think it will not let it's chicks go through what it went through. But I'm just guessing here, as I really don't know how birds react in this situation with their own chicks.Shirley E Hardyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06693223246748297158noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6431980151134286335.post-23479543011777247342013-03-11T02:03:00.000+11:002013-03-11T02:03:30.777+11:00Hey, who's eaten all the frogs?Slowly the frogs in the Tenterfield Creek began to stop croaking day after day until finally none could be heard within the creek itself. That was about a week ago. Their silence (or absence) seems to be a common occurrance in the area. With the increase of large water birds in the area, although only temporarily, maybe the frogs decided it was safer to leave the creek altogether than risk being eaten by these water birds?<br />
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Frogs can usually be heard any time of the day or night in the creek. That was until recently but now the creek is empty of frogs. I am actually in two minds over whether the frogs have been eaten or not, as I'm starting to think that although some of them may have been eaten, I also think frogs just moved out of the creek either to breed or to go somewhere safer during their non-breeding season. Come to think of it, it is more common to hear frogs along the side of the road than it is to hear them in the creek. That's over a 12 month period by the way.<br />
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Generally frog-eating birds do not hang around the sides of the road away from the creek. It is even rare to see these type of birds close to human houses. But frogs hanging around people's gardens is common.<br />
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Any surviving frogs tend to move away from the creek - to puddles on the side of the road or even move into people's gardens. For example, the closest frog to the creek in my area is at the corner of Francis and Douglas Streets, a whole 3/4 of a block away from the creek (more than 100 metres). There are more frogs on Francis Street, north side of Douglas Street, but they are about 1/3 the distance closer to the Tenterfield Creek. <br />
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Going further away from the Tenterfield Creek, between Francis and Rouse Streets, along Clive Street, there are several different species of frogs on the edge of the road at the moment. The area is grassed and it dips down to form a ditch on the side of the road and they are concentrated around and near water culvets. <br />
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Frogs calling out along Clive Street. When the frogs go quiet</center>
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all you hear is a cricket. </center>
Shirley E Hardyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06693223246748297158noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6431980151134286335.post-45331367646879920612013-03-11T01:51:00.000+11:002013-03-11T01:51:14.584+11:00Unidentified nocturnal bird in creek after darkIt was well after all the birds had gone to sleep but before it was completely dark outside when I was walking home from the service station and walking across the Douglas Street bridge. I looked down at the creek but couldn't make out any details of anything on the ground near the creek. I sort of saw the creek's water which was pitch black in colour. Moments later in the area I was looking at a bird startled and it took off like a rocket under the bridge. It made no sound except for the noise it's wings made on the water as it flapped. It was approximately the size of a duck going on an approximate wing span comparison of ducks being startled on the water in that area.<br />
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When this bird took off it did not fly at all and it was about 5 feet into the water from the water's edge. It was retreating like it was pretending it couldn't fly but could still flap it's wings and ran through the water whilst flapping them. It flapped it's wings frantically to move itself across the water to safety. It may have actually ran across the water's surface whilst flapping it's wings. The bird was by itself as far as I could tell. I have, only on rare ocassions in the past, seen this bird night time behaviour before. Only now am I trying to identify the species.<br />
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When an Australian Wood Duck is startled during the day they tend to fly away. They can either fly a short or long distance away when startled and have been known to <strong><u>fly at night when disturbed</u></strong>. I do know that sometimes ducks can be heard during the night time but never so early as to just after going to sleep for the night. As this bird was alone I doubt it was a Wood Duck.<br />
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I very much doubt it was the White-faced Heron female either as I have yet to hear her during the night time. She is always up early in the morning. As far as I know White-faced Herons are not nocturnal.<br />
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Ruling out Australian Wood Ducks and the White-faced Heron leaves only Masked Lapwings and Pacific Black Ducks. It was not a Masked Lapwing as they were all up on Francis Street at the time. This time of the year all the Masked Lapwings flock together as they are not breeding right now.<br />
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The Pacific Black Duck is not, as far as I know, nocturnal but I am not ruling it out as a suspect. The Pacific Black Duck rarely makes a sound during the day but I have yet to study this species. It is possible that this bird I saw tonight - well heard flapping across the water - could be a Pacific Black Duck, and what I saw it do is normal startled night time behaviour for this species. <br />
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I very much doubt it was an owl or a Tawny Frogmouth as I've never heard of any of them actually feeding in the water. I can also rule out raptors too for this exact same reason plus I don't know of any raptors that are nocturnal. <br />
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There are no other known species that spends a lot of time in the water here in Tenterfield that are on my list of what this bird could be. This brings me back to it possibly being a Pacific Black Duck, and possibly nesting somewhere nearby in the water maybe even under the bridge itself. The "possibly" bit is looking more like a "more than likely it was a Pacific Black Duck" than anything else right now. Tomorrow I'll go to the bridge to see if there are any Pacific Black Ducks in the immediate area. Shirley E Hardyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06693223246748297158noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6431980151134286335.post-48174899956803249922013-03-10T22:11:00.000+11:002013-03-10T23:01:28.700+11:00What do birds do when it is a hot Summers' day?What do birds do when its too hot? Not much really. All the birds tend to sit in the trees somewhere in a shady spot and just rest for hours on end. I've observed a few different species during the hot weather, so I will write about them.<br />
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<h2>
EASTERN ROSELLAS</h2>
Eastern Rosellas generally talk a lot when it is quite hot outside. They tend to sit just below the upper leaves of a tree's branches - if its a small tree - or in the top 1/3 part of a large gum tree. They tend to rest from about 12 noon until 5PM without moving from the tree or eating/drinking.<br />
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Here is an example of a male Eastern Rosella. The male was looking out for danger whilst his mate was in the next tree to the left. My brother got a bit too close to the tree where they both were seen together in, and they flew out of that tree into separate trees.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">When I first spotted the male in a different tree....</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-uKnE7DTYDUg/UTwzHnHhxFI/AAAAAAAAJ00/r_16oKrUT-o/s1600/GEDC4261.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" jsa="true" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-uKnE7DTYDUg/UTwzHnHhxFI/AAAAAAAAJ00/r_16oKrUT-o/s400/GEDC4261.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Then he began to slouch down so I couldn't see him.</td></tr>
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With Eastern Rosellas it is pointless trying to photograph them when it is hot. They hide themselves really well in the canopy of the tree they are in, and actually hide themselves behind leaves. On a separate day I searched for 15 minutes trying to spot a pair of Eastern Rosellas (the same individual and his mate as in these photos) in a small tree I was standing underneath, and I could not see them. I could hear them but that was about it.<br />
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<h2>
LAUGHING KOOKABURRAS</h2>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-VegLWwjVC8U/UTw10YinmnI/AAAAAAAAJ1E/Mk55j6hQfFA/s1600/GEDC4020.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" jsa="true" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-VegLWwjVC8U/UTw10YinmnI/AAAAAAAAJ1E/Mk55j6hQfFA/s400/GEDC4020.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A baby Laughing Kookaburra. Photo taken on 17 february 2013</td></tr>
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This photo was taken at 2:49PM and the Kookaburra's parent was hiding in the tree canopy of a smaller gum tree to the left of this tree. The young Kookaburra was exposed in this tree, on a low branch probably about 8-10 feet off the ground. It was a hot day, probably about 37 plus degrees celcius. My brother and I were walking home from doing some shopping in town at the time. We were on the other side of the road when I took some photos of this baby Kookaburra. Only when I spoke to the Kookaburra asking it where it's parents were did the parent respond by giving off a quiet Kookaburra laugh for about 10 seconds then it went quiet. As if to say I'm over here in this tree and I am watching you!<br />
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<h2>
PIED BUTCHERBIRDS</h2>
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This video above is of the sounds of a Pied Butcherbird during a very hot day and it is mimicking the sounds of an Eastern Koel. The Pied Butcherbird stayed in the tree the longest and was in the tree for more than 5 hours before it flew away. The tree in which this Pied Butcherbird was in was the large Eucalypt tree. I could not see the bird as it hid well amongst the tree branches. I did not want to scare this bird from the tree even though it was really high above the ground, so I stayed on the verandah. If I moved toward the gum tree on the ground the bird would fly to another tree as I tried that prior to the filming of this video. <br />
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This particular Pied Butcherbird is the same 45cm Pied Butcherbird I've previously written about on this site.<br />
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<h2>
AUSTRALIAN MAGPIES</h2>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Australian Magpie</td></tr>
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This photo was taken on 13 October 2012 at 11:39AM. It was a really hot morning and day in general. For about a week between 1 - 4 Magpies hung around my neighbour Carol's front yard in the shade of this particular slow growing tree. The Magpie was about half way up the tree in the shade. Sometimes when Australian Magpies are resting from the heat they will quietly sing but most times they are quiet and just observant of what is going on around them. The juveniles are the ones that sing quietly when it is hot. Magpies usually rest in the trees from around 12 noon until about 3-4PM. Juveniles stay in the trees about 1/2 an hour longer than the adults do and only hunger will make them move out of the tree/s.Shirley E Hardyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06693223246748297158noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6431980151134286335.post-74787656195053941252013-03-10T17:37:00.000+11:002013-03-10T17:37:29.772+11:00Why are the birds not coming back to Tenterfield?<span style="font-size: x-small;">
For the passed few years I have noticed a steady influx in the return of certain species to Tenterfield but at the same time these same species are not staying here any more. Some species have opted to only raise a family in Tenterfield and then move on again, whereas others have taken up residency here albeit are tiny numbers. The large majority of birds that left Tenterfield became migratory species, only rarely coming back to Tenterfield and only for food.<br />
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Tenterfield has somewhat remained the same over the years and although only a small handful of trees have been removed for various reasons (including via floods) it does not make sense to me that the birds would not become residents again even with the return of the rain. Something is missing in this scenerio that I am overlooking as to why the birds are not moving back to Tenterfield.<br />
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The majority of the species are attracted to the Tenterfield Creek whether to nest near the water or to use it somehow. Its strange but I've never actually seen any birds drink out of the Tenterfield Creek. They seem to prefer to drink from puddles away from the creek itself.<br />
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Birds follow food sources, whether it be natural or offerings by humans. Birds prefer natural food over artificial sources in this area. They only eat human offerings because of the lack of their own food in the area. But this is strange because no great loss of flora has been happening in the area since 2001. Plant and tree seeds are still being eaten by birds, nectar is still available in the area - otherwise the rosellas (Eastern) would've left by now. Insects are in abundance right now; and aquatic life is flourishing as the White-faced Heron was seen a few days ago with a male, so she may decide to breed again - twice in 12 months.<br />
Even birds of prey have been on the increase, hence being sighted or their scats found - so there is not much to really stress birds out in the way of a lack of food right now. But I have noticed the King Parrots have not come back yet - even though they may be breeding right now - they should be back by now.<br />
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Maybe trying to solve the mystery of why King Parrots left in the first place (some years back) might help to solve the mystery of why many other bird species left. Okay, let's find out what King Parrots eat...<br />
Firstly they eat seeds, and lots of them. In the areas I've observed them eat the seeds of Pine Trees, Oak trees, Wattle trees, and grass seeds. Doing a bit more research on the net, King Parrots also eat fruit, berries, Eucalyptus nuts and buds, wild tobacco, honey, and insects.<br />
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If this is what King Parrots depend upon to survive it might explain why the majority of this species left town, as there is not much of anything available in between early Autumn and early Spring. All the gum and pine trees go to seed in Summer; Wattles go to seed from October to December; Oaks in Summer; there are no native fruit or berries in the area - all blackberry bushes have been poisoned by the Council; no wild tobacco in the area; which leaves honey and insects. There are Banksias in the area but I'm not sure when they go to flower. Native bees are in such small numbers that any honey is simply not enough for one King Parrot let alone a lot of them. Insects have been numerous - not prolific - since the rains returned in October 2012. I doubt it has anything to do with this because over a period of time these food sources (except the Blackberries) have remained constant and in the same quantity of plants.<br />
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In the last few years the temperature has fluxuated dramatically. We have had quite a few warm to hot winter seasons but that seems to be going back to normal now. I really think it has something to do with the weather than their actual food supply that not only made these birds leave but to also not come back.</span>Shirley E Hardyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06693223246748297158noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6431980151134286335.post-79564698528713216582013-02-20T22:20:00.000+11:002013-03-10T23:00:52.718+11:00Scaly-breasted Lorikeet Trichoglossus chlorolepidotus<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-4lcxLuV3o3U/UTxshvq3eSI/AAAAAAAAJ1k/F19hslnXMNM/s1600/Hand+feeding+Green+Lorikeets+(Scaly+Breasted+Green+Lorikeets)-004.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="225" jsa="true" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-4lcxLuV3o3U/UTxshvq3eSI/AAAAAAAAJ1k/F19hslnXMNM/s400/Hand+feeding+Green+Lorikeets+(Scaly+Breasted+Green+Lorikeets)-004.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Scaly-breasted Lorikeets. Used with permission by and screenshot of<br />
<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uJy7yt0GE2M&lc=2cpQz4cF1H9N_fn2HQkdVg-A5CrDlV0Z0Gto8T6T-qU" target="_blank"><span style="color: red;"><strong>video</strong></span></a> taken 2010 by <a href="https://www.youtube.com/user/auswolf350" target="_blank"><strong><span style="color: red;">auswolf350</span></strong></a>. Copyright <a href="https://www.youtube.com/user/auswolf350" target="_blank"><span style="color: red;"><strong>auswolf350</strong></span></a>.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Out of nowhere, four nights ago at 12:15AM, I heard the sounds of a flock of parrots fly over my roof top heading toward MT. McKenzie. It was pitch black outside with no moon. At first they sounded like bats but getting closer toward me I could tell they were parrots of some sort. (See the first video below for the actual recording of their flight calls). I've since identified them, by sound only, as Scaly-breasted Lorikeets. I have also visually confirmed them to be birds and not bats. Originally I estimated there were no more than 40 birds in the area.<br />
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<center><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/It8oTH1mgWY?rel=0" width="500"></iframe><br />
If you cannot hear anything in this video above, turn your speakers </center><center>up <u><strong>A LOT</strong></u>. Apparently their calls are very high pitched in this video.</center><br />
Around 6:45PM last night I began walking toward where the birds had previously been roosting so I could be there on time as the birds came in to roost. When I got there, sure enough, the birds started coming in to roost. They began coming in to roost not as a flock but as small family groups that consisted of 12-18 individual birds. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-UozgQSs10bQ/USRekPUJGsI/AAAAAAAAJrk/4TihipuFIVI/s1600/GEDC4101.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" mea="true" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-UozgQSs10bQ/USRekPUJGsI/AAAAAAAAJrk/4TihipuFIVI/s320/GEDC4101.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Where the birds first roosted for the night.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>However, I began to notice more and more family groups coming in to roost. They were all coming from the west of Tenterfield. I could not get close enough to the trees that some of the family groups had landed in, but it was a small stand of about 8-12 mature gum trees. <br />
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On my way home from shopping I walked the normal way home and heard a heck of a commotion coming from a small stand of trees in the Tenterfield Showgrounds. To my amazement there must have been somewhere between 200 and 400 Scaly-breasted Lorikeets roosting in the trees. The more I walked toward home the more family groups I was seeing coming in to roost.<br />
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<center><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/kCjkYS_eIt4" width="500"></iframe><br />
In this video above the Scaly-breasted Lorikeets were in 6-8 of the </center><center>tallest trees in the Tenterfield Showground. It was taken yesterday </center><center>around 7:30PM.</center><br />
There were so many birds of this species I simply could not count them. They flew at speeds more than 50 KMs per hour, as the moment I spotted them flying they were gone. They were travelling too fast for me to even record them on video.<br />
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Special thanks to <a href="https://www.youtube.com/user/auswolf350" target="_blank"><strong><span style="color: red;">auswolf350</span></strong></a> for permitting me to use his video and screenshot to add images of these birds to this post. Shirley E Hardyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06693223246748297158noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6431980151134286335.post-64879390620599476292013-02-12T15:26:00.000+11:002013-02-12T15:26:51.354+11:00Pacific Black Duck Anas superciliosaAll ducks look the same to me which is why I never noticed the Pacific Black Ducks before. That was until I discovered in a few past photos that some so-called Australian Wood Ducks had long white eye markings like this one below. Click to enlarge the photo.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-NtAaKHxsqwA/URm7-MXARLI/AAAAAAAAJrE/Wr3ISZYMDXY/s1600/DSCF0086-001.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="229" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-NtAaKHxsqwA/URm7-MXARLI/AAAAAAAAJrE/Wr3ISZYMDXY/s320/DSCF0086-001.JPG" uea="true" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pacific Black Ducks taken about Aug. 2012</td></tr>
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It seems, now that I think about it, these ducks are always seen in pairs even if they are in a small group. I have not seen them on land at all, except for years ago when they were hanging around the Agricultural paddocks that belong to the High School. They always seem to be in the creek/water unless they get spooked and fly further along the creek out of harms way.<br />
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Late last month I took some decent duck photos which turned out to be of Pacific Black Ducks, well a pair of them anyway. (Now I can't find these said photos on my computer.) They did not mind me getting close to them to take their photographs. They were swimming in the creek which was recently flooded, and were playing with the water current. <br />
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Currently they are in pairs, not in groups, so it must be getting close to their breeding season. <br />
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The Pacific Black Ducks are one of my favourite bird species, and even though they look similar to any duck out there, they can be easily identified by their metallic turquoise-green wing patches and their long white eye markings. And you mostly see them in pairs in the Tenterfield Creek, and elsewhere - probably even at the Tenterfield Dam. <br />
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These ducks seem to prefer water with a current flowing through it rather than still water.<br />
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What these ducks eat would be whatever exists in the water. Although they are supposed to be herbivores eating seeds of aquatic plants they do also eat small insects and other things found in or on the water. Very rarely do they search for food on land.<br />
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At a guess I'd say there are about 20 individuals of this species within the township of Tenterfield that exist/inhabit the Tenterfield Creek only. They are not as numerous as the Australian Wood Ducks, that's for sure.Shirley E Hardyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06693223246748297158noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6431980151134286335.post-73955541360532935332013-02-11T14:29:00.000+11:002013-02-11T14:29:31.043+11:00Audio players refuses to workRecording bird sounds is easy enough when the birds are around but the big problem is adding these sounds to this site. Adding my bird sound video recordings to Youtube is basically a last resort for me. I am not happy with the fact my videos end up getting compressed, which actually reduces the sound quality and the actual volume of the sound birds make.<br />
<br />
With the existing mp3 players I have on this site I have found that one player is fine on this site but two or more of them makes them all malfunction.<br />
<br />
Having the Yahoo Media player tends to crash on this site after a while. It refuses to load large files. That's the reason why I'm trying to get an mp3 player to work on this site. Shirley E Hardyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06693223246748297158noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6431980151134286335.post-78388836838621319812013-02-02T21:26:00.001+11:002013-02-02T21:26:48.520+11:00UPDATE: Grey Shrike-thrush bred and moved onIt has been almost 3 months since I wrote anything about the Grey Shrike-thrushes. A lot has happened during that time.<br />
<br />
The third Grey Shrike-thrush female stayed with the male and they nested somewhere near the Tenterfield Showgrounds, probably along the bank of the Tenterfield Creek in one of the Gum trees there. Things went quiet around this time with only the occasional sighting of the birds yet they were heard more than seen. Then one day, on the 13 December 2012, I spotted 2 juveniles. The father was accompanying them, watching them from nearby trees and I only ever heard him from time to time. I never actually saw him at all. The next day both parents and juveniles were gone, never to be seen again. That's it really. It looks like these birds only stayed in town to breed and once the chicks fledged they all left town once they juveniles were strong enough to fly longer distances. With the Grey Shrike-thrushes gone, I can't update anymore information about them.<br />
<br />
Should these birds come back so be it but it looks like they're gone forever from the area.<br />
<br />
Anyway, here's the only 3 videos of the juveniles that I have. <br />
<br />
<center>
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/qnm44zuxSZQ" width="500"></iframe><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/oWEIz4WjGP8" width="500"></iframe><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/QkkKQc1ipdY" width="500"></iframe></center>
Shirley E Hardyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06693223246748297158noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6431980151134286335.post-50479420773757680042013-02-02T00:21:00.000+11:002013-02-02T00:21:41.501+11:00MEGAFAUNA - The 45cm Pied Butcherbird sings like an Eastern KoelA very interesting development has occurred and I am glad I was able to observe it. For months now I thought a Pacific (Eastern) Koel was hanging around, calling out even calling during the night. But today I saw what looked like a large white fronted bird on the fence across the road making the exact same sound as an Eastern Koel. I was not able to focus my camera quick enough to even get a photo. It certainly was not an Eastern Koel and only 2 species fit into the size category of what it could be: a Laughing Kookaburra and the 45cm Pied Butcherbird. It was not a Laughing Kookaburra. Kookaburras don't mimic sounds they hear. The bird in question was actually the large 45cm Pied Butcherbird.<br />
<br />
However going back to when I first saw this 45cm Pied Butcherbird I remember it making all kinds of songs. I recorded what I thought was (until today) an Eastern Koel (The Koels that are in NSW anyway) but thought it strange as it was doing a lot of mimicry sounds. I've several videos like this taken in the last 3-4 or so weeks but one in particular I will add here (or to another post) as soon as I can find it on my pc.<br />
<br />
This particular Pied Butcherbird is really hard to photograph. It seems to know when someone is taking it's photo and hides deeper into the tree canopy and goes quiet. It hides in the tree tops during the hottest parts of the day, and is impossible to see as it uses the outer leaves/branches as camouflage. It does call out and makes lots of sounds, which sounds like an Eastern Koel. When it is out feeding it doesn't keep still long enough to take a decent photo of it. it flies around town a lot but often I can't track it by it's calls. It seems to land on something and then call out. For most of the time it is quiet, especially during the first half of the day, but then it gets a bit vocal from about lunch time onwards.<br />
<br />
The Pied Butcherbird sounds I've been hearing lately, especially today, tells me there are two of these birds in the area. I have no idea on the size of the other Pied Butcherbird but it's voice is the same but a little bit quieter. I heard them both calling out to each other from two different trees, at least 50 metres apart.<br />
<br />
If these birds are coming together to breed then I need to keep a close eye on where they are coming and going to. But as the one I have seen, which I think might be a male, has attracted the female to his area it is possible I might get to see some nesting behaviour in the near future. I cannot be certain though that the two birds will even hang around the area to nest. They might move further away from the outskirts of town where it is peaceful and much quieter. <br />
<br />
For two days in a row now the male? has been sighted across the road on the fence around 5pm. Tomorrow I will be prepared and hopefully get a video of the bird. Hopefully it will sing for me - wishful thinking on my part!<br />
<br />
If nothing else it will be interesting to see what their chicks will be like and how big the female is. Or to at least get some decent footage of this male? bird.Shirley E Hardyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06693223246748297158noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6431980151134286335.post-56544888444420141432013-01-31T19:55:00.001+11:002013-01-31T20:50:37.236+11:00MEGAFAUNA - The 45cm Grey Butcherbird is actually a Pied Butcherbird<strong>MEGAFAUNA MEANS REALLY LARGE. However, it seems that some species of birds are getting larger and during the month of December 2012 I have seen 3 individuals of 3 separate species that are larger than normal. This post is about my first sighting - of a large Grey Butcherbird juvenile.</strong><br /><br />I was out the front taking photographs two days ago when I spotted a bird on the fence across the road. So I took a photo of it. It's of the oversized Grey Butcherbird again. That's what I first thought but looking at the bird now I've re-identified it as a Pied Butcherbird. The photos below shows how the bird has developed it's grey colouring over the passed month. It's colouring is not the same as in the video I took of it when I first spotted this bird back in December 2012. It's feathers are a really dark grey now and it's head is turning very dark grey too.<br />
<br />
Click the photos to enlarge them.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-left: 10px; margin-right: 8px; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-DnNx2bzJcRk/UQn-RtO4bRI/AAAAAAAAJeg/qm9qhBuRZVc/s1600/Grey%2BButcherbird%2Bchick%2Bis%2Blost-003.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-DnNx2bzJcRk/UQn-RtO4bRI/AAAAAAAAJeg/qm9qhBuRZVc/s320/Grey%2BButcherbird%2Bchick%2Bis%2Blost-003.jpg" width="250" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Screenshot from video taken 18 December 2012.<br />
The bird on a standard Hills Rotary clothesline.<br />
This is what the bird looked like when I first <br />
saw it.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 0px; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-OMSZRzE5ndE/UQnUdjyCi6I/AAAAAAAAJd8/k9k1VvMBYJo/s1600/Giant+Grey+Butcherbird.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" ea="true" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-OMSZRzE5ndE/UQnUdjyCi6I/AAAAAAAAJd8/k9k1VvMBYJo/s320/Giant+Grey+Butcherbird.JPG" width="250" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The large Pied Butcherbird in the misty rain.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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It is a sight to see this bird because it is so huge. With ex-tropical cyclone Oswald been and gone over Tenterfield, this and many other birds began to come back to the area 2 days ago (29 Jan. 2013) in the late afternoon. I only saw this Butcherbird for a few moments and didn't have the chance to take a second photo of it. I am happy to see this bird again as I know it has been hanging around the area since it first got here in December 2012. <br />
<br />
Grey nor Pied Butcherbirds rarely beg for food from humans. They used to but not any more. Obviously their dependence on humans for food is obsolete and as a result nature has resumed it's course. With nature taking over and the birds fending for themselves and trying to find food the result is a much larger Pied Butcherbird species. <br />
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Whilst adding the first picture to this post, that the bird was on the clothesline in the photo, I decided to measure the length between each line whilst writing up this post. Then I came up with a more accurate length of this bird in real time. The Pied Butcherbird is approximately 1 and 3/4 lengths of one section of the clothesline when it's head is upright. One length is the distance between two horizontal green cords of the clothesline - that you hang clothes from. I'm actually guessing the bird is just under 1 and 3/4 lengths of the clothesline actually. The length between 3 cords (2 gaps in the clothesline where you'd hang clothes) is approximately 20.5 inches (give or takes 1-2 cms - the clothesline was wound up and I had trouble reaching it). Half that is 10.25 inches, half that is 5.125 inches, and half that again is 2.5625 inches. <br />
<br />
The bird is approximately 3/4 of the total length of 20.5 inches. Therefore the Math is:<br />
<br />
10.25 inches<br />
5.125 inches<br />
+ 2.5625 inches<br />
------------------<br />
17.6875 inches (or about 45 cms) in length. <br />
<br />
When the bird has it's head stretched out horizontally it is approximately 52 cms in length. N.B. The bird is not fully mature and am uncertain if it is still growing.<br />
<br />
Pied Butcherbird details found on BirdsinBackyards website:<br />
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<div class="field-label">
Minimum Size: 33cm</div>
<div class="field field-name-field-max-size field-type-number-float field-label-inline clearfix">
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Maximum Size: 38cm</div>
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Average size: 35cm</div>
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</div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-3bTbgUP3DVE/UQofwCmsr6I/AAAAAAAAJfA/Q-EUGXXb34k/s1600/Grey+Butcherbird+chick+is+lost-006.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" ea="true" height="180" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-3bTbgUP3DVE/UQofwCmsr6I/AAAAAAAAJfA/Q-EUGXXb34k/s320/Grey+Butcherbird+chick+is+lost-006.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A better screenshot from video taken 18 Dec. 2012.<br />
The Grey Fantail in question that tried attacking it.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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Now, if you think I am pulling the wool over your eyes and exaggerating on this bird's size, then come to Tenterfield and see it for yourself. It might take you a long while to find this particular bird as it moves around a lot but eventually you will see it. I am not exaggerating about this bird's size. I may be out by a few centimetres but that's about it. Pied Butcherbirds are not naturally about 45-52 cms in length, here or anywhere else in Australia but this particular bird is!<br />
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This is the beginning of climate change adaptations of birds in New South Wales. How large Pied Butcherbirds will become in the future is anyone's guess.</div>
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Shirley E Hardyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06693223246748297158noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6431980151134286335.post-73857070514883790762013-01-27T20:53:00.000+11:002013-01-27T20:53:00.804+11:00Supercell storm strikes Tenterfield - lots of birds missing - presumed deadBack on the 12th January 2013 a supercell storm struck Tenterfield with the ferocity of a tornado making it impossible for birds to find appropriate shelter in time. Around this time there were baby birds of Eastern Spinebills; Western Silvereyes; and possibly even babies of the small Honeyeater species that were still in the nest or had just fledged. The Western Silvereyes I only recently identified as that species. How they got here is a mystery considering they are only supposed to exist in Western Australia. <br />
<br />
Nature can be cruel and in this situation was much more cruel than any act of human. How are baby and adult birds of the smaller species suppose to survive when something similiar to a weak developed tornado strikes the area pelting everything with 7-15cm hail? It is really sad to know lots of baby birds died in that storm, and will never have the chance to grow up and have a family of their own.<br />
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The storm brought more than 20 minutes of hail (along with rain) to Tenterfield. Since the supercell passed I have only heard one family member of the 4 Western Silvereye species that only recently moved into the area, and as quickly as it appeared it vanished from the area. Both chicks and one of the parents are presumed dead from being struck by hail. I have not seen any Eastern Spinebills or any smaller birds since the supercell storm passed, except for a House Sparrow or two and a few common Blackbirds.<br />
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Here is what my brother and I took of the supercell storm whilst we had the chance. <br />
<br />
<center><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/oMaY5-5Qpe0" width="530"></iframe>Watch the Masked Plover in this video running to find better shelter from the hail.</center>
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How on Earth are small birds capable of surviving such an act of nature when there is very little thick shelter for them to hide in? Tenterfield is a town that lacks the thick, dense foliage of plants that birds can hide in, in the event of hail and heavy rain. If birds are to survive in this area they need shelter from storms. Many smaller bird species will not use human buildings for shelter. If everybody just plants 2 thick, dense bushes or trees close together in their backyards the birds will have a much better chance of surviving bad hail storms. It is up to us humans to provide that additional shelter for the birds as nature is slow at regenerating vegetation. So if you are reading this post, please consider the needs of the much smaller species of birds and plant a few thick, dense shrubs/trees in your backyard.Shirley E Hardyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06693223246748297158noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6431980151134286335.post-83637701622536524292013-01-16T02:08:00.000+11:002013-01-16T02:08:59.242+11:00Red Wattlebirds in Tenterfield begin breeding at 4-5 weeks of ageHaving studied the local Red Wattlebirds and identifing individuals through photography and videos for about 6 1/2 months now I recently started asking myself questions about these birds. I've noticed that over a 6 1/2 month period something odd was happening around my neighbour Carol's place with these birds.<br />
<br />
Currently I'm observing the fifth observed generation (from before the 14th August 2012 to the first week of December 2012) Red Wattlebird that is probably a male as it is hanging around the area, as if making the area it's home. <br />
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This is what has been happening: The first generation male made the area his home, then found himself a mate. In all the commotion of finding himself a mate his parents showed up then disappeared after a few days to a week. He bred with his mate and they had a chick. He nested in a nearby area. At close to 1-2 weeks later when the chick/s had fledged the parents disappeared from the area. The one juvenile stayed in the area by itself, alone, until almost it was 1 months old. Then it found itself a mate. Not long later the parents came back to visit and the 1 and a bit month old bird seemed very excited by seeing it's parents. A while later, maybe a week, the parents disappeared never to be seen again (if my memory serves me correctly).<br />
<br />
This whole process repeated itself exactly with the second generation male, and third and fourth generation males leaving (currently) the fifth generation chick which now remains and which is slightly larger than it's parents. However, this fifth generation male has been disappearing from it's territory lately. I'm guessing it is looking for a mate right now.<br />
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The strange thing about all of this is I have never heard of any bird species that only raise one brood in one area/nesting site then leaves the area only for it to repeat itself with the next generation son. I do not know where the parents go after they have their first lot of offspring, nor do I know if they reproduce again. But I have a theory (see image below).<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-br3jFXIfkB4/UPVGyQx146I/AAAAAAAAJa8/tBx5OraOdWI/s1600/Red+Wattlebird+male+offspring+chart.png.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" jea="true" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-br3jFXIfkB4/UPVGyQx146I/AAAAAAAAJa8/tBx5OraOdWI/s320/Red+Wattlebird+male+offspring+chart.png.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My theory of what male Red Wattlebirds do and <br />
where they go during the breeding and non-breeding<br />
season.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Maybe, with this particular "family" of Red Wattlebirds, their firstborn children are raised in this area, and their secondborn children are raised in another area, and the thirdborn children are born in even another location, etc? This seems like the most logical explanation to me as to why the parents don't stay in the area and maintain a territory nor have any more children here. But why they don't raise another brood here is the real question to be asked. And why are they breeding at just one month old, every month, is a question that needs an answer. In other parts of Australia Red Wattlebirds breed only once or twice per season, not close to 4 times per season.<br />
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After having gone through all the posts and notes I've written up about the local Red Wattlebirds I have discovered they breed, at first, at the age of one month old. They only appear to have one offspring, although they may lay 2 or more eggs. At the age of 14 days old the fledged chick is 9/10ths fully grown and is already living by itself. By one month old it is attracting a mate and ready to breed and breeds successfully within the next two weeks in the immediate area of where it was born. It does not use the same nest it was born in rather it makes a new nest.<br />
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I have been fortunate to study each new offspring being born, raised and fledged in the immediate area. However, Red Wattlebirds are not common to Tenterfield. I only know of four individuals that temporarily live in Tenterfield - in the immediate area of where I live; the two parents; and the one offspring with it's mate. I am uncertain if other Red Wattlebirds live in other parts of Tenterfield but if they do then the number count would be identical to that of my area - just 4 individuals over the course of one month - or 3 if a chick has hatched - or 2 if the parents are nesting - or 1 if the chick is alone before it starts breeding.<br />
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I have never heard of any bird species that is physically and sexually mature at the age of just one month old, as is the case for Red Wattlebirds in Tenterfield. I find it ironic that the number of Red Wattlebirds in Tenterfield remains constant. I have not seen them "defending their food sources from other honeyeaters" as what appears to happen in other places in Australia. There are also no rivals with Red Wattlebirds in the immediate area, yet new chicks are able to find themselves a mate every time without fail. The whole area of the Northern Tablelands must be full of Red Wattlebirds but their numbers so widely scattered that it's impossible to do a population count.<br />
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This leads to many questions being asked. like "Once a Red Wattlebird has children do they have more children the following month?" "Do the parents always keep in contact with their male offspring?" "Is it possible that the male Red Wattlebird parent form knowledge of their grandchildren and great-great grandchildren, etc through the visiting of their male offspring?" "Do they know of their family lineage?" "If this occurs with the male offspring what happens with the female offspring?" "Why are male offspring being visited by their parents yet the female mates are not visited by their own parents?" "How long do Red Wattlebirds actually live for in the wild?" "Why do male Red Wattlebirds put so much emphasis on calling out to it's parents in the first place?" "What caused Red Wattlebirds to breed in this strange manner in the first place?" "Is this increase in their breeding cycle a part of some sort of adaptation or evolution instigated by climate change?" "Do these particular birds migrate at any point in their lives?" "Does this mean that they have shorter lifespans than Red Wattlebirds that breed less frequently?"<br />
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The breeding cycle of the Tenterfield Red Wattlebirds is a mystery. All I know is that going on what I've read about Red Wattlebirds on the Internet on bird websites, the local birds should not be breeding as often as they do. But they are and I think I will never know why. If you think you might know the reason why they are breeding at intervals of about every one and a half months then please leave a comment below.Shirley E Hardyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06693223246748297158noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6431980151134286335.post-17741261479690801022013-01-10T22:08:00.000+11:002013-01-31T20:51:15.373+11:00MEGAFAUNA - A 45cm Grey Butcherbird chick lost and alone<center>
<iframe allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" frameborder="0" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/uM5ddJ271nU" width="500"></iframe><br /></center>
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<strong>MEGAFAUNA MEANS REALLY LARGE. However, it seems that some species of birds are getting larger and during the month of December 2012 I have seen 3 individuals of 3 separate species that are larger than normal. This post is about my first sighting - of a large Grey Butcherbird juvenile.</strong><br />
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My first sighting of this bird was on the 18th December 2012 at 9:03AM when I took this video. The bird happened to land on my neighbour Carol's clothes line then was attacked by a young Grey Fantail. Grey Butcherbirds are 24-30 centimetres in length and Pied Butcherbirds are on average 32cms in length. Pied Butcherbirds are common in Tenterfield and they are relatively small but Grey Butcherbirds are not common here anymore. They are both smaller than the local Australian Magpies. <br />
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This young juvenile bird was much larger than a standard sized Grey Butcherbird. It was the size of a Laughing Kookaburra - 45cms in length. This larger than normal young chick has been flying around the area frantically calling out to it's parents and continued to do so for more than a week afterward. Why it was separated from it's parents is anyone's guess. It is, I believe, still in the area as of 10th January 2012 (today). The bird appears to be able to fend for itself but it does not like being chased by smaller birds. I have not seen an adult Grey Butcherbird in the area since this video was taken on the 19th December 2012. The last time I saw an adult Grey Butcherbird was about 12 months ago.<br />
<br /><strong>N.B. 31 January 2013 - This is actually a Pied Butcherbird not a Grey Butcherbird.</strong>Shirley E Hardyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06693223246748297158noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6431980151134286335.post-54477193207753060602013-01-10T20:51:00.000+11:002013-01-31T20:52:13.529+11:00MEGAFAUNA - A larger than normal male Australian King Parrot<center>
<iframe allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" frameborder="0" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/VOMIOCXdm74" width="500"></iframe><br />The female is on the left, male on the right. I only had one opportunity to</center>
<center>
take a video or photos of this male. I opted for taking a video of him.</center>
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<strong>MEGAFAUNA MEANS REALLY LARGE. However, it seems that some species of birds are getting larger and during the month of December 2012 I have seen 3 individuals of 3 separate species that are larger than normal. This post is about my second sighting - of a large male Australian King Parrot.</strong><br />
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On the 19th December 2012 at 7:53AM two Australian King Parrots landed in my neighbour Carol's bird feeder. I recognised the female as the daughter of the mated pair in Tenterfield. There are a total of 4 Australian King Parrots in Tenterfield now - a mum and dad, a daughter and a son. (As of today - 10th January 2013 there are none as the children have left the parents and are finding mates of their own or are probably nesting with their new mates.) All Australian King Parrots photos and videos I have, until the 19th December 2012 are of this particular family and of the generations before them. They all have been the standard size for a King Parrot, no larger than about 41 - 43cms in length.<br />
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However, when I first saw the male I was gobsmacked at the size of him. My mouth dropped at seeing him as Australian King Parrots are not supposed to be this large. He was at least 10-15cms longer than the female and was very lean. The female was fully grown and a standard size (roughly 42cm long) for a King Parrot. This bird was at least 55cm in length, if not more.<br />
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The male King Parrot was obviously not from Tenterfield rather from a nearby area close to Tenterfield. From whence he came I do not know. All I know is the male was huge bordering on the size of much larger Cockatoos. In all my time living in Tenterfield I have become familiar with the maximum size a King Parrots grows to. But seeing this male has made me think. It has made me think that Australian King Parrots can grow to much larger sizes perhaps in just a few generations. <br />
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What made the female choose this large male is anyone's guess. Maybe he was the only male around that wasn't taken? Maybe the female chose him because he was a larger than normal bird? Maybe the birds know something we humans don't and are chosing to mate with larger birds of their own species to help survive better in their environment. <br />
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The most interesting thing to see will be the offspring of these two birds. In time, hopefully, the parents will return to the area with their offspring. Shirley E Hardyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06693223246748297158noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6431980151134286335.post-89500971308689530142013-01-10T19:19:00.000+11:002013-01-31T20:52:50.953+11:00MEGAFAUNA - Laughing Kookaburra with 30cm long tail<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-aTLDcTFujNE/UO5qqQg9fzI/AAAAAAAAJaQ/p4JHm7Twa3I/s1600/GEDC3304.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" eea="true" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-aTLDcTFujNE/UO5qqQg9fzI/AAAAAAAAJaQ/p4JHm7Twa3I/s320/GEDC3304.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<strong>MEGAFAUNA MEANS REALLY LARGE. However, it seems that some species of birds are getting larger and during the month of December 2012 I have seen 3 individuals of 3 separate species that are larger than normal. This post is about my third sighting - of a Laughing Kookaburra individual.</strong><br />
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This particular Kookaburra was first observed flying across my neighbour Carol's paddock in a south-east to north-west direction then landed in the Pine tree near where I was standing. The time and date observed is displayed on the photos themselves. It sat on a low branch about 6-7 feet above the ground. The bird landed in the tree about 20 feet from where I stood. It was alone and seemed to be avoiding other kookaburras in the area. It was silent never making even one cackle. It flew very low to the ground as it flew across the paddock, no higher than 10 feet off the ground. <br />
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I had to look twice at this bird as it was exceptionally long from head to tail. When I first saw this bird I didn't know what it was so I started taking photos of it and realised it was a Laughing Kookaburra. The kookaburra in flight had an exceptionally long tail (tail feathers) that were around 30cm in length. The local Kookaburras don't have that long a tail which made me think it wasn't a Laughing Kookaburra at first.<br />
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I did not want to make the kookaburra fly away by getting closer to it - which is what I would've had to do to get a photo of it's tail. The kookaburra only just flew into the tree and I did not want to scare it as it seemed pretty relaxed with me nearby just watching it. It did keep looking at me though. I was with my daughter and Carol's dog. The Kookaburra may have been keeping an eye on Carol's dog rather than me.<br />
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I have not seen this particular kookaburra before so I can safely say that it is from a nearby area, and possibly looking for a mate as it is not a juvenile. As it was silent and seemed to be avoiding other kookaburras this tells me it may possibly be a male. The local kookaburra family were about a kilometre or two away in an east to slightly south-east direction when these photos were taken. <br />
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I was in the right place at the right time for this kookaburra to show up and get these photos. The kookaburra sat there in the tree barely without moving for at least 10 minutes before I moved on. <br />
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The strange thing about all of this is not the kookaburra itself rather the length of it's tail. I have never seen a kookaburra with a exceptionally long tail, or any bird with an exceptionally long tail or body, and this was the third sighting of evolution in the making in one week. First a grey butcherbird, then a male Australian King Parrot and now a Laughing Kookaburra. <br />
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How widely spread (in New South Wales) this is with Laughing Kookaburras getting bigger is unknown right now. I have not read anything yet about Australian native birds getting bigger or smaller. Am I the first to record this phenomenon? Maybe this is a nearby local adaption to the weather and environment due to the ongoing drought?<br />
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I can't wait to see the offspring of this kookaburra to see how big they grow! I just hope this kookaburra stays in the area.Shirley E Hardyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06693223246748297158noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6431980151134286335.post-45385344166734580622012-12-21T10:01:00.001+11:002012-12-24T17:17:01.399+11:00Tawny Frogmouth Podargus strigoidesI went outside last night around 11:45PM and all I heard was this strange noise coming from a low branch in one of my neighbour, Carol's, gum trees. At first I thought it was some sort of owl, as it was around the same time of night that one would normally hear an owl here. But I couldn't figure out what was making the sound. I knew it wasn't a Masked Owl nor a Powerful Owl. I ended up by walking over to the gum tree and was about 10 feet underneath the bird that was calling out. The bird called out for about 20 minutes before it disappeared. It was not anywhere to be seen this morning in any of the trees. <br />
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After taking a few videos from a distance I finally got a clear recording of the bird's call which I'm adding below. If you can't hear anything then turn your speakers up to 100%. The bird call can be heard about half way through the recording. <br />
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This is not the normal sound one would hear from a Tawny Frogmouth. Whether the bird was a male or female I do not know. I know nothing about Tawny Frogmouths except what they look like and the fact they are nocturnal. Tawny Frogmouths disappeared from Tenterfield a few years back and the fact that this bird flew away 20 minutes later indicates that it appears to be doing the exact same thing as the Masked Owl that travels through Tenterfield about 2-3 times a year. It is nice to see that Tawny Frogmouths are still in the area albeit scattered. What caused them to disappear from the area is a mystery.<br />
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This morning I done a bit of research on Tawny Frogmouths, and their voice is similiar to what I recorded on my digital camera. But the sound/call I recorded and heard is not the same as what I found for Tawny Frogmouths on the Internet. I know all birds make different sounds especially during the breeding season, so I'm taking a stab in the dark here and calling this bird a Tawny Frogmouth until proven otherwise. Shirley E Hardyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06693223246748297158noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6431980151134286335.post-78364957640360790852012-12-20T14:15:00.001+11:002012-12-20T14:15:46.595+11:00Rufous Songlark informationI am not entirely convinced that the birds I have observed in the immediate area are indeed Rufous Songlarks. THEY MIGHT BE THOUGH AND STARTING TO THINK THEY ARE RUFOUS SONGLARKS. I have identified these birds entirely by their song alone. See <a href="http://www.birdsinbackyards.net/species/Cincloramphus-mathewsi" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue;">here</span></a> for the original recording which I identified these birds from. From behind and in flight these birds look like a female House Sparrow. But a side on and front on view, the ones I have seen up close anyway, look different to the image on the birdsinbackyards website. They have a more rusty orange-brown chest or side colouring but have the typical House Sparrow coloured wings.<br />
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Currently they are about the size of a White-naped Honeyeater. They all appear to be the same size right now, which tells me they are juveniles and are still growing, and more than likely they recently fledged and left their parents' company. Yesterday I saw 4 of them chasing each other around the bushes. <br />
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These little birds can easily be mistaken for House Sparrows until they open their mouths and sing. They eat insects from just about every bush and tree in the area, and wherever insects may be hiding elsewhere. I have seen an individual come underneath Carol's back verandah and do a sweep of the underside of the roof for spiders and other insects. It's funny to watch as it looks like the bird is trapped and trying to escape through an impenetrable roof.<br />
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There are 2 plants in which these birds frequent the most, Carol's Hydrangeas and her butterfly bush. The butterfly bush is entered from an open space at the bottom and then the bird/s move their way up the stems to the outermost leaves in search of insects. Once the bird/s reach the outermost leaves they fly out of the bush into a taller bush or tree. The butterfly bush is the most visited plant in Carol's garden by these birds. The Rufous Songlarks, if undisturbed, will spend up to 15 minutes each visit feeding on insects in the butterfly bush. The Hydrangeas, which are currently in flower, are visited by these birds by them landing close to a clump of flowers, and then the insects are just picked off the flowers or bush itself. There are obviously not many insects on the Hydrangeas as the Rufous Songlarks fly away after a few moments.<br />
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In the last week to week and a half their songs have changed - or should I say become very varied. They occasionally make the typical call of the Rufous Songlark but now that call mostly occurs in the mornings and mid to late afternoon. During the rest of the day they make a whole host of different sounds which I am attempting to record and convert to mp3 files. These other calls are not the same as their typical call, and if you listen carefully to one of the calls, they actually sound like a Superb Fairy Wren calling out.<br />
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I'm still trying to get photos of these birds but in time these birds are becoming less scared of humans and I am finding they are coming to me. They are very curious little birds.Shirley E Hardyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06693223246748297158noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6431980151134286335.post-60594826892677273322012-12-20T13:29:00.000+11:002012-12-20T13:29:31.404+11:00Red-rumped Parrots observed informationThese gorgeous birds are a regular visitor to my neighbour, Carol's, garden. They spend at least 2 hours each morning eating grass seed on her back lawn from about 9 o'clock onwards. They fly into her garden over the west side gum trees as a flock and then separate into pairs or individuals and begin eating. If disturbed they will generally fly away as a flock into the nearest trees but scatter as a flock rather than all going to the same tree. Some will go this way, the others will fly another way.<br />
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When on the ground eating grass seed they avoid areas on the ground that are infested with ants, or even just have a few ants. Ants, even the small ones here, tend to bite anything that touches the ground. Their bites hurt as I've been bitten by ants numerous times just walking barefoot on the grass.<br />
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The Red-rumped Parrots generally do not eat from Carol's bird feeder as it usually has a few ants over the feeder. Those ants bite harder than the ants on the ground. However, I have noticed the Red-rumped Parrots spend time in the Silk Tree's top canopy branches (the bird feeder is attached to one of it's branches) especially before they change their feeding location. The Silk Tree is currently in flower which I believe may be attracting the birds in the first place. The Silk Tree is not in the immediate area of their grass seed feeding ground, and is about 10-15 metres away. The birds seem to flutter about in the Silk Tree, hopping from one branch to another before they all fly away.<br />
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The Red-rumped Parrots have not been observed eating anything else. However, I did count 15 of these birds when I first spotted them about a week ago and their numbers were about the same today. Their numbers have reduced over the course of a week due to some of the birds not coming into Carol's garden every day. Also, for the passed 3-4 days the outside temperature has been exceptionally high and very humid. This species travels in a flock with at least 2 adult males, an unknown number of adult females and juveniles of between newly fledged/6 months old to about 2 years of age (valid for only this flock). Most of this flock are juveniles of various ages which might actually explain why the parrots are gorging themselves on grass seed, to help the juveniles grow and be strong and healthy. <br />
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Generally, Red-rumped Parrots are rarely seen in a flock here in Tenterfield. You'd normally only seen them flying around in pairs, if at all. So it is safe to say that they only flock together when their offspring are old enough to fly around the place in a group - when the juveniles are strong enough to do so - and the chances of being eaten by a predator are reduced when in a flock but also it helps reduce the numbers of individuals being eaten by their "scattering" behaviour.<br />
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Click <a href="http://birdsoftenterfield.blogspot.com.au/2012/07/photos-red-rumped-parrot.html" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue;">here</span></a> for the recent Red-rumped Parrot photos of the flock.Shirley E Hardyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06693223246748297158noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6431980151134286335.post-8872537159333488332012-12-05T23:47:00.000+11:002012-12-05T23:47:00.891+11:002 White-faced Heron chicks sighted yesterdayI had a job to do yesterday and that was to water the newly planted trees along the edge of the Tenterfield Creek adjacent to my neighbour Carol's property. I also placed handmade tree guards around the seedlings. I found a cheap way of making tree guards by cutting up all variety of boxes that normally get thrown in the bin. The type of boxes I'm using are from cereal; frozen dinners; icy poles; biscuits - including the "Shapes biscuits" boxes; and basically any food stuffs that comes in a box. I cut the ends off the boxes and then fold the box in half by placing the 2 sides together and create a new fold along either side, creating a six-sided shaped box with holes at either end. For holding the things around the trees I use bamboo sticks - actually I broke them in half to make 2 out of one stick. But as I don't have any bamboo sticks left I'll be using just normal tree branch sticks in the future. Use whatever you can find already laying around, that's what I reckon!<br />
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So, as Carol, Eleesha and I were down by the creek, and I was collecting the water from the creek itself to water the young tree seedlings, I noticed in the area of one of the tree seedlings there was high grass covered in bird poop. I'm talking about a 6-8 foot square area of poop covering the long grass. So I looked up and right above that area was the Heron's nest. The mother Heron never poops that much nor in that area of the outer branches beside the nest. Upon closer inspection of the branches surrounding the nest, and by looking at the nest I saw 2 herons. At first I was excited thinking the mum and a chick were up there. Next thing one of the Herons moved from an outer branch to the nest. The other Heron was already in the nest. Both Herons then began squarking a bit in the low voice that they have and after realizing that I wasn't their mother they went quiet but nudged each other. The young Herons were a light brown to tan colour and were about 1/3 to 1/2 the size of their mum.<br />
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Yesterday, around sunset, the Heron mother was sighted flying low over my neighbour Carol's back yard and then around her shed down toward the creek where her babies are in the nest. It actually looked like she was finding food and being sneaky about it in Carol's back yard for her chicks. More specifically it looked like the Heron mum had come from somewhere close to Carol's back door as she took off. When fist sighted she was very low to the ground, below the roof line, and flew from the back door area of Carol's backyard. She was sighted flying away from Carol's house as Carol, my daughter and I were walking back up to Carol's house through the back gate.<br />
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What do the White-faced Herons eat around here is a really interesting question and is open for a lot of guess work really. It says on just about every bird website that I've come across that these birds eat fish, insects and amphibians. The variety of non-bird and non-mammal/marsupial/monotreme wildlife in the immediate area are your normal ground insect species; your aquatic insect species such as dragonflies; water beetles; etc; frogs; water dragon; and skinks and the odd snake (Red-bellied Black and a type of Brown Snake (King Brown or Eastern Brown). Before the 2011 flood there were fish in the immediate are but now there are none. There were also a type of yabby in the creek as well but there numbers declined because of the 2011 flood. The yabbies and fish declined for two reasons - the actual flood killed 99% of the population; and 2 the aftermath of the flood changed the flow of the creek, and in sections of the creek where the water flowed freely there is now sand and sand rubble built up creating sand banks and islands in the creek itself. <br />
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Here is a list of critter that appear to have gone missing from the immediate area, that are more than likely have been gobbled up by the mother Heron:<br />
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1. The birds that croak like a frog - these may actually be skinks.<br />
2. All the frogs in the Tenterfield Creek adjacent to the edge of Carol's property.<br />
3. All the baby skinks that I have sighted around Carol's garden in the passed few months.<br />
4. No baby Eastern Water Dragons have been sighted at all even though there are 3 adults in the immediate area.<br />
5. There has been a massive decline of large beetles in the immediate area - the ones that are all brown in colour, and the ones known as Christmas Beetles. I've only seen one Christmas Beetle all Summer.<br />
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The White-faced Heron is also supposed to eat fish, but as far as I can tell there are no fish in the immediate area of Carol's property and/or within 200 metres of the Heron's nest. So, the question is what other foods are the Herons eating that is enough to feed two growing chicks and the mum? Dog food is not being ruled out here, as strange as it seems, and nor is large skinks either. You see, these birds are quite large and obviously need more food to sustain themselves than Australian Magpies. <br />
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In the past before the mother Heron mated she was sighted eating insects from just below the ground's surface. This is the same sort of food that Australian Magpies eat which is in abundance here at the moment due to the rainfall increasing since the beginning of October. Shirley E Hardyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06693223246748297158noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6431980151134286335.post-16397430265867494992012-12-01T16:12:00.001+11:002012-12-01T16:12:20.865+11:00There are no more species in TenterfieldI've finally come to the end of the line here and, as far as I can recall, there are no more bird species that inhabit Tenterfield. I may have forgotten one or two species mostly because they are unidentifable and are lone individuals of their species that inhabit Tenterfield.<br />
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With most of the species already gone due to the drought there is nothing more to write about. This blog may become inactive for a while until I can find something to write about. I will try to add mp3 audio files to the bird calls pages in the meantime.<br />
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I am still waiting for the swifts/wood/swallows to come back to Tenterfield. I don't know their exact species. They come in large numbers well, probably 100 individuals, and they make nests at the back of Bi-Lo supermarket. It is 1st December and still no sign of them. They fly around the Bi-Lo complex catching insects that are attracted to the lights, and I've only seen them feed as a flock on sunset. It's an awesome experience trying to walk through a flock of these birds as they collect insects for their young. They often fly at 3 feet above the ground to higher than the roof top as a flock. They stay until their young ones are old enough to fly long distances then together they all fly away as a flock never to be seen again until the next summer. They've been coming here for years to breed.<br />
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But anyway, birds really don't do much of anything that is interesting. They wake up, eat, rest, eat some more, poop, socialize, breed, play, and sleep. That's it really.The brreding season for all the birds that breed in Spring is over. All the young birds have left the nest and are elsewhere with their parents. Once the birds have left the nest the family flies off and searches all of Tenterfield for food. Where they go to I do not know. What they eat, I don't have a clue unless I stumbled across them when I am in town. Breeding occurs for just a short period of time and most of it is done in secrecy by the birds themselves. Some species, like the Eastern Rosella and Torresian Crow, you can only guess when the young birds have fledged. There is no warning signs at all. One day they're feeding their young in the nest, next day the nest is empty and it has been abandoned. And they do not return to the nest or even the same tree to roost afterward either. Their roosting sites is anyone's guess as well.<br />
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I'll post something as soon as I have something new to post.Shirley E Hardyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06693223246748297158noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6431980151134286335.post-55457017631808970412012-11-25T22:10:00.000+11:002012-11-25T22:10:37.829+11:00MP3 audio files to be added soonIt is exceptionally hard for me to figure out how to create mp3s from video files and then add them to my blog. For me it is like trying to solve a puzzle. As long as the puzzle isn't too hard I can solve it eventually. The other day I came across a website that converts videos to mp3s. I tried it and it works. The website is vidtomp3.com. <br />
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So, with the few newly create mp3 files I have (from videos I have of bird sounds) I'm now going to see if I can add them to an mp3 player I have found on another site. Of course, my next step is to add the mp3 files to my Mediafire account so I can get a direct link url for them. Then I add that url to the mp3 player code and it should then play the mp3 file. In theory it should work. If I can get it all up and running, and the mp3 player works then I'll be upgrading the bird calls studies pages with actual mp3 files. <br />
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You see, whilst adding information about birds is one thing and videos another thing, the Yahoo Media Player is having trouble loading videos, and my blog is starting to take too long to load now. I need to simplify things so my blog loads quicker and every video works properly. <br />
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With, if all goes to plan, mp3 files to listen to I believe this site would be of greater benefit to people everywhere, as well as for myself. At times I am totally unorganized and knowing that I have a tonne of bird calls videos to add to this site, I procrastinate because the whole job is overwhelming me to complete it. Its not a simple matter of adding a few videos, mp3 files, photos or posts about birds every now and then. It all needs to be added on a daily basis. I just can't keep up with all the information I collect on a daily basis about birds. There's just too much information!<br />
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The biggest collection I have is of bird calls that I recorded myself here in Tenterfield. Photos not so much. Video recordings of bird sightings I have a lot of which is usually accompanied by their sounds. Putting everything I have onto this blog is going to be time consuming, time, in which I need to find how to make a 24 hour day longer.<br />
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If all goes well, please check out the bird calls pages in the next few days to see the relevant changes, and to listen to the new mp3 files. I think I'm having a bad year for writing 'cause all my words are coming out poorly written. Shirley E Hardyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06693223246748297158noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6431980151134286335.post-82610608024621532132012-11-24T18:16:00.002+11:002012-12-08T12:11:22.620+11:00Rufous Songlark Cincloramphus mathewsiRufous Songlarks are one of those species that left Tenterfield years ago because of a lack of consistent rainfall. I cannot even remember when I last heard one of these birds in town, it was that long ago. <br />
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About 3 days ago 3 of these birds suddenly showed up in Tenterfield late in the afternoon singing their heads off, around the same time some event began at the Tenterfield Showground that involves horses and cows. The strange thing about this is these birds are way too young to have travelled to Tenterfield by themselves, as they are about the size of a Red-browed Finch. In one of the videos (see the links below) that I taped a Blackbird or Common Starling (probably it's a Blackbird) was having a bath then flew onto the power line, the same power line and distance (roughly) from me for me to make a comparison with the two species' sizes. The Blackbird is much larger in size and in fact dwarfs these Rufous Songlarks in size.<br />
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As Rufous Songlarks, when fully grown are about 16cm long (females) and 19cm long (males), these have to be juveniles barely out of the nest. The theory on how they got here, is, well a guess but a bloody good guess at that. So here it is...<br />
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The parents made a nest in one of the horse trailers or cattle trucks wherever their home was. The truck or trailer was obviously not being constantly used by humans so the parents found it to be a perfect nesting site. They bred and raised 3 chicks (males), maybe more as I don't know if there are any females here. Suddenly, the truck or trailer was loaded with animals (cows or horses) and it took off for Tenterfield leaving the parents with no nest and no chicks. The chicks, unable to fly, basically had to go without food for the entire journey, as that was the last time they ever saw their parents and home. The chicks were at the age where they could fly by the time they arrived in Tenterfield in the truck or trailer. However, when they arrived at Tenterfield they all flew away and started fending for themselves, finding a suitable location near the Tenterfield Creek - across the road from where I live. <br />
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These birds have not moved since they got here but unfortunately I have heard one of them today, possibly 2 of the males. I have no idea if these birds will survive or not, but it looks like most of them will survive. If they were not going to survive they would've died by now.<br />
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I had to identify these birds by their song alone which is not like other birds' songs. It has more of a rainforest voice, a high pitched voice like the Bell Miner. It was hard to identify them as these birds' sizes differed greatly to that of adult birds but the calls were identical to that of a Rufous Songlark.<br />
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During the first 3 days these birds spent most of their time going from the top of power poles to the power lines, or from the very top most point of large trees to other tree tops. They've been singing constantly from sunrise to sunset, in the exact same area. They have not moved more than 100 metres from outside this area since they first arrived. I believe they have been trying to call out to their parents since they got here but since their parents never answered back the youngsters have realized they are completely alone.<br />
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They are beginning to go quiet, having breaks in between their calls. I'm guessing that they have come to realize the reality of what happened and have begun to give up ever seeing their parents again. They may actually be spending more time eating and regaining their strength. They are still within close proximity of one another which is a good thing. One of the males has actually moved from the intersection power line at the corner of Douglas and Pelham Streets, to behind the Flats (where I live) somewhere. I hope these young birds all survive and grow up to be adults. I also hope they find themselves mates that are not their sisters - if any females survived the accidental relocation.<br />
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I know there are two of these birds and both are males. There actually were three males originally but I think the third one died a day and a half later from starvation. That one went quiet around a day and a half later of arriving in Tenterfield. They all appeared to have flown away from the nest at the exact same time, when they were all strong enough to do so. They all set up their own little territories within about 200 metres from each other.<br />
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Click on the links to view these videos I taped in the pop out media player.<br />
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</center>Shirley E Hardyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06693223246748297158noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6431980151134286335.post-25923705955781297022012-11-24T16:21:00.000+11:002012-12-01T16:15:07.545+11:00Unidentified yellow and olive-green coloured small birdOn Wednesday, 21 November whilst walking home with my brother, I heard some small birds in the trees ahead of us. We were walking on the edge of the road on Douglas Street on the right hand side of the road between Francis and Pelham Streets before the Douglas Street bridge heading in a west direction. I could barely hear the birds, but they flew ahead of us as we approached the tree they were in. There were at least 2 of these birds. By the amount of calls that were coming from the closest tree I'm guessing it sounded like there were about 8 birds in the tree. We were about 10 - 14 feet from the trees as we walked passed them and the birds.<br />
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I took 3 videos as I approached the tree that the birds were in and as I was passing each of the 2 trees that the birds flew into but it availed to nothing. I did record their faint sound but no images of the birds at all. Just when I was about to give up on identifying the birds I saw one of them.<br />
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For a quick moment as the bird flew from a thick branch coming off the trunk of the tree to an inner branch with thick leaf cover, I saw a flash of colour and could roughly identify the birds. The one bird I saw was about the size of a Superb Fairy Wren, perhaps slightly smaller but was not a Wren of any kind. That much I could tell. The top of it's body was bright yellow and the underside of it's body was an olive-green colour. That's all I saw. It flew into the tree branch (from my left to a lower right position) too quickly for me to see what shape it was and what colour and shape it's head and beak was.<br />
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It seems really odd that most of the birds I have researched thus far that have yellow on them actually have yellow on their underside. Until now I had never seen a bird with yellow at the top of it's body. <br />
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The birds were quiet and seemed extremely shy, and obviously did not want to be spotted. I saw one of them as I was actually still looking at the tree, and was somewhat looking into the center of the tree as I was walking passed it. I had just looked down at the ground then looked back at the tree when I saw the bird. Shirley E Hardyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06693223246748297158noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6431980151134286335.post-70963049901074068022012-11-17T05:40:00.000+11:002012-11-17T05:40:38.414+11:00Australian Magpie mimicry songs are their "Happy songs"I am always amazed when I hear the variety of mimicry sounds made by female Australian Magpies. I've always wondered why they do it. What keeps me wondering about their mimicry sounds is why the local ones never mimic Torresian Crow calls or birds of prey or even Masked Lapwings. And then it struck me that they only mimic sounds of things that make them feel comfortable and relaxed. Things that do not harass them, basically. Magpies do not like Masked Lapwings, period, and will chase them out of their territory. <br />
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If you listen to any Magpie mimicking other sounds that they hear, it is always things they hear or listen to in their own territory. They never seem to mimic any noises from outside their own territory even if they can hear it. It is also the sort of things and animals that they get along with and don't feel threatened by.<br />
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I have only ever heard Magpies make mimicry sounds around my place and only ever out the front. I may only hear the same bird make mimicry sounds once or twice a year, so they are not singing to me to feed them. When mimicry sounds are heard the birds are always alone. How often they sing like this (meaning = Do they sing like this every day when they are alone?) I do not know but once they start doing so (they start mimicry sounds at 1 year of age by the way) they continue doing it throughout the rest of their life. <br />
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I actually have a theory as to why they sing using mimicry. My theory is they find a place (location) in their territory where they feel comfortable and will not be disturbed by the rest of the family. Then they begin singing in their Magpie voice then throw in mimicry sounds. When they mimicry sing their voices are quieter than normal, as if they don't want to be heard from a distance. If they are disturbed by anything they stop singing altogether and will not start it up again. Often they will get underneath a tree or next to something big (like a rubbish bin) which seems to further mask their song from travelling through the air to be heard by other Magpies.<br />
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I call this mimicry song their "happy song", as that is what it is almost like when listening to it. I honestly do not believe female Australian Magpies mimic sounds they hear for any kind of use in their courtship with their mate - if they have one. I think they mimic sing simply because they are happy and content. But also, I only hear them sing like this in Spring after their babies have fledged. Does their song have anything to do with breeding? I'm not really sure as I've heard a 1 year old Magpie do mimicry singing. A one year old is too young to breed so it can't be something to do with breeding, in my opinion. <br />
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Here's a wacky thought ... they are singing happy birthday to themselves because noone else will, or maybe they are singing "Old MacDonald had a farm" in Magpie language!<br />
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So, the next time you hear a female Australian Magpie make the sounds of a duck, horse or something else listen carefully to the sounds she imitates. Listen to the sounds that make her feel comfortable the most that exists within her territory. <br />
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My apologies for a terribly written post. I've a lot on my mind lately and I can't think at a deeper level to make more coherent sentences.Shirley E Hardyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06693223246748297158noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6431980151134286335.post-90256368368854754232012-11-15T05:17:00.000+11:002012-11-15T05:17:15.047+11:00Even less species in Tenterfield nowI was going to write a post about the Red Wattlebird chick had gone missing the other day but yesterday I saw it in my wattle tree with one of it's parents. I hadn't seen the chick for more than a week but apparently it is still here. The Magpies are still feeding their chicks but I still have not seen the second chick, which is a male. I believe it may have been hit by a car and it cannot fly.<br />
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This week has seen some species come and go. The species that I thought was a Grey Shrike-thrush has disappeared. The actual Grey Shrike-thrush male has disappeared - I'm guessing it took off with the last female he found. <br />
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There have been another species which I could not visually identify that I've heard around here, that has been here for about 2 months. Unless it is the Grey Shrike-thrush again making even different calls, I'm at a loss to what it could be. This species has also left. It left after the last lot of rain fell.<br />
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The Australian King Parrots finally left town as they ate their way through all the wattle seeds they could find. The King Parrots left only a few seeds pods on my wattle tree, and it looks like I might get one wattle seed this year. I plan on germinating that one seed as it is from a wattle tree that it mutating. The King Parrots did not hang around town waiting for the other species of wattle trees to develop seed. What the King Parrots left the Little Corellas are eating.<br />
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There are still Eastern Spinebills around, and I believe their chick is still doing well, but apart from the Red Wattlebirds I have not seen any other honeyeaters for about a month.<br />
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There was a visiting Eastern Koel (Pacific Koel) heard during about 2 weeks prior to yesterday but it too has left. The only type of parrot around is the Eastern Rosella only because a pair of them decided to breed in one of Carol's gum trees. All other parrots/rosellas/lorikeets have left town. The smaller black birds like the Starlings, blackbirds and mynas have also appeared to have left or are in such small numbers now that they had to observe and record their numbers. There have been a few sightings of some sort of swifts/swallows/woodswallows about town but it is normally only one or two birds sighted each time.<br />
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In this post I'm going to add a 29 minute video that I took, to give you an idea of what birds are still in Tenterfield, to the south-west area anyway. Other birds not heard in this video that are still here are the Australian Magpies and Eastern Spinebills and the White-faced Heron.<br />
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Shirley E Hardyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06693223246748297158noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6431980151134286335.post-73297667628304171312012-11-09T18:07:00.000+11:002013-01-16T16:03:52.859+11:00What was making these wolf whistle sounds if it wasn't Starlings?Have you ever had one of those days when you think you've heard everything? Yesterday was one of those days for me. Around 1:25pm the local birds were chirping away when suddenly I heard 2 birds making wolf whistle calls. As I got my camera ready I made sure it was not people making this wolf whistle, and unless people climbed trees to whistle from, it was not people. <br />
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I distinctively heard 2 birds, one by the creek to the north of the Douglas Street bridge, the other in one of the gum trees in my neighbour, Carol's, garden. The audio to the video is really bad quality, and was much louder in real life - actually it was twice as loud as the audio in this video. The 2 birds were calling out to each other using this wolf whistle sound. The sounds stopped after about 45 seconds, and I never heard it again.<br />
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I done a bit of research on birds that can mimic other sounds and the Common Starling is at the top of the list for this article. It is the only species I know of that actually exists in Tenterfield from this list of mimicking birds that do wolf whistle sounds. The other species on my list, so far, are the Upland Sandpiper; Superb Lyrebird; Black-capped Chicadees; Whip-poor-wills; White-faced Whistling Ducks; Greenfinch; and the Tragopans. All the birds except for the Superb Lyrebird, the Greenfinch, and Starlings do not exist in Australia, not even as an introduced species as far as I know. <br />
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So, here lies the problem... let's say the wolf whistle was made by 2 Starlings. Why would they only make this sound for less than 50 seconds, use it for communication, and never repeat the sound for years on end? I've read that Starlings mimic sounds because they hear it a lot, and are influenced by that sound. If that is true, then shouldn't the Starlings make these sounds at more regular intervals than just once every few years? It doesn't make sense to me.<br />
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I hear Starlings almost every day around here, and they make the typical Starling noises, despite the differences in their songs. But never have I heard a Starling make such a dramatically different sound as this wolf whistle before. It just does not match their behaviour nor their vocalisation really.<br />
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I am actually ruling out that these birds were Starlings simply because it was a once off sound, and it was used for communication. The 2 birds were about 200-300 metres apart when calling to each other. In the video below, you can hear a distinctive loud wolf whistle call being made at 0:20 seconds but you can hear both birds prior to that calling out, albeit faintly.<br />
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It is definately not a Greenfinch, an Upland Sandpiper nor a Blackbird as the wolf whistle sound is different between these species. <br />
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For reference, I found this video of a blackbird that mimics different sounds in order to attract a mate. I am ruling out the Blackbird as the likely suspect, as the birds I heard were obviously a pair and communicating to each other.<br />
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I honestly believe that the wolf whistle sounds were not used to attract a mate, as the other bird was doing it as well. In conclusion, going on the fact that different bird species often temporarily stay in Tenterfield for as little as just overnight, it is more than probable that the birds in this video were just passing through. That being the case then these wolf whistling birds are not from the local area at all. <br />
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AFTER THOUGHT: There is one possibility that it could be an unheard of call from the Grey Shrike-thrush. I'm not ruling the Grey Shrike-thrush out just yet as a possible culprit as it sings a lot of different songs, moreso than another other bird in the area, next to the Eastern Rosella of course.Shirley E Hardyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06693223246748297158noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6431980151134286335.post-78147463461637497522012-11-07T16:13:00.000+11:002012-11-07T16:13:06.365+11:00Little Corella Cacatua sanguinea <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Little Corella in broad daylight</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-byAKnHGjNjA/UJnh81M3JmI/AAAAAAAAJIs/Ayr_yjW1PvA/s1600/63826.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" rea="true" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-byAKnHGjNjA/UJnh81M3JmI/AAAAAAAAJIs/Ayr_yjW1PvA/s320/63826.jpg" width="250" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Little Corella alpha leader of group in less light</td></tr>
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My daughter and I were visiting our neighbour when, whilst outside for a while, a flock of large, screeching, white birds with yellow wings flew overhead and began landing in the back wattle tree. I honestly thought they were Sulphur-crested Cockatoos! They looked and sounded the same as they flew overhead and whilst in the tree and were about the same size too. <br />
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Now the thing I have yet to see is an actual Sulphur-crested Cockatoo eat Wattle seed so I got out my camera and started filming them eating Wattle seed. I ended up by taking some photos of the birds too but they were taken just about when it was getting dark. It wasn't until I uploaded the videos and photos to my computer that I noticed they didn't have the large crest like a Sulphur-crested Cockatoo. Some had crestless heads (their crests were laying flat against their heads) and from what I could see of the birds' faces they had red between their eyes and their beak. After a bit of Google image searching I realized these birds were Little Corellas. Yah, another species to add to my Tenterfield bird list, I thought to myself!<br />
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Now, I've seen this same small flock of birds for a month or so. There is probably around 50 to 70 birds to the flock roughly. I actually thought the Sulphur-crested Cockatoos had thinned out, and just a small number of them remained, eating whatever seed was left. But obviously I was wrong, terribly wrong apparently. This actually means the really large flock of Sulphur-crested Cockatoos (over 200 individuals) have actually left Tenterfield not long after the Little Corellas moved in.<br />
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Here's the gist about Little Corellas, just on about 10 minutes of observation of them. They hang together in a flock. They absolutely love Wattle seeds. They allow you to get reasonably close to them, within about 20-30 feet of them, if you walk slowly. They spook easily. They panic and fly away if you or a large animal run passed or gets too close to them (walking slowly within 8-10 feet of them or running passed them at any distance within 20-50 feet of them). If eating from a tree, a few of the birds will fly back straight away into the wattle tree, the rest will fly into a nearby but distant tree (any tree species that has lots of branches so they can all land in the same tree) out of harms way. One of the birds in the wattle tree will call out to the others from the very top of the tree whilst keeping a close eye on what disturbed them. The rest of the flock then flies back into the wattle tree once there is nothing in their "comfort zone". About 90% of the birds squark/screech all the time during the time they are disturbed from when they are eating.<br />
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Little Corellas seem to be more accepting of humans and domesticated pets than Sulphur-crested Cockatoos. They seem to respond to humans in a social way if spoken to or approached in a gentle manner. They are curious birds but weary at the same time. <br />
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There appears to be one alpha bird of the flock. They feed together as a group and get spooked as a group. The alpha bird tells the others when its safe to come back and resume feeding. The alpha bird stands it's ground, almost as if it is claim the tree as it's own on behalf of the entire flock when they are nearby in another tree. There does not seem to be individuality (or each bird for itself) like with Torresian Crows when they are feeding.<br />
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All that I know for certain that they eat thus far is Wattle seeds. They are the only other bird species I have seen eat Wattle seeds here in Tenterfield. The other species to eat Wattle seed is the Australian King Parrot. I'll need to study the Little Corellas eating habits in the next few days to see what else they eat. <br />
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Shirley E Hardyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06693223246748297158noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6431980151134286335.post-13915724804875743632012-11-07T13:27:00.001+11:002012-11-07T13:27:43.789+11:00Could this be the Grey Shrike-thrush?I wanted to add this video as a post rather than as a video itself simply because I am uncertain if these birds are Grey Shrike-thrushes. I have not heard the Grey Shrike-thrush for some time now, and in fact I stopped listening for the bird altogether. When I was at my neighbour Carol's place yesterday, I began hearing a bird calling that I've heard in the past but not this year. Then a second bird begins making the same calls a lot closer to me.<br />
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I managed to get a shot of the closest bird to me to sort of identify the bird species but I can't tell if it actually is a Grey Shrike-thrush or not. The setting sun turned the bird brown, and the shadows from the tree gave the bird a black head at times. But this does not look like the Grey Shrike-thrush that was visiting Carol's garden but the bird's behaviour is similiar to the bird. It is very confusing. <br />
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If this bird is a Grey Shrike-thrush, then I am happy to say that this call is another call that that species makes. I did not hear the typical Grey Shrike-thrush sounds that they make either before or after this video was recorded.<br />
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Shirley E Hardyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06693223246748297158noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6431980151134286335.post-46538972314544190022012-11-07T03:41:00.001+11:002012-11-07T03:42:33.914+11:00I can't see the honeyeaters for the plum treeSpring is the time of year when two things happen: the majority of birds start breeding in Tenterfield, and decidious trees begin to regrow their leaves and new branches. Out the front of my bedroom window is a decidious plum tree that is really thick with leaves and branches and despite it being turned into a bush a few years ago it is thickening up so much now that I can barely see my Grevilleas anymore. <br />
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Today some honeyeaters visited my Grevillea and all I saw was a flash of feathers as the bird flew around. The honeyeater in question that I recorded in the video below is either the Eastern Spinebill, White-plumed Honeyeater or the Yellow-faced Honeyeater. I simply can't make out which species it is, not visually anyway. I haven't tried to audio identify this bird yet. <br />
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Getting a good video of any of the three honeyeater species that visits my Grevilleas is now going to be extremely difficult through this dense foliage. It was bad enough that I could only record these birds from inside my bedroom as they flew away every time I went outside. Either I do the best I can with what I can see or wait until the plum tree has grown larger branches so the Grevilleas are a lot more visible. But the problem is when this plum tree grows it gets thicker and there is not a lot of light that penetrates the ground underneath it. <br />
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I would not get rid of this tree for all the Tea in China. It is the best shade tree I have ever found in Tenterfield. In Summer, when the rest of my home is scorching hot my bedroom is nice and cool. When the tree is in full leaf the tree's shade is at least 10 degrees cooler than when you're in the sun. There are actually 2 of these plum trees out the front and both are trying to reestablish themselves to look like trees again. <br />
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Shirley E Hardyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06693223246748297158noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6431980151134286335.post-66914562927167983532012-11-01T21:28:00.002+11:002012-11-06T22:13:41.805+11:00UPDATE: Australian Magpies and their female chick<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-3Fa-jN4ywIk/UJI9ZI_IRMI/AAAAAAAAJHw/8wIVqmG7dwQ/s1600/GEDC1932.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" qea="true" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-3Fa-jN4ywIk/UJI9ZI_IRMI/AAAAAAAAJHw/8wIVqmG7dwQ/s320/GEDC1932.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">It's feathers are a lot darker than previous chicks that<br />
have been born in the past. It's colouring is that of a 12<br />
month old juvenile actually. ADD ONE HOUR TO THE<br />
TIME ON THIS IMAGE - my camera's time setting is <br />
behind by one hour.</td></tr>
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Today I finally saw the Australian Magpie chick for the very first time. At first I was confused about the chick being a chick as it's feather colouring was too dark to be straight out of the nest. It also seems to be a little too big to be a chick just out of the nest. It is the same size as a one year old juvenile Australian Magpie. It wasn't until I took this photo (see left image) that I realised it was their new chick. The chick has been out of the nest for about a week, I'm guessing, two weeks at the most but today was my very first sighting of her.<br />
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All the Magpies' past offspring have fully grown tail feathers, whereas this chick has short tail feathers, like that of a Satin Bowerbird. When this chick grows and matures, it is going to be huge. It will easily be bigger than it's parents, in size. Whether it will grow a longer tail or not only time will answer that question. I'm not sure if this is normal or not for a Magpie chick to have short tail feathers at this stage of it's development but it seems to be able to fly okay not that I have seen her fly yet.<br />
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I was a little bit concerned when I saw this young bird, as the parents were not exactly feeding it like they have done with their previous offspring. I also believe it is a girl as the adult male was not aggressive toward the chick, even though the chick itself acted in a somewhat submissive manner (she didn't like what was happening to her older brother) on a few ocassions when it was on my front lawn when it's dad was very close by. The dad was being aggressive toward his 12 month old son that was eating food nearby.<br />
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Another indication that tells me this is a female is when the chick got frightened it ran straight toward it's mum rather than it's dad. Going on my past experiences in identifying the genders of juvenile Australian Magpies, this chick fascinates me. Not only does it act like a female but also maybe is already self-sufficient when it comes to finding food. It is very quick at adapting to my presence - on the second sighting of me it almost came straight up to me. <br />
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I now understand why I have not seen the male Magpie taking interest in feeding the chick. Male Magpies feed male chicks, and female Magpies feed female chicks - only if one chick survives and fledges. But both parents will feed the chick at some point, especially if it is a male and is quite demanding on the parents for food. This chick barely squarked at all for food when it was on my front lawn and it spent all of it's time feeding itself. That doesn't usually happen for months afterward, as it takes about 6 months before the chicks are independant enough to constantly feed themselves. If it is true that this chick is less than 2 months old, then it is very well developed for it's age. I would even say it is maturing at an advanced rate for it's age.<br />
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I've noticed, over the years that Magpie chicks, when by themselves, run to Pied Currawong females/males for comfort and protection when spooked and when on the ground. This only happens during the first year of an Australian Magpie's life. Australian Magpies and Pied Currawongs get on really well together here in Tenterfield. The only time a Magpie will attack a Currawong is when a male is experiencing increased hormone levels due to breeding and defending it's male chicks. This can occur for more than 12 months. Pied Currawongs never attack Australian Magpies. <br />
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One thing caught my attention with this female Australian Magpie chick.. she attacked a full grown Torresian Crow at one point, and the crow did not bother her or try to take her food after that. Normally the crows will attack the Magpie adults, juveniles and chicks and win but this female Magpie chick isn't putting up with the crows' behaviour at all. I have witnessed my very first aggressive female Magpie, and this girl will not only survive but become a top predator when she grows up. I will only have 2 years to study her before she begins to find a mate of her own and leaves home, assuming her sexual maturity will be the same as all other Australian Magpies ever born in Tenterfield and elsewhere in Australia. She will be one very interesting bird to study, just to see how she grows and what sort of things she does, if different to other Magpie chicks that are her same age.<br />
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<strong><span style="color: red;">UPDATE ON THIS POST</span></strong> <span style="color: red;">(6 November 2012)</span> - Turns out that this bird is the one year old female. She was obviously attacked by another bird and as a result had her tail feathers pulled out. At a guess, going on her reaction to a Torresian Crow that she attacked, I'd say her attacker was a Torresian Crow. Female Magpies don't attack other birds, especially crows. But crows attack Magpies. Shirley E Hardyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06693223246748297158noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6431980151134286335.post-13250111567163887572012-11-01T20:09:00.000+11:002012-11-01T20:09:54.776+11:00UPDATE: Red Wattlebird parents and chick<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The new fledgling at Carol's place. My camera's date <br />
setting is actually an hour behind true time. I will change<br />
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There is still no visual sighting of any of their chicks yet but both parents have been sighted at my place wanting food from me. This occurs about twice a day now, where food will be taken back to the chick/s. I believe there may be only one chick, going on the amount of food taken. <br />
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I really need to study any past notes I wrote down on this breeding pair. So far all is going well and the fledgling is still alive and seems to doing well. It is still being fed by it's parents anyway. <br />
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The parents prefer to take bread back to the chick as it is soft. No meat or insects, that I am aware of, has been taken back to the chick yet. <br />
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I wrote the above before I had a quick visit to Carol's place and indeed I was right all along about how many chicks they had. Not long after I got there I saw one of the parents with a chick. I managed to take a few photos of the chick before my camera died on me. I only have blurry photos of the chick at the moment. <br />
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Tomorrow I'll take some more photos. I'm hoping to get an audio recording of the chick's voice in the next few days, so I'm keeping my fingers crossed and hope the camera will pick it's voice up. It's voice is a soft, low pitch sound and a very quiet noise. The chick is 3/4 the size of it's parents and is still learning how to fly. At one point when my neighbour's dog raced passed the parent and chick, the chick flew off straight into the upright pole of the clothes line. It didn't seem to hurt itself and was flying again straight away. It's first lesson - watch where you're flying! <br />
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In flight it's wings cutting through the air is making a heavier sound than that of the adult birds as it seems to be struggling to keep up with it's parent/s in flight. And the chick has this cute little chirp/squark to it. It has such a tiny little voice at the moment. The chick is so adorable.Shirley E Hardyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06693223246748297158noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6431980151134286335.post-85403623131567461242012-11-01T18:08:00.000+11:002012-11-01T18:08:05.973+11:00UPDATE: What is the Grey Shrike-thrush thinking?This male Grey Shrike-thrush, if it is a male, does not seem to know what it is doing. The new (number two) mate he found has also left, obviously did not like his territory/chosen nesting site. These birds are supposed to bond for life but as the male is still so young and has not mated yet, finding the right mate who likes his chosen nesting site is going to be extremely hard in this instance. Two potential mates have already turned his nesting site down. I really thought he was going to mate with his first mate as they seemed very close to each other.<br />
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It might be worthwhile to put up some artificial nesting boxes somewhere. This may actually help the Grey Shrike-thrush to secure a mate better. But where to put the nesting box is another story. There is obviously not enough tree spaces to nest in, in the area. <br />
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I might look into pricing nesting boxes from the local Pet Store in the next few days and go from there. Maybe I can even get some for the Eastern Rosellas as well as some of the other bird species in the area.Shirley E Hardyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06693223246748297158noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6431980151134286335.post-566018846110235742012-10-31T12:10:00.000+11:002012-10-31T12:10:03.127+11:00Grey Shrike-thrushes have moved on to greener pasturesTwo days ago was the last time I heard the Grey Shrike-thrush and it found itself a new mate. The male brought his new mate into his territory but it did not last long. The 2 birds (there may have been 3 birds calling out but I could be mistaken) left the area a few hours later and have not been heard from since then.<br />
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The interesting thing about this is the original bird (most likely the male) appears to have abandoned his territory over his chances of successfully mating with this new female. The pair of birds have left an area where a plentiful supply of food is so they can breed in peace and quiet without any disturbances from dogs and humans and predator birds. The male is a quick learner and obviously does not want to go through that heartache again with the first mate he found. He is willing to sacrifice everything for this new female mate. Obviously the drive to breed is stronger than anything else in the animal kingdom. <br />
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With the male adapting and learning by his mistakes, and taking into consideration the needs and fears of the female, they will successfully breed wherever they choose to make their new home. I am really sad to see them go but as they have a really good chance at successfully breeding and raising a family I am happy to see them leave together, knowing he has finally found a mate and has learnt from his past mistakes. <br />
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But the question is where would this pair of birds move to that has a similiar supply of food? Out in the bush surrounding Tenterfield the insect life is not as abdundant as it is in town. The Eucalypt trees are still recovering from a long term drought and insects are not as prolific as it is in someone's garden. Maybe the insect population out in the bush is enough to sustain them and enough to raise future hungry chicks with.<br />
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Grey Shrike-thrushes are not noctural birds therefore they could not easily stay awake and hang around street lights to catch an endless supply of insects that are attracted to those lights if they remained in Tenterfield. I miss these birds already, as well as their songs, but birds have to do what birds have to do to survive and reproduce successfully. I wish them luck. I hope to one day see these birds hanging around the area again.Shirley E Hardyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06693223246748297158noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6431980151134286335.post-57543150301566216312012-10-31T11:10:00.000+11:002012-10-31T11:10:11.664+11:00Crested Pigeons being affected by sterilityI was hoping to see little babies of the Crested Pigeons this month but the female who was sitting on eggs has abandoned the nest altogether. Not only did she abandon the nest she wrecked the nest too. This occurred about 3-4 days ago. Either the male or the female is sterile because no chicks hatched whatsoever. I don't know which gender of Crested Pigeon is sterile. <br />
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It's strange but no Crested Pigeons have successfully hatched eggs in Tenterfield, as far as I can tell, for at least 5 or more years now. As soon as the adult population dies out naturally Crested Pigeons will become extinct in the area. This may be the first ever recorded species to actually go extinct. There is only one solution to this problem to prevent this species from going extinct, and that is the introduction of fresh blood with younger and fertile birds.<br />
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For the last few days I have not seen or heard Crested Pigeons anywhere nor have I seen any fledglings. Did they leave the area? Where did they go? I have no idea!Shirley E Hardyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06693223246748297158noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6431980151134286335.post-53348370062657497232012-10-29T18:25:00.000+11:002012-10-29T18:25:45.327+11:00Willie Wagtail Rhipidura leucophrysI forgot about adding this little bird to my list. There are not many of them in Tenterfield anymore. I'm not sure just how many there were in town before birds started disappearing around 2004 - 2006. <br />
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The Willy Wagtail is an insect eater. It catches insects either in flight or walks around and disturbs insects in the grass by flapping it's wings. This species is known for it's tail wagging movements. It is a black and white bird with a black throat and has white eyebrows and whisker markings. A breeding pair usually form a life long bond and will stay together with each other. <br />
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The Willy Wagtail is one of the very few birds that sings for most of the night. This occurs mostly in Winter but can continue into Spring. The males have been heard singing around midnight until just before dawn. Then it has a break whilst the sun rises and then starts singing again about 10 - 30 minutes later. <br />
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Their night time calls have been recorded by me but I had to delete most of them due to poor audio quality and an inaccurate sound recording recorded by my mobile phones. Their songs of a night time tend to change and can be slightly different each night. The male and female of this species is almost identical. <br />
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The main predator of the Willy Wagtail is the Torresian Crow which will steal and eat their eggs and their young nestlings. The Willy Wagtail numbers were I live have not increased due to predator attacks of their nest, year in and year out.<br />
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One of the first videos I took of a Willy Wagtail. It was preening itself on the<br /> fence but did not make a noise. It's a Torresian Crow's call you hear in this video.</center>
Shirley E Hardyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06693223246748297158noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6431980151134286335.post-12171483660825146382012-10-29T16:27:00.000+11:002012-10-29T16:27:17.156+11:00Common Starlings Sturnus vulgarisIt has taken me a while to identify this bird species as they generally look slightly different to the normal Common Starlings. The ones in Tenterfield are mostly black in colour. It is really hard to see the other colours that is commonly seen on a Starling, on a cloudy day. These birds are mostly heard before they are seen, and you can easily mistake them for being a Common Blackbird. The birds in the first video I believe are juvenile birds mostly. If you look carefully and pause the video a lot, you can see a bird on the far left that has circle colourations on it's body and has a light brown wing. These are the markings of a Common Starling. Right at the end of this first video the birds were alerted to a Torresian Crow coming in to get the pasta, so the Starlings flew away.<br />
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The video above was recorded today - 29 October 2012 around 12:30PM</center>
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The video below is mostly of the alert sound created by Starlings. I originally mistook this bird I recorded for a Satin Bowerbird.<br /><iframe allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" frameborder="0" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/-WmdQD4Fa4I" width="500"></iframe></center>
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This video was taken on Miles Street looking over the horse stables</center>
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and into the Tenterfield Showgrounds. I saw a big black bird fly into the area </center>
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where the Starlings were, and then a sort of fight broke out.</center>
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Common Starlings are somewhat common throughout Tenterfield and flock together in large numbers. They can be seen on power lines, flying into large trees, or on the ground where there is wide open spaces. They eat grass seeds. What else they eat I have yet to research. Apparently Common Starlings build their nests under the rooves of humans' houses and apparently have lice and spread lice too. Maybe that's where human children get head lice from; as Starlings are commonly sighted hanging around schools? It's just a thought.Shirley E Hardyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06693223246748297158noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6431980151134286335.post-51163339422661177692012-10-28T20:54:00.000+11:002012-10-28T20:54:51.655+11:00Peacock For years now there has been a Peacock in Tenterfield somewhere. I am not exactly sure where it is or if it someone's pet, but it does sound like it is either in the Tenterfield Park area or on neighbouring property to that location. I have only ever heard one Peacock calling out, somewhere directly behind Seven Knights' Service Station - on the east side of Rouse Street, one (or two at the most) blocks back from the main road and slightly to the right. This puts it right in the vicinity of the Tenterfield Park area. Yet, I have been to the Tenterfield Park many times and have never seen or heard a Peacock there. <br />
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The peacock is not heard calling for most of the year. It is only heard during breeding season which is Spring here in Tenterfield. I have tried getting an audio recording of this bird's call from my place but my camera and mobile phones don't pick it up. I'm roughly 2kms away from the bird!<br />
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For the passed few days this Peacock has been consistently calling out to attract a mate. This has been happening from about lunch time onward until just after dark each day. One day I will track the location of this Peacock down when it is calling out and take photos and audio recordings of it. It's got to be here somewhere.<br />
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My neighbour's friend at Drake actually has Peacocks and having observed those ones I have learnt Peacocks can actually fly. They roost at the top or near the top of very tall trees each night. I've actually seen a male Peacock fly up into a tree with it's full tail feathers and all. It is a surprising sight to see. Peacocks cannot consistently fly like other birds can. They can only fly short distances before they begin to lose altitude and gravity sets in. <br />
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The exact species of this Peacock is unknown and won't be known until I photograph it.Shirley E Hardyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06693223246748297158noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6431980151134286335.post-12119337712352734212012-10-28T16:43:00.000+11:002012-10-28T16:43:22.955+11:00How to do an Eastern Spinebill population count in your area from poor quality videosLet's say you have an Eastern Spinebill visiting your garden and you never see any more than one bird at a time. The chances of it being the same individual is about 50%. I actually thought there was only one individual visiting my garden but apparently there is at least two including one female. Taking videos of these birds is very helpful to help identify any different birds by their markings, which I will explain in a minute. Not everyone is going to have a really expensive camera nor take photos of these birds that come out crystal clear. Chances are your photos and videos will be blurry, out of focus or you just can't see the whole bird as it hides behind branches whilst feeding. These birds rarely keep still and are always moving about. But even if you do manage to get a clear shot it will probably be out of focus or blurred because you're trying to keep up with the bird by moving the camera. This is normal, and to date, this is what all my videos of these birds have come out like.<br />
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-left: 10px; margin-right: 0px; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-EBGltLo8D_k/UIzCda9OODI/AAAAAAAAJGg/xyLs-bG9tpY/s1600/Eastern+Spinebill+-+VIDEO+2+31+August+2012-003.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" oea="true" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-EBGltLo8D_k/UIzCda9OODI/AAAAAAAAJGg/xyLs-bG9tpY/s320/Eastern+Spinebill+-+VIDEO+2+31+August+2012-003.jpg" width="250" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Image 1 Notice the white triangle on it's chest</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-41v6RgfeBcw/UIzC6-b8pzI/AAAAAAAAJGo/NnUAVMDkkGw/s1600/GEDC0929-005.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" oea="true" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-41v6RgfeBcw/UIzC6-b8pzI/AAAAAAAAJGo/NnUAVMDkkGw/s320/GEDC0929-005.jpg" width="250" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Image 2 A near frontal view</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Image 3 A side on view</td></tr>
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I actually recommend just taking videos of these birds because not only do you pick up the sounds they make, you can also take a screenshot of the bird if it is crystal clear at any point in the video. I also recommend that you ignore the eye colouring of each bird, as when the sun light is shining into their eyes, their eyes turn white in colour which can be seen with the naked eye and it is picked up in video footage and photos. In the shade their eyes turn their natural colour, which I think is red or reddish brown. I'm not really sure actually.<br />
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Having Grevilleas out the front of my place is an added advantage as Eastern Spinebills feed on the nectar of the Grevilleas at least 3 times a day but only for a few minutes each time. They move on as quickly as they arrive. Studying these birds has told me that only sometimes do they call out. During the breeding season they call out a lot. It appears that they are keeping in contact with each other, as to where each other are. However, I have found a way to actually do a population count on this species but it involves taking videos every time I see these birds.<br />
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The most reliable way to do a population count is to check the birds' dark band markings that go from the back of their head down toward the chest. The formation of this dark band appears to be uniquely different with each individual bird despite the bird's age and gender. This dark band marking is similiar to our fingerprints - no fingerprints of 2 humans are the same. The same can be said for these dark band markings of this species. When studying your own videos of this species try to take screenshots of a near frontal view (see image 2) and a side view (see image 3) of each bird in the video. By getting a near frontal shot of the bird you will be able to tell how wide the dark band is and if there are any other unusual markings on the bird around the side of the throat and upper chest area. (See image 2 again)<br />
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In the last two photos we are looking at the same bird (see the dark band marking indents that go inward from the outside into the white area of the throat? They look like coloured in arrow heads. However, the bird in the first photo does not have these markings, and actually has a white patch of feathers that are on the outside (left and lower) of the dark band marking. It makes a triangle patch of white feathers between the dark band and the buff coloured chest/upper abdomen feathers. The dark band is also narrower in places and at the bottom it heads into the white coloured feathers of it's shoulder area. The bird may also have a white feather markings on it's right wing but this could be a trick of light.<br />
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The circular marking on the throat is usually, I've found, not a good indication at first, in identifying individual birds. As each circular marking is different it is really hard to get these birds to keep still so you can take a photo of their throats. When a bird has just left the nest the juvenile will not have this circular marking yet. They just have a buff coloured throat. As the bird matures the circular marking is formed. However, it will be a good way to tell how old the bird might be by studying how well formed the circular mark is on the bird's throat.<br />
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The brown nape coloured feathers also changes with maturity, so this is not a good way to identify individuals of this species. The brown nape coloured feathers eventually spreads down the back of the bird. <br />
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Anyway, by studying your own video footage you can clearly identify how many individual birds are in the immediate area using this form of identification alone. Shirley E Hardyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06693223246748297158noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6431980151134286335.post-24256222043040073342012-10-28T13:21:00.000+11:002012-10-28T13:21:09.517+11:00Eastern Spinebill juvenile sighted todayI woke up to the sound of either a Starling or Indian Myna in the tree next to my bedroom window. The bird woke me up. Upon getting up I opened up the front door and just stood there looking out into the neighbourhood, and lo and behold I saw a juvenile Eastern Spinebill sitting in one of my Dwarf Grevilleas. I was less than 6 feet from the bird. This was only less than 10 minutes ago (around 12:40PM) - yes I slept in. I stayed there watching the little bird as it kept perfectly still as it had it's back to me. I spoke to it then suddenly it moved, then scratched itself. Less than 5 seconds later it called out and a moment later it's parent called out and flew into the Dwarf Grevilleas as well. Then the juvenile stretched it's wings as if it was yawning whilst it's parent had some nectar from a Grevillea flower then the adult flew off across my front lawn to the right. The juvenile remained in the Grevillea. <br />
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I decided to get my camera so got up (I was squatting at this point) and walked into my bedroom. The moment I got back to the front door the juvenile flew away.<br />
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There is no doubt that this was a juvenile Eastern Spinebill. It was 3/4 the size of the parent bird. It had buff coloured throat feathers and dark coloured feathers on it's wings, similiar to the parent and a parent bird responded to it's call. What a delight it was to see a juvenile Eastern Spinebill upon waking up. <br />
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The juvenile may have already eaten nectar from the Grevilleas when I opened up the front door, but it looked like the parent bird was showing the juvenile where the nectar plants are, whilst the juvenile followed the parent around. As the juvenile remained in the Grevillea plant whilst the parent bird fed elsewhere, my Grevilleas appear to be a safe place for juveniles to hang around in. The adult seemed to trust me to leave it's chick in the plant, knowing I would not disturb it.<br />
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So, the 28th October is when you will definitely begin to see juvenile Eastern Spinebills here in Tenterfield. I have no idea where the adult birds nested, but they did nest and managed to raise one chick which will grow into an adult bird, hopefully. Shirley E Hardyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06693223246748297158noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6431980151134286335.post-59412742299558915302012-10-27T18:47:00.000+11:002012-10-27T18:47:08.674+11:00UPDATE: Grey Shrike-thrush has left the areaA few days ago the remaining Grey Shrike-thrush was last heard calling from a gum tree in the Tenterfield Creek, and has not been heard from since. I guess birds can only take so much before they leave, and I believe this bird left to find a new mate. I guess it wanted to mate, lay eggs, etc but didn't successfully do that here. A lot of factors may have been taken into consideration, including a bird-chasing dog; the barking of a dog next to the nest; too close proximity of nest to humans; and a very nervous mate. An appropriate natural nesting site probably would've been preferred over an artificial one as well but obviously none were available. <br />
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With a lack of natural nesting sites available, and the other factors taken into consideration, the birds obviously had no choice but to move on. Well, that's what I originally thought. Today I heard the bird again from about 5PM onward. It obviously travels a bit around the place to locate another mate then comes back home to rest for a while. <br />
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Going on this one fact alone, I would say this Grey Shrike-thrush has made this area it's home, and as such has a territory. It is good to still hear it about the place but only time and experience will tell if it successfully raises a family here.<br />
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Shirley E Hardyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06693223246748297158noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6431980151134286335.post-22649676876054781002012-10-27T17:16:00.004+11:002012-10-27T17:16:21.246+11:00UPDATE: White-faced Heron still on nest and it's a femaleI took some photos yesterday of the White-faced Heron's nest, and over the course of about 5-7 days it has grown in size. It is really strange as I have never seen the White-faced Heron feeding in the Tenterfield Creek, not even for 10 seconds, since it started nesting. I've yet to see it away from the nest. I've spent hours at a time at my neighbour, Carol's place, and not once have I heard this bird call out - except once - the last day it rained here in Tenterfield. In the immediate area of the Heron's nest are Australian Magpies, Laughing Kookaburras and Pied Currawongs as well as Torresian Crows (well one anyway) - all of which eat eggs and chicks (not sure about the Magpies though). <br />
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The picture above clearly shows that there is a bird still on the nest. It apparently is the rear end view of the bird. At first I thought another much larger bird had moved into the nest but after doing some research about White-faced Herons nesting, I learnt that the eggs hatch in about 25 days and it takes a further 40 days before the chicks are fledged. But how long it takes from mating to when the eggs are laid I do not have a clue.<br />
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Just looking at this photo means the adult bird does get off the nest to make the nest bigger and to eat. But as I am yet to see a second adult bird in the immediate area, anywhere, it makes me wonder if this bird actually feeds during the night time as well to help eliminate any predators from getting the eggs or chicks.<br />
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After mating happens the nest is built higher and bigger over time prior to the eggs hatching. The nest could double in size in a matter of just 2-3 weeks.<br />
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Rereading the posts I have written about this White-faced Heron, it started checking out the gum tree for a nesting site around the 1st of October. I have absolutely no idea when the eggs were laid, perhaps a week later? I'm only guessing here. However, on the 7th October the Heron was sitting on eggs constantly. Between the 1st and the 6th October I don't know what happened. However, on the 13th September two adult birds were seen together. I'm assuming this was the day they mated, as the second adult bird was never seen again after the 17th September.<br />
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In summary: <br />
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<li>Late August to 13 September 2012: lots of vocalization happened. Bird calling out esp. near sunset.</li>
<li>13 September: a second bird was sighted hanging around the first one</li>
<li>17 September: one of the adult birds left after mating had occurred during the previous 4 days</li>
<li>01 October: remaining adult checks out a gum tree to build nest in</li>
<li>07 October: only females lay eggs therefore it is a female</li>
<li>07 October: one adult had made a nest and is sitting in the nest</li>
<li>27 October: still sitting on nest and no sign of chicks on nest yet. Not that I can see inside the nest, going on angle and height the nest is from the ground.</li>
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It must be really rough on this bird to build the nest, lay the eggs, lay on the eggs as well as feed herself. And soon she will be feeding her chicks. In conclusion this remaining bird must is a female.<br />
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But why is she raising a family by herself? What would cause this to happen? It's a mystery that only she knows the answer to!<br />
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<strong><u>FOOTNOTE:</u></strong> When I observed the 2 herons together it is the male who fluffs up his or has fluffy plumage. The female who is nesting here now apparently didn't fluff up her plumage at all during the times I observed her with the male.Shirley E Hardyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06693223246748297158noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6431980151134286335.post-12532515026938812002012-10-24T20:05:00.000+11:002012-10-24T20:05:11.642+11:00Torresian Crow numbers dropping dramaticallyThe genetic diversity for the Torresian Crows in Tenterfield is entirely limited to it's own family members within one family group or possibly two. I'm starting to think all the Torresian Crows of Tenterfield are related to each other. The Torresian Crow that visits my place does not have a mate as far as I know. Just this year it's only offspring had left the area, and the remaining parent is always seen by itself. After quite a few years it still has white eyes. The blue-eyed crows left a long time ago.<br />
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Currently Torresian Crows, at least 2 pairs, are breeding (at the bottom of ST Joseph's Primary School and Jubilee Park) but offspring being born and actually survive is not good. About every 3 or so years I see a new generation of Torresian Crows but only one of which survives until it is old enough to fend for itself. The food demand for the chick/juvenile offspring is incredibly high until it is old enough to fend for itself.<br />
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Tenterfield's current population of this species mostly consists of younger generation birds - either children or grandchildren of older Torresian Crows. But here lies the problem - there is no other Torresian Crows, that I am aware of, that come into Tenterfield to increase the general population of this species. If there are others nearby they do not come into Tenterfield at all.<br />
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All that exists of this species in Tenterfield is less than 10 birds now. They seem to mostly inhabit the south-west corner of Tenterfield. These birds have been known to travel all across town searching for food when they are not breeding. They spend most of their lives near the Tenterfield Creek. They are a resident species of Tenterfield but some of them have already left the area completely. Torresian Crows are not a well liked bird in town but soon even they will eventually leave the area or die out as there is simply not enough food around to feed many chicks with. The crows that are here do not look hungry even though they scavenge through the rubbish bins. Nature is taking it's course with this species and I believe no-one will miss this species in town when they are gone (except me).Shirley E Hardyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06693223246748297158noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6431980151134286335.post-15033456550230892732012-10-24T19:10:00.003+11:002012-10-24T19:10:43.250+11:00Pied Currawongs disappearing quickly from TenterfieldThere used to be a fair few (about 15 or so) Pied Currawongs here in Tenterfield that left town for a while then came back I think earlier this year. However, for about the last month or so, I have only heard and seen just a few individuals which I believe to be young ones that have not bred yet.<br />
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It is a crying shame to lose this species as they are such a lovely species even though they eat birds' eggs and young nestlings. Large numbers of this species used to inhabit Tenterfield as little as just 7 years ago. Now only one or two individuals remain. In time, perhaps as little as 6 months from now, this species will have left Tenterfield as well. It only takes 6 months for an entire species to disappear from this area if the conditions and their food source do not improve.Shirley E Hardyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06693223246748297158noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6431980151134286335.post-18096152228339323872012-10-24T18:30:00.000+11:002012-10-24T18:30:29.665+11:00Grey Butcherbird Cracticus torquatusI need to see if I have any pictures of this species on my computer. About 12 months ago there were Grey Butcherbirds here in Tenterfield, albeit very small in numbers. I remember seeing just one pair of them and they did breed and only had one offspring. As soon as the juvenile was old enough to fend for itself the adult birds disappeared and I never saw them again.<br />
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The juvenile bird became an infrequent weekly visitor until one day it never returned and I haven't seen it since. I have not seen any Grey Butcherbirds since about January/February of this year, and they were resident birds.Shirley E Hardyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06693223246748297158noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6431980151134286335.post-84903612422191617622012-10-24T18:10:00.001+11:002012-10-24T18:10:17.389+11:00Restless Flycatcher updateJuly 2012 was the last time I heard a Restless Flycatcher in the area when I saw only 2 of them together. It, along with it's mate, has since disappeared. I have been to many different locations in Tenterfield since July and have not heard this species at all. It's call is very distinctive. As far as I can tell it is not at the Tenterfield Park either.<br />
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I am guessing this is yet another species that has left the Tenterfield area. I will be placing this species under the "species that have left Tenterfield" from now onward should I happen to come across any old or new videos I have of this species.Shirley E Hardyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06693223246748297158noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6431980151134286335.post-33614583116562964432012-10-24T16:57:00.000+11:002012-10-24T16:57:02.799+11:00White-plumed Honeyeater Lichenostomus penicillatusThe White-plumed Honeyeater is a rare visitor to Tenterfield. I believe I have not seen this bird before or have not paid attention to it's calls before. I'm just not sure about this species as to whether it is a resident bird species or not. Either way I have yet to see any more than one individual of this species. below is a video I took of my first sighting of this species. The sighting occurred at my neighbour Carol's place on the 6th October 2012. <br />
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All I know about this bird species is it is shown eating something from the new growth of the tree it was seen in. I'm not even sure of the tree species it was in.<br />
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Shirley E Hardyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06693223246748297158noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6431980151134286335.post-13446303689565500182012-10-24T13:30:00.000+11:002012-10-24T13:30:48.911+11:00UPDATE: Grey Shrike-thrush nesting nearbyIt's only bad news really. The pair of Grey Shrike-thrushes that were attempting to nest at my neighbour Carol's place, in the bottom half of the water fountain by her back door, have abandoned the nest and separated as a couple. The mate, more than likely a female, has not been heard from for probably 5 days now.<br />
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I was over visiting Carol yesterday and discovered the nest was empty. I took some photos but no eggs were even laid in the nest. The photos did not come out clear enough to add here. The nest was a crude attempt at building a nest, and was full of sticks and leaves, and some lichen and cobwebs by the look of it.<br />
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The male was spotted calling from trees when I was there, like he was trying to attract a mate. His song seemed desperate and urgent. The poor little fellow, I think he misses his mate.<br />
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As Grey Shrike-thrushes are not normally seen or heard in Tenterfield it may be some time before another bird comes along. His voice is loud, and for a very good reason. If you are the only one of your kind within a 10km square area you'd want to be heard too. Surrounding Tenterfield is lots of trees but generally Tenterfield is an open plains area mostly inhabited by willow trees and the odd gum trees. The entire area is not ideal for most bird species actually.<br />
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Why this bird simply didn't move away from the area with his new mate is beyond me. Why he didn't find a more appropriate nesting site is again another mystery. Having a large dog suddenly start barking and is known for chasing birds is not an ideal location for building a nest in that vicinity. It's stressful for birds especially if you are a newbie to the area.<br />
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Has it become so bad for birds that they are forced to inhabit areas in close proximity to human habitats? Where else are birds going to breed or sleep when there are barely any plant life outside of people's homes? Tenterfield is not designed for birdlife, and the areas in town outside of people's homes are mostly barren of plant life and generally are open spaces with lots of grass everywhere.<br />
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The Tenterfield Creek is also barrren, mostly devoid of trees and other plant life. I am surprised that the birdlife in Tenterfield is clinging to what little habitat there is here. The birds surely must be desperate to stay here, else they all would've left by now.<br />
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The Grey Shrike-thrush was the same, desperately clinging to life in what little plant life they could find. Obviously there was enough food in the area for them to stay but simply not enough plant life to breed in. Whether the male Grey Shrike-thrush finds another mate or moves elsewhere is anyone's guess right now. It will take time, if he chooses to stay here. However, locating more of it's own kind is almost next to impossible here in Tenterfield, as the male depends upon them passing through town before he can hopefully find a mate. His best choice is to leave town and try and find a population of his own species elsewhere and start again from there. As sad as it will be to see him go, there really is no other option for this species in Tenterfield.Shirley E Hardyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06693223246748297158noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6431980151134286335.post-29416641696941752872012-10-20T23:26:00.000+11:002012-10-20T23:26:38.182+11:00Haven't heard this bird call in about 7-10 yearsOh, how time changes everything. Just before it got dark tonight I was out the front potting up some willow tree cuttings that had taken root when suddenly I heard this bird call that I haven't heard in Tenterfield for years. I have absolutely no idea what species makes this bird call. I also can't remember the last time I heard this exact same bird call either, but it must be at least 7 - 10 years ago. It is not the sort of call you forget either, considering I heard it all the time in the past. It is the sweetest, softest, and gentlest call you'll ever hear a bird make. <br />
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The bird call sounded like it was on the west side of town about a kilometre from me. It brought back memories of hearing this bird song all the time in Tenterfield. It soothed my soul hearing it again. This bird song is the one that made me fall in love with Tenterfield in the first place. <br />
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I can't help but hope this bird will stay in Tenterfield now. It's call was my only source of comfort for my soul which I miss hearing. As this bird was heard as it was roosting, hopefully it will hang around Tenterfield tomorrow long enough for me to get a recording of it's call. I hope it just isn't on it's way through to somewhere else, as a lot of birds have been doing lately. <br />
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Unfortunately I did not get a video recording of the bird call. My new digital camera doesn't pick up low pitch (soft) sounds about 1 km away, so it would've been pointless anyway trying to record it. Hopefully tomorrow I will hear the bird call again. If it is about a km away I will be going to try and record it's call up close. <br />
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I'm going to be checking the bird calls of the species I haven't added posts about. I'm hoping this species is on my list and can finally identify it after all these years.Shirley E Hardyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06693223246748297158noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6431980151134286335.post-81437548645682982142012-10-20T01:19:00.001+11:002012-10-20T01:19:49.725+11:00Red-rumped Parrot Psephotus haematonotusThe two Red-rumped Parrots I saw today I actually thought were the Turquoise Parrots that I saw recently. I first came across a female Red-rumped Parrot which flew out of my neighbour Carol's bird feeder and flew into a nearby tree. It looked similiar to the juvenile Turquoise Parrot in colouring. Then I spotted a bird which I first thought was a female Turquoise Parrot which I took video footage of. I thought, originally, the mother and juvenile Turquoise Parrots were in Carol's garden but did not know where the male was. Inspecting the video later on tonight I noticed that the second bird I saw had red colouring on or near it's rump. The video footage itself is very blurry and out of focus, and am only keeping it for the sounds the male bird made. <br />
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Ironically, both the female Turquoise Parrot and male Red-rumped parrot are identical in appearance, except for the red colouring on the rump/near the rump of the male Red-rumped Parrot. The female Red-rumped Parrot looks identical to the juvenile (fledgling) Turquoise Parrot. That is why I initially thought the Red-rumped parrots were Turquoise Parrots. Both species are so closely identical to each other it is really hard to tell them apart unless you take video footage of them or see them closer up than I did.<br />
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Even though I am guessing these birds are Red-rumped Parrots I am just guessing. As my digital camera refused to focus on anything today, and it has a lighting problem, I am still using it because it has a better zoom that my mobile phone. Also, my digital camera, a GE 14.1 megapixel PJ1 records bird sounds accurately more than my mobile phones do. It looks like I need to replace my digital camera already.<br />
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Below are 4 screenshots from the video I took of the male Red-rumped Parrot today. The video was taken after sunset but before it started getting dark.<br />
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Shirley E Hardyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06693223246748297158noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6431980151134286335.post-67872751268877499932012-10-19T21:01:00.000+11:002012-10-19T21:01:10.450+11:00Updates: species nesting and breedingOver a period of about 1 & a 1/2 weeks I have observed some changes with some of the birds nesting in Tenterfield. The Red Wattlebird which I thought was the only one left in Tenterfield has started begging for food for it's young about 5-7 times a day. As soon as it has eaten a bit of the food I give it (sometimes), it flies away with a large mouthful of food. Not long afterward it is back again wanting more food. The adult bird, it is the one with the left-bent tail feathers, continues to fly down to the creek where the nest is to feed it's young. So, obviously, it has a mate who is also taking care of it's young, which appears to be constantly sitting or very near the nest. I saw it's mate out feeding herself/himself tonight just before it got dark just after sunset. Today and yesterday the food begging has slowed down a great deal to just 2-3 times a day. <br />
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Yesterday when I gave a bit of meat to the Australian Magpies, the adult male flew off with some of it in his beak. He only does this when chicks need to be fed. Going on passed experiences I would say the chicks have hatched less than 4 days ago. Very little food, that I can tell, is being given to the chicks at this time and it was only once yesterday that food was taken to the chicks, but they have hatched nonetheless. Also, the adult male Magpie has been seen more in it's old territory than it's new territory. I'm guessing that the 2 days of rain we had recently brought back the Magpies to their old territory (south side of Douglas Street).<br />
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Much earlier in the day (yesterday) my brother Daniel told me he saw 2 crows attacking an Eastern Brown Snake in the paddock opposite the nest of 2 Torresian Crows, on the other side of the road. Daniel did not know if the crows had killed the snake or not and he had no idea that the crows were even nesting. I had to go out yesterday, and before I turned the corner of Douglas and Francis Streets to go onto Francis Street, I saw a crow on the road feeding on a dead rabbit. On closer expection of the rabbit the eyeball was missing. The crow had eaten it. How disgusting!<br />
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Turning the corner I tried to see if the snake was dead or not but could not see any signs of a snake. However, on the way home I was actually swooped by these same two Torresian Crows. Well, if you can call it swooping. One of the birds flew from the Tenterfield Creek in the showgrounds area to a gum tree on the ST. Joseph's Catholic Primary School property, at the bottom left of the oval as I got within range of their tree. One of them was sitting on a nest prior to the attack. With 2 birds in the tree one flew over my head about 20-30 feet above me, then sort of lifted it's tail up, flapped it's wings then continued to fly normally. They made no noise when they swooped me. Just before the attack, or during it, I heard a sound that was quiet but weird. It sounded similiar to the noise you hear of dew on an electric fence, creating a slight clicking charge sound. It was a softer sound to that of an electric fence and it was more of a clicking sound than anything else. The second bird swooped me moments later. They both flew onto the Rural Fire Service boudary fence and just sat there doing nothing as I continued to walk passed the area. I was probably less than 150 -200 metres from the said gum tree. This might actually explain why, several weeks beforehand, I saw a Laughing Kookaburra trying to ransack something in the same gum tree before it was chased out of the tree by one of the crows. Perhaps the kookaburra was trying to take over the crows nest to use it for itself to nest in? I doubt the crows would've had laid eggs back then but I could be wrong. <br />
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For probably a week now the Masked Lapwings have stopped swooping. I'm guessing that the juveniles have learnt how to fly and can now flee danger should any come the chicks' way. I am certain that at least 2 breeding pairs of Masked Lapwings have bred this October. The pair that was hanging around the paddock on the corner of Francis and Miles Streets (opposite the showgrounds) that would not move from that paddock have moved on as well. I believe they were nesting too but I avoided that paddock when going on foot into town as they were getting very aggressive in the end. The Lapwings spend most of their time hanging around the Tenterfield Creek or within several hundred metres from the creek.<br />
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For the passed 2 days the grey Shrike-thrushes have gone very quite. I have heard one of them calling out at dawn but generally they are quiet throughout the rest of the day. I barely hear a sound from them now. I believe they are sitting on eggs, as of this morning they were still in the area. Within the last 24 hours both birds were seen flying away from their new nest to the creek in a southerly direction. There have been no other sightings of either one of them around my neighbour Carol's back door and I have not seen them flying around my immediate area in the last 4 days. <br />
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The Crested Pigeon who was nesting has not been heard lately either. It is still quiet and it has been seen feeding so hopefully there will be chicks running around the place soon. I have checked today if her eggs have hatched or not but can't tell as the female, I think, is still sitting on the nest. <br />
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Lastly, to the White-faced Heron... It appears at first glance that the White-faced Heron's nest has been abandoned. As the nest is about 50 feet off the ground it is really hard to see what is on the nest. I also have to move away from the tree to get the right angle just to see any kind of activity on the nest. My hands shake if I hold a camera almost above my head. So, I need to take lots of photos of the nest hoping at least one of them will be crystal clear and not shaky. <br />
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Just before sunset tonight I took a few photos of the White-faced Heron's nest, and all are blurry. But the photos reveals that the adult bird is not sitting on eggs anymore and that the eggs have hatched, or at least that's what it looks like. The photo below, despite it being blurry, reveals an adult White-faced Heron doing something similiar to kneeling or standing up in the nest. The bird is to the side of the nest as well. This is a promising sign actually as I have never known White-faced Herons to actually nest in Tenterfield itself.<br />
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Shirley E Hardyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06693223246748297158noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6431980151134286335.post-77026826830490997272012-10-16T13:53:00.002+11:002012-10-16T13:53:55.577+11:00How to tell if birds are breeding in your area.I have studied a lot of birds in Tenterfield over the years, and this post is a collection of my observations of many different species during their breeding season. I hope it will be useful to anyone who reads it.<br />
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Different birds breed at different times of the year, as we all know. Most bird species in Tenterfield breed from August to December of each year, basically during the warmer and wetter period of Spring. Being in a drought still, raising chicks is much higher demand work than non-drought seasons. Survival rates of offspring is dramatically reduced by the absense of a lack of food for the young, developing chicks, and as such breeding seasons are altered by weeks, months or even years. To the extreme side of nature some species may opt out of breeding for a few years until the rains returns. There are so many possibilities that could happen that birds must not only guarantee their own survival but the survival of their chicks if they decide to breed at all.<br />
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Okay, let's say you want to know which birds are actually sitting on eggs right now. Firstly you must have some knowledge of the birds' behaviour visiting your area (or garden) prior to reading this information. For example, how often they visit your garden, what they eat, where they eat, and who they eat food with. In the early stages of breeding most adult male birds tend to get aggressive toward other males of their same species. They might also attack other species to chase them away from a nesting area they have chosen. Their songs begin to change at this stage as well.<br />
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Territorial birds will always be on high alert for invading rival families trying to steal their territory or mates, and an all out war will commence as a result, with both family groups attacking each other. Both males and females, young and old will get involved. <br />
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The very first sign in the birdlife's breeding behaviour though is seeing a second bird hanging around the first one, or suddenly seeing many more birds of that same species, or mated pairs rebonding with each other via song. Birds congregate together during the breeding season to form "mates" or "breeding pairs" and to reestablish their territories as breeding pairs. When they come together they will fight, argue and chase each other. It will be noisy and unless you are deaf or constantly wear headphones whilst playing loud music in your ears, you cannot miss this loud vocalization of the birds. After a few weeks the congregation of birds will separate into pairs of birds and will go their own way. You may only see a few pairs of birds hanging around the immediate area after that happens. <br />
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To the actual nesting of breeding birds, their behaviour changes from "Eat, rest, socialize" to "Eat, build nest, Eat, and resting less than normal". Their spent energy is higher than normal finding a suitable nesting site, then spending more time building their actual nest. At the same time more food is needed for them to eat. When nest building birds are not relaxed. They are always on alert and have a lot to be worried about - predators mostly. You might see one of the adult birds (or both) disappear for a while (or altogether). Resident birds that suddenly disappear for days on end is a sign of them breeding - as long as it is within their known breeding season.<br />
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However, when birds are sitting on eggs, everything changes, again. Birds are at a very high alert stage as they must protect their eggs at all cost. They must do everything to protect their young from predators, even if it means swooping humans. Birds seem to know that humans are carnivors, and as such treat us as predators just like any other predator bird or animal. (Food for thought: Have you ever seen a Masked Plover or Australian Magpie swoop a sheep, cow or horse?) Just having one stolen egg, or one unhatched egg could mean the end of their chances to breed for that season, or year. <br />
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Egg sitting consumes a lot of energy. If both parents are sitting on the eggs rosters are taken. It can actually be very deceiving with birds that are egg sitting because you may only ever see one bird hanging around of that species, whereas in fact there are really 2 birds. Unless you can identify the male from the female with a particular species, you may not be aware that both adults are sitting on the nest. This is also the time when birds go quiet. Birds do not want to be found by predators, when they are egg sitting. Predator birds that eat the eggs of other birds, like the Torresian Crow, will begin to hang around more often, in a chance to steal eggs from nesting birds. But egg stealers seem to target nests in the preliminary stages of just after an egg has been laid, as the egg is fresher and the yolk is still intact. Eggs are stolen and eaten for their high protein content. Egg sitting birds need to eat more at this stage. They need their energy to lay on the eggs and have the strength to counter-attack a predator's attack. Both birds, usually, depending upon the species, experience increases in hormone levels throughout the entire breeding season, and react to threats to their eggs and young under the influence of high hormonal levels. When a bird is sitting on eggs, it will try as lay as horizontally flat as possible and will keep perfectly still if a predator is nearby.<br />
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After the eggs have hatched, things change again with the birds behaviour. With the constant demand for food to feed their young as their top priority some species will turn to human handouts for additional food to help feed their young and themselves. It is normal for some species that demand food from humans to beg for food from us at this time of the year. Finding food to feed growing chicks is no easy task. Australian Magpies, for example, feed their young five times a day. With handouts from humans, that's 5-6 trips to the nest by 5 times per day. That equals to about 25-30 mouthfuls of food for just 2 chicks per day, on average. That does not include the food they need to eat themselves, which is more than what they would normally eat when they are not breeding. The parent Australian Magpies also need to feed themselves, and as a result (from the human perspective) looks like the Magpies are starving hungry all the time. If they begin to eat the food themselves, sort of nibble on it, then fly away with some of it in their mouth, you know for certain they are feeding their young. Other species will be seen feeding more times than normal, in a non-stop feeding cycle for most of the day. <br />
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However, this is usually the time of year when the big predator birds and reptiles are also breeding, as they depend upon the life cycle of a good supply of juvenile birds to feed their own young with. As sickening as that is to us humans this is just the reality of nature for birds. <br />
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EVERYTHING MUST EAT OR IT WILL DIE.Shirley E Hardyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06693223246748297158noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6431980151134286335.post-31661495855106785502012-10-16T02:44:00.000+11:002012-10-16T02:44:31.763+11:00Grey Shrike-thrush Colluricincla harmonica<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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For a few months now I have been trying to identify this particular species. The grey Shrike-thrush is a mostly grey coloured bird with brown wings and about 24cms on average in size. Despite it's ordinary appearance it has a beautiful call that is heard over the top of smaller birds in the area. It is easily identified by it's call.<br />
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This species spends a lot of time eating insects. The bird in this video below is , I believe, a juvenile that has reached breeding age. I do not know much about this particular species as yet. However, there is one resident bird in the immediate area which is trying to get the attention of a mate. This individual (see video below), seems to be building a nest even though this seems to be a part time job at the moment for this bird. It frequently visits the chosen nesting site several times a day, and adds new nesting material to it. This nesting behaviour only began on or just before the 8th of October. It's main concern at the moment is luring it's mate to the nest which seems to be frightened of humans and dogs. It's mate is shy and timid and easily spooked. It's mate is willing, or appears to be willing to mate with it, but appears to not be keen on the chosen nesting site 6 feet from my neighbour Carol's back door. The main reason why it's mate flies away is because it is spooked by the presence of humans looking at it, my neighbour's dog suddenly barking, and the fact my neighbour's dog keeps chasing the birds away despite being told not to do that. <br />
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This species eats insects from climbing roses and rose bushes in general. It also eats insects from around the house and underneath verandahs which includes on windows if they can get to the insects. It also has been observed eating something on a Wisteria flower vine. I'm not sure if Wisteria flowers produce nectar or not or whether it is something else, but the Grey Shrike-thrush was attracted to the flowers when it was in flower. Intertwined with the Wisteria is a climbing rose, in my neighbour, Carol's garden. <br />
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Nesting material, at the preliminary stage, appears to be mostly plant material, like leaves of gum trees. It will add new nesting material to the nest 2-3 times a day before mating has occurred. <br />
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The song of the Grey Shrike-thrush, in the immediate area, first started out fairly quiet but as September approached it's voice got louder and louder. It's mate's voice is a lot quieter, probably half as loud (in Hertz). With the unique echoing effect of Tenterfield's landscape this bird can easily be heard within at least a 4km area of it's location in every direction. It makes a variety of different calls with an easy to identify sound that sounds like a whip crack.or a "whit-will" sound.<br />
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I have read that some species of birds (which includes the Grey Shrike-thrush) have increased their songs' loudness in cities so they can be heard over the top of traffic, etc. This individual's song is quite loud, as loud as a Willy Wagtail in the middle of the night but not quite as loud as a Torresian Crows call. I would say, though, it is almost as loud as a Red Wattlebird's call. This makes me wonder if this particular individual bird originally came from a city, perhaps Brisbane?<br />
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Shirley E Hardyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06693223246748297158noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6431980151134286335.post-50854142931301061462012-10-14T21:37:00.000+11:002012-10-14T21:37:30.062+11:00An exception to the rule: one White-faced Heron nesting by itselfI've read on the birdsinbackyard.net and other bird websites that both parents build the nest, incubate the eggs and raise the young. Well, in Tenterfield, that is not the case at all. What I have seen is when breeding season occurs, two adults come together more than likely just to mate. After a few days or a week they go their separate ways. One of the adult birds remains and does all the hard work of building the nest and sitting on the eggs all by itself. <br />
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You see, I have observed this behaviour quite closely over the last few weeks. I take note of how many White-faced Herons there generally are in the area, and that total adds to just one individual when it is here. This species is very noticable and is the biggest bird around in the immediate area of where I live. Its a bluish grey colour and it has a white face, hence it's name. And because there is only one individual ever sighted 99% of the time, seeing two of them together means its breeding season. <br />
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About a few weeks ago I saw a White-faced Heron checking out a gum tree over the Tenterfield Creek. Over the course of a few weeks I only ever saw just one White-faced Heron going to that tree, and a nest started being built in that tree. It was a really large nest being built but several times I could not identify the bird species coming from the nest. Every time I was near that section of the creek I took photos of the nest from two different angles. In about 3/4 of the photos I took I only saw the nest, nothing else. I actually avoid the area to give the bird some privacy, and also I scare off any Torresian Crows that are hanging around the tree or immediate area (as they steal eggs from nests even with birds sitting on them). There's about 15 Torresian Crows to one White-faced Heron. Sometimes, I feel, birds need a helping hand, especially in instances like this, to guarantee the offsprings' survival. Other people may feel differently about this than I do, and that's fine but if the Torresian Crows had their way they'd eat all the other bird species' eggs leaving no eggs to hatch at all.<br />
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Anyway, back to the photos I took. When I uploaded them to my computer and looked at them I discovered there was indeed a White-faced Heron sitting on the nest. Its true though that their nests are generally hanging over a water course, whether a creek, dam or lake and is high in a gum tree on an outer branch. When I first spotted the two White-faced Herons together but only recorded one on video feeding along by the creek, this was about the last time I saw two of these Herons here. There has only been one Heron in the area ever since that time.<br />
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On the 11th October 2012 we had very strong gusty winds and a very heavy downpour of rain. It would have been about an inch of rain we got over a 24 hour period. The next day was slightly a little bit better but the strong gusty winds remained but we had more drizzle than rain and the sun started to try peeking out through the odd thinned cloud. Yesterday was a perfect day: it was sunny, warm but not overly hot, and the breeze was gentle with not a cloud in sight. <br />
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The White-faced Heron's nest withstood the gale force winds and remained intact. The Heron itself, as far as I could tell, remained on the nest for 2 days straight (48 hours) protecting it's eggs from the rain until the rain and wind passed. Just before sunset on the second day I heard the White-faced Heron call out. Was the bird calling out to another bird or was it just relieved and singing with joy that the storm was ending? Only the bird itself can answer that question!<br />
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Below are some photos of the White-faced Heron's nest taken over the course of a week. Click to enlarge each photo.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-lgArv38-kA8/UHpakv6YDUI/AAAAAAAAI90/uBNn110ZNQ4/s1600/42796.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" nea="true" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-lgArv38-kA8/UHpakv6YDUI/AAAAAAAAI90/uBNn110ZNQ4/s320/42796.jpg" width="250" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The bird's back as it is about to<br />
sit on it's nest.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-xNcfjEubFY0/UHpaspXFteI/AAAAAAAAI98/hN7Fyvo9GhI/s1600/68131.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" nea="true" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-xNcfjEubFY0/UHpaspXFteI/AAAAAAAAI98/hN7Fyvo9GhI/s320/68131.jpg" width="250" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">You can just see it's beak and the<br />
top of it's back.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Another view of the Heron on it's nest.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-F7jwEVjkil0/UHpa8QsJj0I/AAAAAAAAI-M/6ZXLeRrzXWw/s1600/76505.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" nea="true" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-F7jwEVjkil0/UHpa8QsJj0I/AAAAAAAAI-M/6ZXLeRrzXWw/s320/76505.jpg" width="250" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I think it has spotted me.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-2IKccXaZW-0/UHpacT6aj7I/AAAAAAAAI9s/FsAAIlFP94Y/s1600/26966.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" nea="true" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-2IKccXaZW-0/UHpacT6aj7I/AAAAAAAAI9s/FsAAIlFP94Y/s320/26966.jpg" width="250" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The nest looks empty but more side<br />
twigs have been added.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-10EB06pGjAM/UHpaSZvHGiI/AAAAAAAAI9k/Npsh0Z0SUzo/s1600/725.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" nea="true" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-10EB06pGjAM/UHpaSZvHGiI/AAAAAAAAI9k/Npsh0Z0SUzo/s320/725.jpg" width="250" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Still on the nest.</td></tr>
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Shirley E Hardyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06693223246748297158noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6431980151134286335.post-61597983990568466782012-10-14T15:12:00.000+11:002012-10-14T15:14:41.550+11:00Turquoise Parrot Neophema pulchellaThe Turquoise Parrot is a bird species you rarely see in Tenterfield but yesterday I was out the front of my neighbour's house and a Turquoise Parrot family landed in the tree. Actually at first I didn't know they were Turquoise Parrots. They were well camouflaged in the tree. I also thought there were two separate species that flew into the tree. There was already a Australian Magpie in that same tree. I had to research which parrot species I video recorded and it was hard to identify the species using the poor quality videos I took, but finally concluded they were Turquoise Parrots, as this species is supposedly sighted in the area. I identified the species by not only the colouring of the birds but also noticed the male had a small narrow band of reddish/brown coloured feathers on his wings, which I glimpsed sight of in the very last video I took. <br />
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This family group may be a new colour variation as they all appeared to have a very light coloured underside, from their rectum to the tips of their tails. Either that or the two parent birds were very, very young and still developing their full colouring.<br />
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Below are a few screenshots from 3 of the 4 videos I took of this Turquoise Parrot family. There were only 3 birds to the family group: a mum; a dad; and a junenile of what gender I do not know. Click each image to enlarge it.<br />
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I first saw and heard what later turned out to be the juvenile, which is mostly what I got video recordings of. I don't know how old the juvenile is but it looks fairly young and does not appear to have developed a yellow belly yet. Moments later I heard more rustling in the tree; movement near the juvenile, and movement higher up almost directly above these first two birds. <br />
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When looking into the tree with the naked eye the juvenile looks just like a grey bird. The other two birds were more noticably greener with a yellow belly - when I could actually see them. The two adult birds blended very well into the tree's foliage making it very difficult to see them. In fact the only time I could see them was when they moved and I saw a flash of yellow and green. That's all I saw of the adults. I have left the videos below unedited because the juvenile appeared to be the only bird making any kind of sound. I didn't want to change anything in case I accidentally removed some of the sounds the juvenile was making.<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" frameborder="0" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/rFSer1vh7Vk?rel=0" width="500"></iframe><br />One of the adult birds.<br /><br /><iframe allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" frameborder="0" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/n3gJy2kCLmA?rel=0" width="500"></iframe><br />Mostly of the juvenile. I don't know what is wrong with this video but it keeps freezing.<br /><br /><iframe allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" frameborder="0" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/4M0SWsqVxyE?rel=0" width="500"></iframe><br /><br /><iframe allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" frameborder="0" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/oxNyMIaDzFo?rel=0" width="500"></iframe></center>
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The one thing I do know about this species is if they come in close proximity to humans they hide in the foliage, keep perfectly still, and do not make a sound. These birds blend so well into their surroundings that it is actually impossible to spot them in a tree with the naked eye. If this bird species is spotted it is probably better to start video recording them rather than try and take photos of them. To find them anywhere in the wild is based purely on knowledge of their idea of food, and as they migrate to locate food, it is even harder to locate them in the wild. My best advice is if you know they are in the area at a certain time of the year, look in the trees that they'd most likely be in, and see if you can listen for any movement in the branches. If you see a flash of bright yellow and green, it is bound to be this species. They also have been spotted feeding in bird feeders much earlier in the year, usually moving on within minutes of landing at a bird feeder.<br />
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Yesterday, these birds were also seen in a Wattle tree as well as hiding in a Pine tree. I could not tell if they were actually feeding on the premature wattle seeds or not but they hung around the wattle tree for a while before they moved on. Shirley E Hardyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06693223246748297158noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6431980151134286335.post-7050941266939636172012-10-03T21:34:00.000+10:002012-10-03T21:34:35.109+10:00What the heck is this bird feather from?Walking home today from shopping, my daughter and I were walking along Francis Street toward Douglas Street (north side of intersection), when I saw a few feathers on the ground. I picked up a daggy old feather that had fallen off a bird. At first sight I thought it was an Australian Magpie feather, as when they fall out they are brown in colour (the all black ones). Nearby was an actual Australian Magpie feather which I also picked up. But as I was walking and looking at this feather I suddenly realized it had a metallic green sheen all over it (on the topside of the feather). WTF?<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A noticable sheen but it's not the right colour green.</td></tr>
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In full daylight this feather looks black with a metallic green sheen. In the shade the feather is actually brown as shown in this image above. I've tried my best to take a photo of the metallic green sheen but the actual green colour (in comparison to the image above) is actually a brighter mid green. The sheen covers the entire feather on the topside but is more prominent on the narrowest width of the feather in the sunlight and when trying to photgraph it. The feather itself is 16.5cm long and is an incomplete feather. It is missing feathery parts at the bottom of the feather. It has also been broken and is falling apart just below where the feathery part of the feather should begin. The feather was not there a few days ago, as I had already checked that area for feathers. <br />
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There are a few entirely black birds here in Tenterfield but none of them have an actual metallic green sheen in their wing feathers. <br />
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When we got home, we went to visit our neighbour, Carol, and I showed her the feather. She told me of some green metallic looking birds she had seen last year/summer in her garden. Carol had told me this sighting before but I forgot about it until when she told me about it again, tonight. Carol described the birds as being the size of Rainbow Lorikeets and they looked similiar in shape. They were eating grass seeds? on her lawn, and were actually on the ground. She saw them from above as she was looking out her kitchen window. The birds all looked green in colour, all basically the same coloured green colour but had a metallic green sheen on them. <br />
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This is just complicated now. I do not know of any all green coloured parrot that has a green metallic sheen to it, that lives in Australia. Nor do I know if a green feather, when it falls out of a bird, actually turns brown before it falls out the bird. I do know an all black feather will turn brown before it falls out. I've seen it happen on Australian Magpies. If I knew that then I could perhaps find out if this feather belonged to a parrot-like bird. <br />
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One more mystery to solve!Shirley E Hardyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06693223246748297158noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6431980151134286335.post-54941197291909671412012-10-03T19:57:00.000+10:002012-10-03T19:57:41.008+10:00A possible new Eastern Spinebill species<center>
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I had a welcome visit of an Eastern Spinebill to my Grevilleas today which I captured on video. The above video is not of that sighting/visit. A few minutes later (what I thought was the same bird) the bird returned. But to my amazement as I looked out my bedroom window I saw a tiny version of an Eastern Spinebill, roughly 10cm in length (give or take one centimentre). I could not believe how small this bird was! <br />
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At first I thought it was a juvenile but after comparing this video with previous Eastern Spinebill videos I had taken through my bedroom window, I saw this bird has full adult plumage and it's colouring is identical, as far as I can tell so far, to that of a regular Eastern Spinebill. Pausing the video I also saw this bird has a shorter and flatter bottom half of it's bill. It's bill looks straighter than a normal Eastern Spinebill's bill. <br />
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I am still excited about this discovery, but I don't want to state that it is an actual new species as the two Eastern Spinebill species have too many similiarities, and I still need to study this bird more to see if there is something uniquely different with it. I also need clearer footage of this particular bird so I can properly identify it. Shirley E Hardyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06693223246748297158noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6431980151134286335.post-1929338619995799982012-10-02T13:41:00.000+10:002012-10-02T13:41:15.402+10:00Black Swan Cygnus atratusA sighting that I heard and saw between 5 and 12 Black Swans flying overhead yesterday was extremely rare. I was walking home from the shops with my daughter and my brother. We were on Francis Street heading toward Douglas Street behind the ST. Joseph's Primary School at the time of this sighting. The swans were flying from the Tenterfield Dam in a north-west direction just after the sun had set and was getting really dark. They were hooting as they were flying. They were flying at a low altitude, perhaps 3-5 power poles in height from the ground. It is extremely rare to see swans in Tenterfield unless you go to the Tenterfield Dam. The only times you will see a swan in Tenterfield itself is if they are flying overhead in a north-west or south-east direction. Apparently in northern Australia, outside the breeding season (June-January of each year) Black Swans fly great distances in flocks after dark. <br />
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I tried getting a video recording of the swans but my camera was too slow to start up. Shirley E Hardyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06693223246748297158noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6431980151134286335.post-81754541020102685922012-10-02T13:29:00.000+10:002012-10-02T18:28:31.396+10:00Australian Wood Ducks now absentFor about a week now I have not seen any Australian Wood Ducks anywhere in Tenterfield. I cannot remember if they migrate elsewhere but I do remember these particular ducks not being in Tenterfield before and then they showed up again but can't remember what time of the year this happened in the past. <br />
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There have been a few seasons that I remember where Australian Wood Ducks have actually bred in Tenterfield. I remember seeing little ducklings along the Tenterfield Creek with their parent for at least 2 or 3 seasons, last year being the last season I saw them. My neighbour, Carol, told me she counted 17 ducklings all up with 2 adults watching over them. <br />
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Their breeding season up here is apparently "after the rain", which is more than likely in Summer/Autumn sometime. But due to the ongoing drought which is still not breaking, if the ducks had any sense they would leave town, as well. <br />
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<strong><span style="color: red;">UPDATE: 2 october 2012</span></strong> - The Australian Wood Ducks have returned. Obviously they disappeared for a little while but returned yesterday afternoon. Shirley E Hardyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06693223246748297158noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6431980151134286335.post-24888402281970249452012-09-29T16:33:00.000+10:002012-09-29T16:33:23.287+10:00Masked Lapwings haven't bred this year either but hope may be around the cornerThe breeding season for Masked Lapwings is actually almost over for them, and none of the pairs I have encountered in Tenterfield for the passed 2 months have shown signs of breeding yet. However, as we have had some recent rainfalls this month (3 to be exact), just yesterday I noticed when walking passed 2 Masked Lapwings they were not moving on the ground. I only heard them as I could not clearly see them from a distance. They called out but did not move. This may be a really good sign that they might have finally begun breeding again.<br />
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However, nothing is certain right now. How long the rain actually lasts for is uncertain. How long these birds will be determined to raise a family is another story, as they might abandon their breeding cycle should the rain cease again. <br />
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More Masked Lapwing birds have moved out of Tenterfield in the last 12 months. No new breeding pairs have moved into the area either. With very small numbers of these birds in Tenterfield the possibility of this being the next species to move out of town is almost certain, if the drought continues.<br />
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I don't know the exact Masked Lapwing numbers for Tenterfield but I'm guessing it is less than 10 breeding pairs now. In all my travels around Tenterfield I have only ever seen, in the last 12 months, at most 3 breeding pairs, and they all are in the south-west area of Tenterfield. This species is becoming "uncommon" in Tenterfield.<br />
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I just hope that the rain returns to Tenterfield.Shirley E Hardyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06693223246748297158noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6431980151134286335.post-56587947862307704822012-09-29T16:02:00.002+10:002012-09-29T16:02:58.859+10:00The drought is severely affecting the local Australian Magpie familyThe drought began back sometime between 1998 and 2001. By 2001 it was noticeable that the rainfall was decreasing. That year brought many major outbreaks of bushfires to the area, 7 bushfires in total surrounding Tenterfield itself, and more than 15 burning throughout New South Wales within days or weeks of each other being put out. Lightning was to blame for most of them but humans started some of them as well. Outbreaks of bushfires became increasingly common until about 2005 when they seemed to stop. <br />
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About a month ago I noticed the adult male Magpie began roosting in a new area, down by the creek to the left (looking east) of the Douglas Street bridge. This is where his mate has always roosted from the moment she came into his territory as his new mate. It is on that block of land where their new territory seems to be centered, and not their old territory anymore. <br />
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For about a week and a half now I have not seen the adult male Magpie that has made this territory home for about 14-15 years nor have I seen him nesting. His territory, like that of other Magpies in town, are approximately one to two street blocks of land in size (or approximately 300-400 by 300-400 metres in size (Is that squared metres?)). <br />
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Last Thursday when I was walking along Pelham Street toward Miles Street I saw an adult Magpie with 2 juveniles on the ground in the High School's Agricultural Property (2 paddocks) where this block of land had been abandoned by Magpies for several years. The adult Magpie was obviously a male as it was being aggressive toward one of the juveniles which was upside down on the ground. The adult male stopped and looked at me as I spoke to him - only the local male Magpie behaves in that manner. The other juvenile was just standing around watching on. Even from a 50 metre distance from the birds I could tell the juveniles were a male (the one upside down) and female (looking on) just by going on their behaviour in reponse to the adult male's aggressive behaviour - exactly what the local Magpie pair had last Spring.<br />
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<u>Update:</u> I have just had the juvenile 12 month old male come beggiing for some food. I threw out some mixed nuts and he ate some. Within minutes the adult female showed up, and she came flying in from across Douglas Street, from where she normally roosts. Not long after that the 2 year old juvenile showed up next but no sign of the adult male on my front lawn yet.<br />
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So why has the adult male extended his territory and relocated his home to the creek? Firstly, despite the fact that the paddocks surrounding his new home are empty, they normally contain domesticated animals (cows and sheep). There is always a lot of manure laying around on the ground. There may be an untapped source of Dung Beetles in those paddocks too. Secondly, birds are birds and they must follow and locate food sources if none are no longer available in the immediate area of where they live. The insects the Magpies eat have obviously been exhausted and the Magpies are now rarely seen finding insects in their old nesting territory area. Their old territory, like most of Tenterfield itself, is suffering from a severe drought. It barely rains in Tenterfield anymore (perhaps several times a year at best) and as such the insect populations have dropped to an alarmingly low level. Obviously the insects that they eat have been extremely difficult to find, and to locate a consistent amount of food to sustain young babies for a whole year, let alone for themselves as well.<br />
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Unless conditions improves in Tenterfield I do not foresee any Magpie families breeding this year. Even though it has begun raining in Tenterfield a bit more consistently this month this does not help any bird species to recover from the drought. Unless the rains become regular, and the drought breaks, and the insects recover and begin breeding again, it is possible that the Magpies could literally starve to death in Tenterfield, or be forced to move out of town. <br />
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2012 will be a first for the Australian Magpie species in Tenterfield to put off breeding for a full year. No nesting birds have been sighted in town as yet, and it is almost October.Shirley E Hardyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06693223246748297158noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6431980151134286335.post-9488384030957197112012-09-25T16:20:00.002+10:002012-09-29T16:35:31.307+10:00Yellow-faced Honeyeater eating Grevillea nectarThinking I was hearing House Sparrows out in my front garden I was quite surprised to see what I first thought was a House Sparrow eating nectar from the Grevilleas in my garden. House Sparrows don't eat nectar as far as I know. I've never seen them eat it anyway. I was a little bit suspicious of this bird being a House Sparrow so I got my digital camera out and put it in video mode, and found it was not a House Sparrow but rather a Yellow-faced Honeyeater. I couldn't ID the bird at first glance. I had to watch the video and pause it, then compare it to the Yellow-faced Honeyeater photo I took, that I've added to this site.<br />
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The bird was first located in the bush where I first zoomed the camera into, then it flew down into the Grevilleas closest to me. It look me almost 2 minutes into this video to locate the bird in my Grevilleas as the native Plum tree's leaves were mostly in the way. I could not also get the right angle to view the bird properly, and my reaction was slower than normal as I have pulled my right arm muscles and it hurts to move the camera and my arm.<br />
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This honeyeater species is the size of a House Sparrow. It is somewhat a noisy bird, just like a House Sparrow is, and it loves nectar. This is the very first video I have of this bird species in Tenterfield, and going on the rustling sounds and calls it was making I believe there were two of these birds but the other one always kept out of sight.<br />
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There are very few Grevillea plants in Tenterfield that I have seen, which makes it difficult for honeyeaters to locate nectar from these type of plants. It therefore must eat nectar from various other plant and tree sources in the local area. This particular bird's residence, I believe, is in the Tenterfield Creek well away from the roads, near my home.<br />
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Yellow-faced Honeyeaters are much easier to video record and photograph than an Eastern Spinebill. It moves slower and ocassionally takes a rest as viewed in this video. However, it is a somewhat shy bird, and it prefers thick plant cover to hide in - or at least to roost in. This species may allow you to approach it from a distance if you do so slowly but that is just a guess right now.<br />
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Below is the video I took around 12PM today - give or take a few minutes. <br />
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Shirley E Hardyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06693223246748297158noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6431980151134286335.post-53226017452651141072012-09-23T15:24:00.000+10:002012-10-02T14:25:11.181+10:00Laughing Kookaburra Dacelo novaeguineaeLaughing Kookaburras are common throughout the township of Tenterfield but their territories are at least 1.4 kilometres in size. There must be at least 2-3 pairs of these Kookaburras in town but that is just a guess. Laughing Kookaburras tend to eat lizards, mice, and basically anything else including some small snakes.<br />
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Before sunset Kookaburras tend to get together. <br />
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<strong>Where to see Laughing Kookaburras:</strong><br />
The best place to see these birds are on power lines away from the main street. An adult Laughing Kookaburra has been observed on the power lines at the back of Bi-Lo supermarket on the edge of the grass park area, opposite the Catholic Church. They are also spotted and heard to the south-west of the Post Office (1.4kms from the Post Office).<br />
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I don't have a photo of a Laughing Kookaburra as yet but I do have this short video. I'm still trying to get my camera to focus on things above my head, and still need lots more practice with it. <br />
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Shirley E Hardyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06693223246748297158noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6431980151134286335.post-89005837006402210702012-09-22T19:04:00.000+10:002012-10-02T14:09:41.026+10:00More notes on unidentified olive backed and aqua blue winged birdIn a previous post I wrote a brief description of this aqua blue winged bird that I am trying to identify. The bird in question has not been sighted since by me. <br />
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There are a few other things about this bird that I remember that differentiates them from Blue-faced Honeyeaters. Firstly, Blue-faced Honeyeaters are quite noisy yet the birds I saw in the past and the individual I saw most recently made no noise (that I remember) at all. <br />
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Secondly, the ones I saw years ago were hanging around Australian King Parrots, feeding with them. I saw these aqua blue winged birds close up at Jubilee Park. The King Parrots, at the time, were not afraid of humans as lot as they were not startled by them. These other birds were the same, were unafraid of humans too. You could easily get within 7 - 8 feet of these birds, even if you were just walking passed them and they were on the ground. They just seemed fearless of humans. I did not see any blue markings on these birds' faces, which tells me it was not a Blue-faced Honeyeater. It was also a different shape to the Blue-faced Honeyeater, and had a much shorter tail.<br />
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Thirdly, they ate seeds. What else they ate I do not know. And I only ever saw them, years ago, at Jubilee Park either in the presence of Australian King Parrots or with a few of their own kind hanging around the play equipment. Back then I did not see them anywhere else in Tenterfield, except for flying into the trees or onto the playgrounds' equipment railings when they finished eating the seeds on the ground.<br />
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These birds rarely squabbled with one another, unlike the King Parrots. They seem well organized and very co-operative birds. They never hassled the King Parrots at all but sometimes the King Parrots hassled them if they got in the way of them hassling other King Parrots of their own flock - if they were both on the ground eating the same type of seeds.<br />
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Actually, the bottom half of their bodies were pure white (not cream) coloured. In flight, they are basically a white bird with aqua blue coloured wings. Their olive coloured back is noticeable too but only on certain angles to seeing the bird fly off. The olive colouring backs were very noticeable when they were on the ground.<br />
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After much thought about the weather conditions of Tenterfield some 11 or so years ago, I have concluded that these aqua blue winged birds prefered wetter rainfall conditions than droughts. In Tenterfield, back in 1996-2001, the annual rainfall was about 600mm per year. This is when the birds were sighted, roughly. Prior to October 1995 I don't know if the birds were in Tenterfield as I was living in South Australia up until that time. When they actually disappeared from Tenterfield altogether I simply cannot remember but it was roughly between 2001 - 2005. 2001 was when the rainfall began to decline in Tenterfield, and each passing year brought less rain than the previous year.<br />
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I have been extensively searching the Internet for a visual identification of this bird but I have had no luck so far. However, I have found one image that may be useful, see below:<br />
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The bird on the left is a Blue and Yellow Macaw. Its not the bird I saw but it actually has the same aqua blue wing colourings as the birds I saw. This particular blue colour <u>in this photo</u> is the colour I saw on the birds' wings. It is an usual blue colour, and the sort of blue colour you do not forget in a hurry. There are very few Australian birds that actually have this particular blue colouring on their body.<br />
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The birds I saw had, if my memory serves me correctly, entirely blue wings just like this Macaw does in this image. And where this Macaw has a yellow belly, breast, and blue throat and chin, with the birds I saw all those areas were pure white.<br />
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Now, what is even harder to locate than a blue and white bird is a bird that also has a solid olive coloured back and mantle. Nothing I have found on the Internet thus far has matched the bird I am trying to identify.<br />
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However, as I can assume the bird in question is a tropical bird, I may be trying to locate a bird that may not even be native to Australia. If bird colourings has anything to do with which country they originate from I may be looking at a bird that may have come from Central and South America or the dense forests of Asia somewhere.<br />
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The birds length was about 26 - 28cms and it had a short tail and to look at them they were about 3/4 the size of a King Parrot.<br />
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Thinking back about seeing these birds I always remember seeing these aqua blue winged birds at the playground area in Jubilee Park, on Manners Street. They always seemed to be there for as long as I can remember - and that covers at least 4 years straight. Not once were they not there. They were always there like how trees can't get up and walk away. They did actually make a noise but can't recollect what sound they made now.<br />
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The only thing I regret is never having taken a photo of these birds since I've been in Tenterfield as it is the only thing preventing me from identifying this bird species. Shirley E Hardyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06693223246748297158noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6431980151134286335.post-88148073537597235802012-09-15T23:26:00.001+10:002012-10-02T14:23:27.697+10:00Exposed garden environments & bird behaviourIn Tenterfield there are various types of flora environments including decidious trees that are exposed to open areas. In my neighbour Carol's garden there is such an exposed environment, and in Winter to early Spring, birds fly into this area and then keep perfectly still so they cannot be detected by anyone or anything.<br />
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In this video below I saw a female or juvenile Satin Bowerbird fly straight into this area, hopped around a bit on some lower branches and then stopped moving. The bird went silent and was completely motionless for quite a while after I ended this video. There is one tiny little bird eating the blossom from the flowering tree in the centre of area in which I scanned to locate the Satin Bowerbird in this video. I'm not even sure if I can see the Satin Bowerbird in this video. I've tried but can't locate it. It's in there somewhere.<br />
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This is not the first time a medium sized bird simply disappears from your sight when looking into these branches when they are exposed like this. Most of the birds that go in here do the exact same thing - they hide themselves and keep perfectly still. <br />
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With other area of Carol's garden it is a lot more open and a lot more exposed than this area. Birds fly around her garden, land in the open or near cover and are quite content to stay there for a while just foraging for food. Just something worth mentioning.Shirley E Hardyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06693223246748297158noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6431980151134286335.post-1306152452782523012012-09-15T15:22:00.000+10:002012-09-15T15:22:21.066+10:00Annual bird sound changesI have decided to identify and record audio sounds that birds make here in Tenterfield over the course of 12 months. This will be difficult but not impossible. Every other day I video record daily mundane sounds birds make, specifically those bird species that tend to change their calls to match the breeding season and just general sound changes they make if any. <br />
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Throughout winter and spring birds make different sounds to what they normally make during the rest of the year, and those sounds usually differ as each day passes. Literally as each day passes I hear new bird sounds. What these new sounds means is anyone's guess but I will endeavour to record them all and will eventually have a large collection of all the sounds each species makes throughout the course of 12 months.<br />
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Currently I have started restructuring the bird sound post pages differently and the end result will be: I will place all the sounds recorded for an entire year of one bird species on one single page. Each new recording will be in a link format, which when clicked on, will display in the media player popout on that page.<br />
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I am starting this off with the sounds I have recorded of the Eastern Rosella.Shirley E Hardyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06693223246748297158noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6431980151134286335.post-79190529572731443362012-09-15T14:20:00.000+10:002012-10-02T14:21:54.736+10:00AUDIO - Unidentified bird that croaks like a frogWhen I was down by the Tenterfield Creek the other day I heard this bird in the bushes that sounded like a frog. I had to listen really hard to make sure it was not an actual frog. I finally determined that the frog-like sound was indeed coming from the bushes at a fair hight above the ground, and not from the water. I have no idea what the bird species was/is and I did not see the bird, but I am suspecting that the bird may be one of two bird species: 1. the medium sized bird that looks something like a Jacky Winter which I am yet to identify; Or 2. It could be a Grey Fantail which has only been recently sighted in this area. The frog-like sound and sighting of the Grey Fantail seem to correspond and match each other but further investigation is needed to confirm my beliefs.<br />
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In the video below you will hear and see Red-browed Finches (just before the end of the video) and Double-barred Finches (right at the end of the video). The bird I try to zoom in on is either a Pied Currawong or juvenile Australian Magpie. I can't be 100% certain as to which one it was.<br />
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The sound can be heard between 19 and 20 seconds in the video above. Turn your speakers up if you can't hear any of the birds.Shirley E Hardyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06693223246748297158noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6431980151134286335.post-81105289610313196022012-09-15T13:51:00.000+10:002012-09-15T13:51:23.882+10:00Masked Lapwing Vanellus miles<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo taken 13 October 2012 by the Tenterfield Creek</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Masked Lapwings, or commonly known as Plovers, are not your average bird. I have nicknamed these birds in Tenterfield "the birds that never sleep". They can be heard during the night time calling out if they are disturbed. <br />
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Masked Lapwings are normally sighted in pairs throughout the entire year. Only single or unmated juveniles seem to flock together in small groups in the non-breeding seasons.<br />
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These birds are one of the more commonly sighted birds in Tenterfield and can be seen together in open paddocks. They are always on the alert for any danger, and you will hear them before you see them, generally. These birds are alerted to your presence before you get anywhere near them, sometimes even before they can see you, so I've noticed. Their hearing is exceptional and they squark at the slightest disturbance of grass or gravel/dirt being trodden on.<br />
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For some unknown reason Masked Lapwings will spend a great deal of time in paddocks with cows and/or horses and are not disturbed by these large animals. Yet when humans are around they are disturbed by our presence.<br />
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Plovers eat insects they find in the ground. What else they eat I do not know. Depending upon the location of where they decide to lay eggs, which is generally in Spring (or October of each year), an open water source is usually nearby - within walking distance most times, whether it be the Tenterfield Creek or a culvit runoff water pipe that is attached to the side of the road.<br />
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Masked Plovers are one of the bird species that swoops you when they have chicks that have left the nest. They only swoop if you get too close to their chicks. Both parents will swoop you, or any other animal like a cat or dog, that is in the immediate area of their chicks. They can do some serious damage to you if they get their claws into your skin as they have spurs on their feet which also contains toxins. <br />
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The breeding rate of Masked Plovers in Tenterfield is poor to average, depending upon the location of where they breed. The closer they breed to the CBD of Tenterfield the higher chances of them losing their chicks to either a cat or some other animal, or to their chicks being run over by cars. Once this happened (two years ago) in the park area directly behind Bi-Lo, and the two Plovers mourned their offsprings' death for several weeks before they moved on and left the area. They seemed very disheartened by their loss and seemed to lose hope just to stay alive. They never nested in that area again. <br />
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<a href="http://imageshack.us/a/img843/8699/gedc0449.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" hea="true" height="240" src="http://imageshack.us/a/img843/8699/gedc0449.jpg" width="320" /></a>Because of the severity of the drought that seems to be going on and on and on as each year passes, Masked Plovers are taking their time in finding the right location to breed right now. They seem to be delaying breeding. Last year I did not see any Masked Plover chicks at all, so I'm guessing these birds will put off breeding in really bad seasons, just like some Kangaroos do. These birds generally have chicks out of the nest before the Australian Magpies do. They generally begin swooping you one week before Australian Magpies begin swooping. But, back in 2009 I think it was, there were some odd swooping behaviour of Masked Lapwings when it was not breeding season. It was about July of that year when one Plover began swooping at the back of Bi-Lo (the park area). Around the same time or a month beforehand an Australian Magpie swooped me. Unnatural behaviour due to the drought or the birds' biological clocks being thrown out of whack? It's possible.<br />
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The Masked Lapwing numbers in Tenterfield have begun to decline in the last 3 years. Some of the adult breeding pairs have actually moved out of Tenterfield, the remaining pairs are not breeding at all as far as I can tell. Masked Plovers may be another species that finally moves out of Tenterfield if this drought continues and the rain continues to cease falling.Shirley E Hardyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06693223246748297158noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6431980151134286335.post-31347299116935302752012-09-15T12:33:00.000+10:002012-10-02T14:27:41.187+10:00Grey Fantail Rhipidura albiscapaOn Thursday, 13 September 2012, I was by the Tenterfield Creek and this little Fantail came from the other side of the creek to this tree and began catching insects. I must have disturbed the insects as I walked passed the tree the first time. The second bird in this video is a Thornbill of some sort which I am still yet to identify.<br />
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In this area of the Tenterfield Creek at the back of my neighbour Carols' property, there is an amazingly high amount of different bird species confined to one tiny area of remnant bushland (in about 10 plants and one Eucalypt tree maximum). They all are either nesting in that small area or have made that area home. I have counted (identified) at least 6 different bird species, mostly the smaller birds though.<br />
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The Grey Fantail was first noticed in the area a few weeks ago by myself but it is more than probable it was there all along. I have only seen one Grey Fantail so far, but going on how active all the birds are it is possible that there are more than one Grey Fantail in the area. All I know about this species is they eat insects, catch insects in flight, and wag their tail like a Willy Wagtail. They also are solitary birds until they need to breed.<br />
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For most of today I heard the Red Wattlebird call out. Then around 3 or 4pm the Red Wattlebird went quite and was replaced by the calls of a Pacific Koel that was last heard in Tenterfield about the first week of July this year. Apparently Pacific Koels head north for Winter (often going overseas) and come back to Australia in late September early October of each year to breed. <br />
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It is undecided just yet as to whether the Pacific Koel I heard today is the same one that inhabits Tenterfield's south-west urbanised area or not. If it is still here tomorrow and in the following days to come is a whole different story. It could just be passing through as it rests for a while here. <br />
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<strong><span style="color: red;"><u>UPDATE: 2 OCTOBER 2012</u></span></strong> - The Pacific Koel was not heard from again after I took this audio recording. It has moved on. Whether any Pacific Koels return to Tenterfield at all this year I cannot be certain right now.Shirley E Hardyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06693223246748297158noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6431980151134286335.post-2709786230528663482012-09-14T01:19:00.000+10:002012-10-02T14:47:28.928+10:00Red Wattlebird - Tenterfield population: oneOver the passed week I have noticed that the female Red Wattlebird has not returned. The behaviour of the remaining Red Wattlebird has changed, and seems to be making itself a new territory. It has been heard between the Skatepark near Manners Street and Laird & Pelham Streets corner, as well as places in between, especially near the Tenterfield Creek.<br />
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Video of the bird eating alone on my neighbour's back lawn. <br />
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UPDATE: 2 OCTOBER 2012 - The bird in the video is actually of a juvenile Red Wattlebird, perhaps 2 years of age, identified by the fact that it's tail and tail feathers lean to the left. The other 2 Red Wattlebirds I have observed in the past are adults and more than likely the parents of this Red Wattlebird. The parents have still not been sighted or heard and have more than likely left Tenterfield. Shirley E Hardyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06693223246748297158noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6431980151134286335.post-91270221715536771892012-09-13T23:13:00.000+10:002012-09-29T16:44:46.398+10:00Yellow-faced Honeyeater Lichenostomus chrysops<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Today, whilst taking photos of House Sparrows in my neighbour's garden when waiting for her to come home, I took this photo of what I first thought was a House Sparrow. But the photo reveals some other bird, perhaps even a Fantail or Wren of some sort. This bird just flew into the tree then moments later it was gone.<br />
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Having spent the last hour trying to identify this bird, even though the photo is somewhat blurry and I cannot identify any colouring, going on the facial markings and size alone, it is identical to the Yellow-faced Honeyeater.<br />
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If you enlarge this photo you will see a distinctive light coloured streak that runs below the eye, and a up then backward curved streaked directly behind the eye. <br />
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I do not know anything about this species. Taking this photo was just by luck. Only one individual bird was sighted. Shirley E Hardyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06693223246748297158noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6431980151134286335.post-14159672049028988852012-09-13T21:18:00.000+10:002012-09-29T16:36:58.704+10:00Noisy Miner Manorina melanocephala<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://img684.imageshack.us/img684/1274/gedc0083e.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" hea="true" height="240" src="http://img684.imageshack.us/img684/1274/gedc0083e.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>Noisy Miners are called that for having a very loud voice and for making it's call which is repeated continuously by other flock members. Many people don't like these birds for the sounds they make as it becomes irritating after a while. <br />
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Although these birds are common in Tenterfield, their numbers have decreased due to the drought, because a lot of the birds went elsewhere several years ago. <br />
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Noisy Miners are easily identified by their grey, black and yellow colouring as well as by their call. You normally hear these birds before you see them but often they can be silent and are just seen without being heard. They normally flock in small groups but seeing flocks of them in Tenterfield has become rare. They are now normally seen alone, in pairs, or very small family groups of less than 10 birds.<br />
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I have seen a Noisy Miner eat nectar from my Grevilleas as well as blossom from the native Plum tree by my bedroom window. They also eat small insects, fruit, and sometimes small reptiles. They have been known to eat human food.Shirley E Hardyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06693223246748297158noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6431980151134286335.post-52670381204240589462012-09-13T19:48:00.000+10:002012-10-27T16:27:58.766+11:00White-faced Heron Egretta novaehollandiae<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A breeding pair of White-faced Herons taken on 13 September 2012.</td></tr>
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Whilst down the Tenterfield Creek waiting for my neighbour to come home I spotted these two White-faced Herons. I have only just been able to identify these birds as this is the first photo I have of them side on and of their faces. They usually don't like humans hanging around them, let alone being in close proximity to them, and will always fly away rather quickly. About 30 seconds after this photo was taken both birds flew away.<br />
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White-faced Herons can be seen in the immediate area surrounding the Tenterfield Creek, and actually in the creek itself. They seem to prefer the shallowest water to wade in, in order to find aquatic insects to eat. Rarely will they venture further away from the Tenterfield Creek to find food. <br />
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These birds generally are solitary until they breed, which in Tenterfield, in in Spring. These two birds do not nest in the immediate area. I have no idea where they nest actually but they make a nest of sticks that is placed in a tree. <br />
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White-faced Herons are between 60 - 70cm tall, averaging around 65cm. They apparently have legs that are a dull yellow colour. They are common in Tenterfield but their numbers are extremely low. <br />
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Shirley E Hardyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06693223246748297158noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6431980151134286335.post-70469924938417071232012-09-12T18:40:00.000+10:002012-10-02T14:50:16.519+10:00Superb Fairy Wren couple visiting my front gardenEach Spring, as far as I can remember, a pair of Superb Fairy Wrens visit my front garden on a regular basis. The male is seen eating either grass seeds or nectar from my Grevillea flowers (left side of the flywire screen window). The male first lands on a high branch in front of me and then the female approaches. The male seems to encourage his mate to look into my bedroom window through the flywire screen section. Are they looking at me or just generally looking at everything in my bedroom? Who knows! The female seems quite fascinated about what she sees, and comes for a closer look on the higher branch. She is recorded singing or calling out. <br />
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The female Superb Fairy Wren seemed to be looking at the Sulphur-crested Cockatoos at one point. The two Superb Fairy Wrens were disturbed by the flock of Sulphur-crested Cockatoos that were flying passed and the Wrens eventually flew away.<br />
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These two videos were taken minutes apart.<br />
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Late Sunday or Monday afternoon, about dusk, I noticed there were 2 Eastern Spinebills eating the nectar from my dwarf Grevilleas as I was about to unlock my front door. I had just got home from a walk into town. I have never seen 2 of them before. I was elated to say the least. One flew off into my large Wattle tree, and the other one stayed in my garden but hid itself in the taller Grevillea bush. So obviously these birds are solitary birds and only come together and form pairs when they are breeding or about to breed. <br />
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I am still yet to get photos of this bird. I do not know which gender it is either. Here are two videos I took of the Eastern Spinebill eating nectar from my Grevilleas. The 3 dwarf Grevilleas are to the right of the flowering tree/bush. The tree/bush in the middle is a native plum tree sapling. It, along with the main parent plum tree, as well as my Grevillea (far left) were mutilated and cut back to barely nothing. <br />
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In the first video I sneeze at about 18 seconds so turn the volumn down as the bird does not make any noise.<br />
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It is seen eating the blossom nectar from the native plum tree at first. <br /><br /><iframe allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" frameborder="0" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/bX1t6oog6jg?rel=0" width="500"></iframe></center>
Shirley E Hardyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06693223246748297158noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6431980151134286335.post-1461810299161860572012-09-12T13:38:00.000+10:002012-10-02T14:10:21.351+10:00Unidentified olive backed and aqua blue winged birdIt was very common to see these birds in Tenterfield but they were one one the species that left because of the drought. A few days ago I saw just one of these birds for the first time in a few years. They used to be commonly sighted at Jubilee Park on Manners Street. Well, that's where I used to see them the most.<br />
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These birds are a medium sized bird about the size of a 3/4 grown Satin Bowerbird and is similiar in shape (and stockiness) as well, so too is the length of it's legs. They look somewhat like a Satin Bowerbird in shape. They have an olive green coloured back with almost an aqua blue colour on their wings, I believe. They are a very distinctive looking bird. <br />
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It is not the Blue-faced Honeyeater, as the aqua blue colour is much more noticable when the bird is viewed side on or from behind, and/or is in flight. When the bird is not flying, about 1/4 of it's body is the aqua blue colour, and the colour is very distinctive and noticable. It is noticable like how the Crimson Rosella is mostly seen as a red and blue bird in flight. <br />
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Going from memory of the bird I saw the other day (and from previous sightings of it in the past) it has a white or light cream coloured underside. It's beak is similiar to that of an Australian Magpie's beak but probably a bit thinner. <br />
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I am hoping to get a photo of this bird if I can remember exactly where I saw this bird the other day. For the life of me I just cannot remember where I saw it now.<br />
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This bird species is not in the list of all the birds of Tenterfield that I have thus far collected. Nor is it listed in the <a href="http://www.birdsinbackyards.net/" target="_blank">birdsinbackyards.net</a> website, which I use to identify a lot of the birds sighted in Tenterfield.Shirley E Hardyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06693223246748297158noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6431980151134286335.post-18467868802742488412012-09-11T15:25:00.000+10:002013-03-28T15:17:49.215+11:00Juvenile female Australian King Parrot <table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-JcNWyxzLIP0/UVPDbAhaumI/AAAAAAAAJ3A/vS4VthNQQ6c/s576/dscf0062qy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" hea="true" height="239" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-JcNWyxzLIP0/UVPDbAhaumI/AAAAAAAAJ3A/vS4VthNQQ6c/s576/dscf0062qy.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Juvenile female Australian king Parrot. <br />
Photo taken by Eleesha Hardy, © August 2012.</td></tr>
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Here is a photo of a juvenile female Australian King Parrot taken by my daughter late last month. As you can see the female King Parrot does not have the yellow colouring around her eyes yet. The yellow circle around the eye is only visible in adult or mature King Parrots.<br />
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The head of this bird is a green colour but it is not a deep rich green as seen in adult female King Parrots. There is also no pale green colouring in the wing feathers. <br />
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The chest and throat colouring is nearly identical to that of the adult females but the colouring is a bit on the dull side. <br />
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Currently, the only way to identify this bird from the other female King Parrots in the area is the dark green patch of feathers around her right eye. I am not sure if this same patch of dark green feathers is on the left side of her face or not. It will be interesting to see if she loses the dark green feathers or whether they get darker or lighter the more she matures. Apart from that she looks identical to an female adult King Parrot.Shirley E Hardyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06693223246748297158noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6431980151134286335.post-19621025436575784422012-09-11T13:03:00.001+10:002012-09-29T16:39:27.081+10:00Crimson Rosella Platycercus elegans<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://img854.imageshack.us/img854/3629/dscf0132c.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" hea="true" height="240" src="http://img854.imageshack.us/img854/3629/dscf0132c.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo taken by Eleesha Hardy, © September 2012</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Crimson Rosellas used to inhabit Tenterfield many years back but moved out about 4 - 6 years ago due to the drought. They have only begun to return to Tenterfield in the last 2 - 6 weeks despite the drought continuing here. Recently, one pair of Crimson Rosellas have so far been sighted in town, in the south-west area. <br />
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They are easily recognisable as the only bird that is almost entirely red and blue in colour, with blue cheeks, and black on their back and tail feathers.<br />
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These birds are between 32 - 36cms in length and mainly eat seeds from grasses, eucalypt trees and shrubs, as well as some insects. <br />
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There have been no recorded sightings of cross breeding with other rosella species in the Tenterfield area of these birds. Crimson Rosellas in other parts of the country have and are cross breeding with Eastern Rosellas and Pale-headed Rosellas. The pure bred Crimson Rosellas are what you will see in Tenterfield and they prefer to hang around their own kind but will tolerate Eastern Rosellas as well as Australian King Parrots if in close proximity to them.Shirley E Hardyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06693223246748297158noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6431980151134286335.post-53274596275047865222012-09-11T11:26:00.000+10:002012-09-11T11:26:39.341+10:00How to tell the difference between a male and female juvenile Australian Magpie.<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A juvenile Australian Magpie - gender unknown.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>This must be one of the hardest things to do. To look at the juvenile Australian Magpies at first glance they all pretty much look the same. Each juvenile, like it's parents, have their own unique feather patterns and colouring, giving them sort of fingerprint like markings on how to identify them apart from each other visually. However, going on my own study of the local juvenile Magpies when they are out and about, it is much easier to tell them apart when they are one year old or very close to that age - in Spring of each year.<br />
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Firstly, with juveniles under the age of 12 months, I have noticed that the adult male Magpie tends to mostly feed the juvenile male, whereas the adult female tends to mostly feed the juvenile female - if any, that are born. That feeding pattern can vary quickly so it is not actually reliable for identifying their genders. The young juvenile male Australian Magpie tends to act more dominant than the juvenile female, and is more demanding on it's parents for food. It seems to be louder when it squarks for food and tends to push the female or other male out of the way just so it can get all the food. Often fights break out as to who gets the food when only 2 juvenile males are born.<br />
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However, when the juveniles are one year old you can easily identify their gender by their behaviour and attitude. At the age of one year old, when the adult Australian Magpies are nesting again and the adult male becomes aggressive toward it's previous offspring, juvenile males begin to become aggressive toward other bird species (specifically Magpie Larks) and any other juvenile males within the same family unit. Juvenile males begin to mimic exactly what adult males do but due to their inexperience tend to go overboard with their fighting and chasing of Magpie Larks. Juvenile females, however, are not as aggressive and are usually reluctant to get into a fight or chase any other bird. They are curious about why their brother/s are fighting or chasing other birds but often turn to the adult female for guidance on what to do next and how to deal with the situation. Juvenile females will mimic the behaviour of their mother.<br />
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Juvenile male Australian Magpies are generally destructive around human habitats, often destroying potted plants, ripping apart polystyrene foam containers, standing on and often crushing potted plants, and generally getting into all kinds of mischief. These juvenile males appear to be very curious about their surroundings, and have often been seen playing with various objects, natural and manmade, like how human children play with toys. This behaviour only last for one Spring but it occurs every Spring with each passing generation and I believe is a precursor to it's adult mating and nesting behaviour. <br />
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It is roughly about this age (12 months) when juvenile females begin their mimicry singing, and is how I identify, mostly, the juvenile girls from the boys. Male Australian Magpies do not mimic other sounds they hear. By this time the 2 year old offsprings begin moving out of the family unit's territory and find mates of their own. They will not leave the territory until they have definitely found a mate to mate with and have established a territory of their own in which to raise a family within.Shirley E Hardyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06693223246748297158noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6431980151134286335.post-24659640064071988892012-09-11T10:23:00.000+10:002012-09-11T10:23:23.058+10:00How long do Australian Magpies live for?The exact age of how long Australian Magpies live for not is quite known but it is somewhere between 20 - 30 years. The male adult Australian Magpie that lives in my area is approximately 16 years old, being born roughly between 1996 and 1998. He has a distinctive pattern of feathers but I mostly identify him by his lopsided right wing that broke when he was a juvenile. He regularly tries to lift his right wing back up as it has a tendency to fall down. It does not affect his ability to fly though. Below are a few photos of the male Magpie, that was taken last month.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://img708.imageshack.us/img708/1640/dsc01893z.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" hea="true" height="240" src="http://img708.imageshack.us/img708/1640/dsc01893z.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://img803.imageshack.us/img803/7055/dsc01892r.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" hea="true" height="240" src="http://img803.imageshack.us/img803/7055/dsc01892r.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://img641.imageshack.us/img641/746/dsc01895uq.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" hea="true" height="240" src="http://img641.imageshack.us/img641/746/dsc01895uq.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>Shirley E Hardyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06693223246748297158noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6431980151134286335.post-5601012899582962612012-09-10T02:13:00.000+10:002012-11-02T13:17:30.282+11:00Unidentified black bird with white wing feathers sighted todayJust before I took some photos and a video of some Common Starlings when I was out walking today I saw two birds fly away from a power pole. They were both slightly larger than a Common Starling but as they flew I could see white wing feathers in a circle like shape underneath their wings. The white wing feathers were on the outside part of wings but still underneath the wing itself, and not in the centre of the wing like with a Pied Currawong. At first I thought these birds were White-winged Choughs but they were way too small. White-winged Choughs are as big as Ravens and Crows (about 48cms in length) and have a curved bill so I've researched/learnt.<br />
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I believe (?) I got a somewhat blurry photo of one of these birds, as one of them decided to fly back to the power pole. <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I thought I was taking a photo of a Starling!</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo of sunset on previous street before I took<br />
this bird photo.</td></tr>
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It would be nice to identify these birds I saw. Notice the white feathers on it's right wing. This was not caused by sunlight as it was close to sunset when this photo was taken and the whole area, including this bird, was in deep shade. The sunset made taking this photo even worse as a lot of sunlight was being blocked by smoke from a bushfire. <br />
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Within minutes of the photo of the bird being taken most of the Starlings flew away. I don't know if this other bird was still there as I wasn't really paying that much attention to it.<br />
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On the way home I took some other sunset photos as the sun was a deep orange colour and the smoke in front of the sun was a deep pinkish orange colour. Cameras do not do Tenterfield sunsets any justice. Tonight's sunset was gorgeous and breaktaking but smokey as heck. Below are a few more photos of the sunset I took about 8 minutes later.<br />
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Enlarging this bird photo doesn't make sense. I think this bird might just be a common starling. The white area of it's wing it too close to it's feet to be a wing, plus it is underneath the tail feathers. I'm just guessing here but the white area could be just something either caught in it's right foot, or it has something in it's right foot. Nesting material? <br />
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The two birds I saw first I will try to locate soon to see if they are still in the area of Scott and Miles Street intersection. A lot of Starlings hang around that area all the time.Shirley E Hardyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06693223246748297158noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6431980151134286335.post-21897651980817790622012-09-10T00:50:00.000+10:002012-09-10T00:50:00.302+10:00House Sparrow Passer domesticus<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-sgFzX0uwoVQ/UEyhGGyk3iI/AAAAAAAAI3U/4JbEwVb04nA/s1600/GEDC0319.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 15px; margin-right: 5px;"><img border="0" hea="true" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-sgFzX0uwoVQ/UEyhGGyk3iI/AAAAAAAAI3U/4JbEwVb04nA/s320/GEDC0319.JPG" width="250" /></a><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/--QvShV1XjuM/UEylyOT4W3I/AAAAAAAAI30/TA8A2OXXYac/s1600/GEDC0321.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px;"><img border="0" hea="true" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/--QvShV1XjuM/UEylyOT4W3I/AAAAAAAAI30/TA8A2OXXYac/s320/GEDC0321.JPG" width="250" /></a></div><br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-5XFSGZZA-qQ/UEyfl7xT6kI/AAAAAAAAI3I/NK8VucYdHq8/s1600/GEDC0322.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" hea="true" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-5XFSGZZA-qQ/UEyfl7xT6kI/AAAAAAAAI3I/NK8VucYdHq8/s320/GEDC0322.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A Male House Sparrow next to the Post Office.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>As normal when I go out anywhere I usually take my new digital camera with me. Today, Tenterfield was covered in smoke, by a bushfire. I don't know where the bushfire was but it did not stop the birds from being active.<br />
<br />
When I was in Rouse Street posting a letter I heard a Sparrow in the tree next to the Post Office building. So I took these photos of the bird as it was singing. <br />
<br />
House Sparrows are common small bird in Tenterfield but they are also an introduced species to Australia. These birds are normally seen in small flocks mostly hanging around buildings. They can be seen just about everywhere in Tenterfield including the main street.Shirley E Hardyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06693223246748297158noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6431980151134286335.post-45637926046089407582012-09-06T13:04:00.000+10:002012-09-06T13:04:17.387+10:00Female Australian Magpie using fake injury on humansI am not sure if that is the correct words for the title of this post but it will do. I have come across something very suspicious about the female Australian Magpie that visits my front lawn wanting food from me. A recent discovery tells me the bird is probably faking it and using the fake injury to make me feel sympathetic toward her so I would feed her or something to that nature.<br />
<br />
It all started about 3 - 4 years ago when the male Australian Magpie had to find a new mate. His previous mate suddenly got a scare of her life by something unknown and invisible, and simply flew away never to be seen again. That happened on my front lawn which I witnessed. But as this occurred after their chicks had hatched, the male had to raise the juveniles alone and they had 2 chicks to feed.<br />
<br />
Anyway, it was a week after the male got a new mate (the following Spring) when she suddenly developed a curled up right foot. Her foot was fine before then and she walked normally. Ever since then I had always seen her limping on her right foot as it curled up as she walked and ran along the ground. Here is a picture of her:<br />
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Q6C1PMgw3oI/UEgAacLqPgI/AAAAAAAAI2U/A1l6jpOlTeY/s1600/20+aUGUST+2012.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" hea="true" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Q6C1PMgw3oI/UEgAacLqPgI/AAAAAAAAI2U/A1l6jpOlTeY/s320/20+aUGUST+2012.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The female Australian Magpie is the bird to the left.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>This photo was taken on the 20th August 2012. I don't really have any earlier photos of her with her right foot curled up - that is noticeable anyway. She would walk like this all the time in my presence. She has been doing this for about 3 years now.<br />
<br />
In between the time of 20th August and when I took this next photo I saw her in a paddock near the creek. She was near the fence line of my neighbour's property, well within the range of identifying her visually as I walked passed her. Normally I talk to the Magpies as I walk into town to let them know it is just me. But when she just stood there looking at me her right foot was not curled up at all. Actually both her feet were stretched out into the normal position. She did not seem anxious or nervous about my presence at all and seemed relaxed to just stand there without moving. But the moment I opened my mouth and began talking to her suddenly her behaviour changed. She suddenly curled up her right foot, turned around and began limping as fast as she could run to get away from me. After about 10 feet she stopped running and just stood there with her right foot curled up just looking at me.<br />
<br />
A lot of thoughts went through my head at this point - the main one was "She's faking her injury!" But why would this female Magpie do such a thing just to gain my sympathy? Did it have anything to do with the fact that I had already formed a bond with her male mate? Or did it have a much deeper meaning? After all the male's previous female mate formed a really close bond with me, and I could actually hand feed her, but when she suddenly disappeared and was never seen again, perhaps the male Magpie didn't want that to happen again so he told his new mate to not get close to me nor properly trust me. That does seem to be happening here and she does not get physically close to me. But she does respond to me calling out to her even though she is always weary around me. <br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-4-ZPjs5uZmE/UEgFFg0X7fI/AAAAAAAAI2s/r1cGXE83EAQ/s1600/DSC01866.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" hea="true" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-4-ZPjs5uZmE/UEgFFg0X7fI/AAAAAAAAI2s/r1cGXE83EAQ/s320/DSC01866.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo taken 12th August 2012 - CAUGHT IN THE ACT!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>To this next photo.... I was quite surprised when my brother, Daniel, took this photo of the female Magpie on my front lawn attempting to eat a chicken drumstrick. She has her left foot curled up, yet her right foot is wrapped around the chicken bone. This photo is proof that she is faking her injury. <br />
<br />
However, the female Magpie was curling up her left foot in the presence of my brother, Daniel, not me. Why suddenly change which foot is injured in the presence of another human who is also familiar with this bird?<br />
<br />
Something is going on in this female Magpie's head - but what is the question? <br />
<br />
I have, momentarily, read somewhere on the internet that the curling up of a foot is an actual disease within the Australian Magpie population. If this is an actual disease and this female Magpie has the disease then why are her offspring not affected by it? Why are their feet normal and healthy? Why does the female Magpie only display this behaviour in the immediate presence of humans and not when no humans aren't around? The adult male Magpie does not display this behaviour at all. In my opinion this curling of the feet behaviour is a psychological behaviour rather than an illness or disease. It also may be a submissive female adult behaviour. The female Magpie may consider me to be the alpha female considering I have sort of bonded with her mate? Who knows really.<br />
<br />
Whatever is going on with this female Australian Magpie her behaviour is not normal for a Magpie. Her behaviour around me may be the clue - that she is always weary of me and does not fully trust me. Or maybe it is not me she does not trust but something else that she can see but I cannot and she fears it? Perhaps she fears she will be chased off by unseen forces like what happened to the male Magpie's last mate? <br />
<br />
There is something else too. I have noticed that in some cases where Australian Magpies have sort of become domesticated (got used to being close to humans and have somewhat bonded with them) that they exhibit this curled up foot behaviour. I have no idea what that means as I am not able to read the minds of Magpies or tell if these birds are stressed out or not. All I know is that it means something!<br />
Shirley E Hardyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06693223246748297158noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6431980151134286335.post-12264565349821430852012-09-06T00:29:00.000+10:002012-09-06T00:29:08.239+10:00Juvenile male Australian King Parrot <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Cmfya2UqBE0/UEclNsf-kwI/AAAAAAAAI18/76Qqb3Hz1zc/s1600/GEDC0265.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" hea="true" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Cmfya2UqBE0/UEclNsf-kwI/AAAAAAAAI18/76Qqb3Hz1zc/s320/GEDC0265.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>Whilst taking happy snaps of the King Parrots today, I took this quick photo of what I first thought was a female. Well, it's actually a juvenile male. Only the male King Parrots have the pale green on their wings. <br />
<br />
Looking at this bird reminds me of a cross between a male and a female King Parrot. The bird has a half green and half red head and red belly, green back and wings. It also has the pale green markings on it's wings. Adult males have entirely red heads. The adult females have entirely green heads.<br />
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The eye colouring of the juvenile male is almost the same as the adults however it does not have the yellow colouring around the eye like the adults have. The beak colouring is also the same as the male and female adult birds. <br />
<br />
The distinctive green colouring around the juvenile male's chest and head is what looks out of place but makes this bird look so unique. it was spotted in a small family group with an adult male King Parrot and possibly a female King Parrot or another juvenile plus 3 or 4 other King Parrots. I didn't really pay that much attention to the other birds to identify their actual genders.<br />
<br />
How old this young male is I do not know but it was very close to fully grown, if not fully grown - length-wise. Still much more research to do on this species.Shirley E Hardyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06693223246748297158noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6431980151134286335.post-62727231027258875592012-09-05T19:43:00.000+10:002012-09-05T19:43:51.086+10:00The female Red Wattlebird is back<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-HyqMBODmqlY/UEcZsVSWuoI/AAAAAAAAI1k/4MUV6iswrmk/s1600/GEDC0261.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" hea="true" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-HyqMBODmqlY/UEcZsVSWuoI/AAAAAAAAI1k/4MUV6iswrmk/s320/GEDC0261.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This bird I can tell is the female by the slightly visible <br />
yellow colouring of feathers between it's legs and a lack of <br />
the same colouring on it's chest.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Today a Red Wattlebird was sighted and I took this photo. At first I thought it was the male but after viewing the photo on my pc it turned out to be the female. I first saw the female fly down for some bread at my neighbour, Carol's, place. The bird stayed for about a minute eating several pieces of bread before being approached by Carol's dog so the bird flew into a tree. <br />
<br />
Moments later 2 Red Wattlebirds flew out of the tree and headed in a west north-west direction. I did not see the second Red Wattlebird until the first one flew off. The second bird (the male) did not come down for some bread at all when the female was on the ground.<br />
<br />
With the presence of both birds in my neighbour's garden this time of the year can mean many things really. It could mean their eggs hatched and the male is accompanying the female while she alone feeds. It could also mean that the eggs did not hatch or, it could mean the female is mating with another male. Either way the female looked hungry from egg sitting.Shirley E Hardyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06693223246748297158noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6431980151134286335.post-81679559524269406232012-09-05T13:47:00.001+10:002012-09-05T15:22:09.634+10:00Chaos with nesting sites<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-1YCRdzWfqhA/UEbfJ4wb2nI/AAAAAAAAI1I/0byc9V0dIns/s1600/DSC01912.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" hea="true" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-1YCRdzWfqhA/UEbfJ4wb2nI/AAAAAAAAI1I/0byc9V0dIns/s320/DSC01912.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The first branch that came down on 12 August 2012</td></tr>
</tbody></table>About a week and a half ago my neighbour, Carol, had a Weeping Willow (tree) branch come down in her garden. That was the second branch from the same tree within a month. The recent branch falling down resulted in the near demolition of the Superb Fairy-Wren's nest in her backyard. The large main branches missed the bush completely. Only the small pencil thickness branches landed across the bush. The tree branch didn't do any major damage to any garden plants but it did restrict the Superb Fairy-Wrens from entering the bush where their nest was. <br />
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The entire Weeping Willow tree is being cut down and removed today and soon will be replaced by another tree. It is being removed because the tree has been affected by borers and all the main branches are rotten on the inside.<br />
<br />
As a result the Superb Fairy-Wrens abandoned the bush they were nesting in and took over (probably by force) the nesting sites of the Red-browed Finches. I spotted the Superb Fairy-Wrens flying from Carol's Wattle tree to their new nesting site. They may have been collecting nesting material from the Wattle tree or just feeding their nesting partners on the nest. Either way, the birds were flying from the Wattle tree to the new nest area rather quickly and consistently. <br />
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Here are some photos of these birds in the immediate area of the Wattle tree which were taken on the 31 August 2012.<br />
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 0px; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://img52.imageshack.us/img52/9484/gedc0160o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 15px; margin-right: 0px;"><img border="0" hea="true" src="http://img52.imageshack.us/img52/9484/gedc0160o.jpg" width="250" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The male Superb Fairy-Wren</td></tr>
</tbody></table><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 0px; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://img29.imageshack.us/img29/1627/gedc0135.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" hea="true" src="http://img29.imageshack.us/img29/1627/gedc0135.jpg" width="250" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">One of the female Superb Fairy-Wrens</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
There were a few days where I did not see the Red-browed Finches at all in Carol's garden but late yesterday afternoon I spotted them down by the creek. It appears they have moved into a small bush near their old nesting site. Their new nesting site is not as green as the old one, nor as big or well protected from predators but I am glad to see that they are still in the area.Shirley E Hardyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06693223246748297158noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6431980151134286335.post-32291042020418374462012-09-05T12:40:00.000+10:002012-09-05T12:40:05.162+10:00Breeding information of the Red WattlebirdThe "unidentified Red Wattlebird" mentioned in this blog was last seen on the 14th August 2012 collecting nesting material (a long strand of plastic-like material) from my grey rug on my clothes line. It's daily visits to my neighbour, Carol's, garden ceased from that moment onward, with only one exception.<br />
<br />
Going on the fact that the other Red Wattlebird sighted here is obviously a male, the "unknown Red Wattlebird" must therefore be a female. Information about which gender sits on the eggs <a href="http://www.birdsinbackyards.net/species/Anthochaera-carunculata" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue;">see here</span></a> states that often the female will sit on the eggs alone. This may be the case for the Red Wattlebirds in this area but I am just guessing because the female has only been seen once since 14th August. The male has been sighted more often but his visits are less frequent and no longer on a daily basis. Where their nest is is anyone's guess as it is not in the immediate area of where I live. <br />
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Finding out more information about their breeding cycle is difficult as this pair of Red Wattlebirds do not stay in the immediate area to breed or nest. As the female has less yellow colouring (if any at all) on her belly (I'm still trying to get close up photographs of her especially from underneath her), it is hard to tell if their eggs will even hatch. But going on the activity of the male alone I would say that the eggs did indeed hatch, as he seems more relaxed than the previous 2 weeks. He seems happy but still nervous around other birds when it comes to getting food. Prior to the breeding season the male would happily wait for food to be thrown in his direction, despite the presence of Noisy Miners, and was always quick to get the food. Yesterday, Noisy Miners took the food as he tried to get it, and instead of waiting around he simply flew off and didn't come back down for a second chance at getting the food. The male also does not stay for very long. Normally he would sit on a nearby tree branch, in the tree where Carol's bird feeder is, or on top of the clothes line. He rarely does that now during the breeding season. <br />
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The genetic diversity for breeding may be severely reduced as I have not yet seen or heard any other Red Wattlebirds in other areas of Tenterfield when walking about town. I'm sure there are more Red Wattlebirds somewhere in Tenterfield (or nearby) but I have just yet to see or hear any of them. I hope there are more anyway.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.birdcare.com.au/red_wattlebird.htm" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue;">On this website</span></a> it states that the (eggs) incubation period is 14 - 16 days and and the young birds fledge at about 15 - 18 days. So, in theory, anywhere from the 17th September onwards I should start seeing juvenile Red Wattlebirds with their parents in the area again. It is now a waiting game!<br />
<div style="text-align: right;"><br />
<a href="http://birdsoftenterfield.blogspot.com.au/2012/08/videos-red-wattlebird.html"><span style="color: red;">Videos of Red Wattlebird</span></a></div>Shirley E Hardyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06693223246748297158noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6431980151134286335.post-60247362927401294742012-08-30T10:23:00.000+10:002012-10-31T13:51:36.853+11:00Is this a Jacky Winter? - NOW IDENTIFIED<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://img32.imageshack.us/img32/5683/isthisajackywinter.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" fea="true" height="206" src="http://img32.imageshack.us/img32/5683/isthisajackywinter.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo taken on 20 August 2012.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Whilst at my neighbour Carol's place I heard a bird hopping across lower tree branches. I could not actually see the bird itself as it kept moving out of view. But I took this photo believing I did not capture the bird in question. I just aimed roughly where I believed the bird was and took a single photo. After this photo was taken the noise stopped and I didn't hear the bird moving again. Was it gone? More than likely it flew off without me knowing about it. <br />
<br />
When viewing the photo on my computer it actually took me a while to see the bird in this photo as I did not know what I was looking at - bird wise. Once I saw this bird in the picture I took on my pc I actually cropped the photo to make the bird more noticable in the image.<br />
<br />
This bird was very elusive and shy but made quite a noise jumping from tree branch to tree branch, which was what originally caught my attention. <br />
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Doing a bit of Google searching on Jacky Winter images, it appears I may have photographed a Jacky Winter in my neighbour's garden. But I am still not satisfied that it is a Jacky Winter. It may be a juvenile bird or a completely different bird altogether. <br />
<br />
This month (August) I have seen and heard some pretty birds that I have yet to identify. I only have one photo of this possible Jacky Winter. I have no idea how large it was, but going by the sounds of it's movements in the tree branches it sounded bigger than a finch, possibly as large as a Magpie Lark or bigger. But that is just assuming. Until I see this bird again I will not know for certain what it is.<br />
<br />
<strong><span style="color: red;">FOOTNOTE - 31 OCTOBER 2012:</span></strong> This bird is actually a Grey Shrike-thrush that has not reached full maturity yet. It reached breeding maturity this Spring, so is probably about 2 years of age right now.Shirley E Hardyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06693223246748297158noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6431980151134286335.post-48774865812744893132012-08-30T09:55:00.000+10:002012-08-30T09:55:17.424+10:00Are these Common House Sparrows?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://img717.imageshack.us/img717/1687/dsc02358ms.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" fea="true" height="240" src="http://img717.imageshack.us/img717/1687/dsc02358ms.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>Two days ago, just moments after taking the photo of the Common Starling/Myna? I came across these birds. I believe they may be your normal House Sparrows but I would like to be certain. They were photographed in the driveway of the Bi-Lo's Rouse Street entrance. <br />
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There was probably about 12 - 20 of these birds flying about the left tree out the front of Pederby House and then flew into the Bi-Lo Rouse Street driveway entrance trees when startled by me and my brother walking passed them. They look like House Sparrows and are about the same size but the next photo doesn't look like a House Sparrow to me, well not quite anyway. I managed to get a slightly closer up photo of one of the birds in the tree. The sun was behind me and was getting very low in the sky. It was around 5PM when I took these photos. <br />
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House Sparrows are supposed to be grey and brown with the male being more colourful with a dark head. Juvenile House Sparrows are duller in colour and are more grey in colour than brown. House Sparrows are fairly common in Tenterfield but their numbers have declined in recent years due to the drought.<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://img694.imageshack.us/img694/2781/dsc02359pu.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" fea="true" height="240" src="http://img694.imageshack.us/img694/2781/dsc02359pu.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A young male House Sparrow?</td></tr>
</tbody></table>The second image reveals a bird that may be a young male House Sparrow but going on the angle I was to this bird, and the fact the bird had it's head up and to it's left makes it hard to identify. Without seeing it's back or head properly I can only guess these birds are House Sparrows.<br />
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In this second photo I was about 12 - 16 feet away from these birds and almost directly underneath them but on a slight angle. <br />
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Shirley E Hardyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06693223246748297158noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6431980151134286335.post-26648821514868269162012-08-30T09:30:00.000+10:002012-08-30T09:30:13.898+10:00Common Starling or Myna?<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://img39.imageshack.us/img39/2145/dsc02357pl.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" fea="true" height="240" src="http://img39.imageshack.us/img39/2145/dsc02357pl.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo taken 29 August 2012, Rouse Street.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>I do know there are Common Starlings in Tenterfield, and have heard that Common Mynas exist in the Tenterfield area as well. <br />
<br />
Going on the under side of this bird (in the photo) it is going to be a difficult to identify this bird but not impossible. <br />
<br />
This bird was photographed next to the old Pederby House on the footpath on Rouse Street, at the top of the power pole. <br />
<br />
Some birds, like this one, just don't allow you to get close up photos of them. <br />
<br />
Identifying birds is tricky business but there are not many birds in Tenterfield that look like this nor are about the size of a fat Common Starling as this bird is. Personally I think it is a Common Starling but I could be wrong.Shirley E Hardyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06693223246748297158noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6431980151134286335.post-16660240116622696312012-08-26T18:43:00.000+10:002012-09-29T16:40:29.079+10:00Galah Eolophus roseicapillus<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-frPEv2F9dPs/UDncVrBz24I/AAAAAAAAI0c/sDzTt6p1KfU/s1600/0465.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-frPEv2F9dPs/UDncVrBz24I/AAAAAAAAI0c/sDzTt6p1KfU/s320/0465.JPG" width="320" yda="true" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Galahs on my front lawn in 2005.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>The Galahs here in Tenterfield are one of the bird species that migrated elsewhere when the drought became a bit severe. They used to live in Tenterfield in large flocks and were sometimes seen flocking with Sulphur-crested Cockatoos. <br />
<br />
Ocassionally Galahs are seen in Tenterfield but it is rather infrequent. When they are old enough they form a permanent bond with a bird of the opposite gender which become lifelong mating pairs. Galahs live to be about 80 human years of age. <br />
<br />
One of the unusual antics of Galahs in Tenterfield is when it rains they love to hang upside down on the power lines. It is quite funny watching them going around in circles like an acrobat on a wire. This behaviour is not seen in Galahs in Whyalla or Mannum (South Australia) so I'm not sure if this is a normal behaviour for the Galah species or if it is a learned behaviour of the Tenterfield galahs.<br />
<br />
I don't know about Galahs elsewhere in Australia but in Tenterfield these birds tend to go beserk and fly about chasing each other at full speed. I have seen them ocassionally dive bombing passing cars for the fun of it and sometimes even chasing other birds. When chasing other Galahs or other birds they do so roughly 20-30 feet off the ground half the time. Other times they chase each other at a higher altitude. Galahs are quite the silly bird, do not fear anything, and always appear to be having fun. Shirley E Hardyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06693223246748297158noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6431980151134286335.post-78450993599122844142012-08-25T16:50:00.000+10:002012-08-25T16:50:28.707+10:00Sulphur-crested Cockatoo Cacatua galerita<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-So7VwaQB8ZQ/UDhvX70MteI/AAAAAAAAI0E/S28tFl5LI74/s1600/PICTURE_1251_1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-So7VwaQB8ZQ/UDhvX70MteI/AAAAAAAAI0E/S28tFl5LI74/s320/PICTURE_1251_1.JPG" width="320" yda="true" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">An old photo of a Sulphur-crested Cockatoo<br />
taken in Tenterfield eating something in the grass.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Sulphur-crested Cockatoos are large, noisy birds that do everything in large flocks. There used to be large numbers of them in Tenterfield but as the rainfall disappeared so too did these birds. They began to return to Tenterfield just 2-4 years ago on a rather infrequent basis. This year, specifically near the beginning of August, has brought larger numbers of them back to Tenterfield in winter despite the harsh drought conditions. <br />
<br />
They are seen from about 4pm onwards flying from stands of trees to other stands of trees, often flying across large open spaces to get to the next lot of trees. They arrive in Tenterfield from an unknown west direction, and head straight for the Jubilee Park area where there are lots of tall trees.<br />
<br />
Sulphur-crested Cockatoos do not appear to roost in Tenterfield itself anymore but travel through Tenterfield to find food (nuts, seeds, etc) and water. Most nights you can see them flying off in the direction of the Tenterfield Dam which is in a south-east direction of the main CBD.<br />
<br />
Sulphur-crested Cockatoos are always on the move, eating what they can then moving on again.Shirley E Hardyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06693223246748297158noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6431980151134286335.post-5677207785414618142012-08-25T14:36:00.000+10:002012-10-02T14:58:20.434+10:00Crested Pigeon nesting<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-tggbg978Dao/UDhOMdG_LXI/AAAAAAAAIy8/Qxp-3r5ZcOk/s1600/DSC02273.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-tggbg978Dao/UDhOMdG_LXI/AAAAAAAAIy8/Qxp-3r5ZcOk/s320/DSC02273.JPG" width="320" yda="true" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Crested Pigeon approaching it's nest and keeping an <br />
eye on me. Photo taken 24 August 2012.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>The Crested Pigeon is one of my favourite birds because it is so colourful and such an easy going bird. I love the sound it makes but this species is not as common as the Australian King Parrot or even the Australian Wood Duck. Its numbers are very low in Tenterfield. All pigeon species are hunted extensively by birds of prey in Tenterfield, and their numbers have dwindled to almost zero over the years.<br />
<br />
Where I live there is just one pair of Crested Pigeons and currently they are nesting. They started nesting about 2 weeks ago. I kept still and the pigeon came down from the roof top and landed in the bushes about 10 feet from where I was standing. I managed to get this photo of the bird before it went to it's nest. Once in it's nest it started cooing like crazy, so I video taped the sound it was making. Even though you cannot see the bird in the video I only really wanted to record the sound it was making and nothing else. I stopped the video recording short as the Crested Pigeon was cooing for about an hour before it flew out of the nest and went elsewhere. <br />
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My apologies for the terrible sound quality on this video. The wind was blowing strongly yesterday and I was in the middle of doing something when this video was taken.Shirley E Hardyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06693223246748297158noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6431980151134286335.post-22874893238921798742012-08-24T19:25:00.003+10:002012-10-02T15:02:01.591+10:00Double-barred Finches sitting on branchesJust when I thought my day couldn't get any better I came across these Double-barred Finches sitting on a bush's branches. Filming them is difficult as they are really small birds and I couldn't see them in the digital camera's view screen. I pointed and guessed where the birds were. After this video I took some photos of them which turned out better than expected.<br />
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I had to zoom right in to get these photos. I was about 8 feet from the birds. Nine feet seems to be their "comfort zone". As they were fluttering about so much I had to make a guess at how many of these birds there were in the bush's branches - my guess is there were 8-10 of them.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-qXT1g3HEQ0Q/UDdlplhodFI/AAAAAAAAIy0/3Mc4AdfPSnY/s1600/DSC02258.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" rel="lightbox[Double-barred Finch]" title="Image 1"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-qXT1g3HEQ0Q/UDdlplhodFI/AAAAAAAAIy0/3Mc4AdfPSnY/s320/DSC02258.JPG" width="320" yda="true" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-KSqCZSshkTI/UDdlqtdooLI/AAAAAAAAIy0/ZRGnlDKwLrM/s1600/DSC02259.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" rel="lightbox[Double-barred Finch]" title="Image 2"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-KSqCZSshkTI/UDdlqtdooLI/AAAAAAAAIy0/ZRGnlDKwLrM/s320/DSC02259.JPG" width="320" yda="true" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-T-cKOCD9d-Q/UDdlrZks1AI/AAAAAAAAIy0/ph5fikQimu0/s1600/DSC02260.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" rel="lightbox[Double-barred Finch]" title="Image 3"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-T-cKOCD9d-Q/UDdlrZks1AI/AAAAAAAAIy0/ph5fikQimu0/s320/DSC02260.JPG" width="320" yda="true" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-K4ULwuJF9dM/UDdmLsQadyI/AAAAAAAAIy0/o3Rl0xi-ywc/s1600/DSC02261.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" rel="lightbox[Double-barred Finch]" title="Image 4"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-K4ULwuJF9dM/UDdmLsQadyI/AAAAAAAAIy0/o3Rl0xi-ywc/s320/DSC02261.JPG" width="320" yda="true" /></a></div><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">Click on the images to enlarge them.</div>Shirley E Hardyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06693223246748297158noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6431980151134286335.post-90765920235426865892012-08-23T18:16:00.000+10:002012-10-20T18:31:19.622+11:00Grey Shrike-thrush: Whit-will bird sounds heard on 23 August 2012Sometimes I take video recordings from my bedroom window using my mobile phone just of the sounds birds make before they go to bed. This particular day the Red Wattlebird in the area was quite noisy. The birds tends to become very noisy just before they go to bed, here in Tenterfield. It's like they all suddenly try to locate each other. <br />
<br />
A lot of different bird sounds happen in the first minute, including a small dog barking around the corner from my place. This video is a compliation of bird calls about 10 minutes before they all began going to bed.<br />
<br />
At 2:21 into the video a different bird call is heard. It sounds like "Whit will". However, before this sound is heard a Red Wattlebird is clearly heard, then afterward at 3:43 a Pied Currawong is heard. To complicate matters an Eastern Rosella is also heard singing at various times throughout this video (starting at 0:29) but then goes quiet.<br />
<br />
I have been studying this video for some time now and I no longer believe an Eastern (or other) Whipbird is travelling through Tenterfield. I believe this unusual sound is being made by one of the local birds. And I believe it is one of 3 birds: the Pied Currawong; the Red Wattlebird; or the Eastern Rosella. I am suspecting it may have been an Eastern Rosella that made the "Whit-will" calls as I have captured audio evidence of an Eastern Rosella making the sounds of a Bell Miner earlier this year. <i>(Boy was I wrong on that assumption!)</i><br />
<br />
Whatever the bird is it is heard moving away. The Red Wattlebird was in a gum tree across the road and to the far right which is out of the camera's view in the video. The Pied Currawong is a bit further away also to the right. And the Eastern Rosella was about in the same location as the Red Wattlebird.<br />
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<strong><span style="color: red;">Footnote: 20 October 2012</span></strong> This is what happens when one studies bird calls but does not know all of the bird species calls. This "Whit-will" sound is actually the sound of a Grey Shrike-thrush. I've heard this call before this video was taken but never knew what made the sound. Grey Shrike-thrushes are not in Tenterfield all year round. They migrate, I believe, after they have bred. I've heard this same bird call for years so it is a frequent annual visitor to Tenterfield. The day I took this video was the day the bird arrived in Tenterfield for the year.Shirley E Hardyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06693223246748297158noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6431980151134286335.post-53120758651935465482012-08-22T21:06:00.000+10:002012-08-22T21:06:53.697+10:00Superb Fairy-Wren Malurus cyaneus<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-4WfliaA8MXc/UDSVO07FVvI/AAAAAAAAIxs/tVbzXodqhYM/s1600/What+wren+is+this.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" mda="true" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-4WfliaA8MXc/UDSVO07FVvI/AAAAAAAAIxs/tVbzXodqhYM/s320/What+wren+is+this.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A male photographed on the 20th August 2012<br />
at my neighbour Carol's place.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Currently this little bird, which is a male, is breeding/nesting with it's mate. It is not a good photograph and the photo was taken late in the afternoon. The female is a brown colour. This male bird allowed me to photograph it but I can never get a clear or close shot of it. The male stays still for about 10 seconds, at most, before it takes off again. The female is even more elusive and won't stay still in order to be photographed. <br />
<br />
The Superb Fairy-Wren is very fast moving and is often sighted flying about or eating (grass seeds?) on the ground where there is dense cover nearby. It is more commonly sighted in Tenterfield when it is not breeding in small family groups of up to 20 birds, usually only one adult male bird is in the group. <br />
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When these birds are out in the open far between dense covering, they fly fast between bushes and/or trees that have dense cover to it. I have seen these birds on my front lawn. As the females/juveniles eat from my front lawn the male is in a nearby tree or bush keeping a look out for predators, whether it be bigger birds, humans or anything else that moves. <br />
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Superb Fairy-Wren behaviour is different when it is not breeding. When it is not breeding the male will get about 6-8 feet from you on the ground as long as you keep still. When it is breeding you cannot get any closer than 30 feet from the male, and the female is even more skittish than the male this time of the year.<br />
<br />
The Superb Fairy Wrens are breeding in a thick, dense bush which also has thorns on it. Their nesting location I will not identify but I know where it is. The nest is somewhere between 0 and 6 feet off the ground. <br />
Shirley E Hardyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06693223246748297158noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6431980151134286335.post-18500732695231807132012-08-21T23:32:00.000+10:002012-09-29T16:41:24.233+10:00Crested Pigeon Ocyphaps lophotes<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-CP-ls3PiQCI/UDOCaOP7SuI/AAAAAAAAIxI/9OgYbVVoMTQ/s1600/Crested+Pigeon.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" mda="true" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-CP-ls3PiQCI/UDOCaOP7SuI/AAAAAAAAIxI/9OgYbVVoMTQ/s640/Crested+Pigeon.JPG" width="520" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">It was almost sunset and this Crested Pigeon was in the shade at my neighbour Carol's place yesterday.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>There are not many Crested pigeons here in Tenterfield's south-west. There may be 4-6 individual birds at most. They do not breed rapidly and in fact I don't know much about these pigeons. I do know they nest in a thick dense bush about 4-10 feet from the ground. I know this because my neighbour Carol told me she found a Crested Pigeon sitting (on eggs) in a nest in her native rose bush/climber. Other years the Crested Pigeons have made a nest higher up in dense cover in Carol's garden. <br />
<br />
I was about 6 feet from this pigeon when I took a very quick photo of it as I was walking passed it. I do know this particular bird has a mate but I have only seen a baby Crested Pigeon a few years back. There were probably about 10 Crested Pigeons in the immediate area about 6 years ago but most of them were probably eaten by birds of prey. <br />
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Several years back I always had problems with one of these birds flying head first into my front windows and sometimes the front wall. They would get startled, panic, and fly off without looking where they were going. Fortunately none have been knocked unconscious in the process. As a result, and because other birds have done the exact same thing, I stopped regularly cleaning the windows of my Flat. This has actually prevented the birds from flying into the windows. <br />
<br />
I'm hoping to get a better picture of the pair of Crested Pigeons soon as they have such pretty coloured feathers. <br />
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Shirley E Hardyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06693223246748297158noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6431980151134286335.post-87437625085305244422012-08-21T22:41:00.000+10:002012-08-21T22:41:07.920+10:00Australian Wood Duck Chenonetta jubata<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-n1AHW6-uzUs/UDNfN82xBLI/AAAAAAAAIws/OH0m37rwrvQ/s1600/Australian+Wood+Ducks.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" mda="true" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-n1AHW6-uzUs/UDNfN82xBLI/AAAAAAAAIws/OH0m37rwrvQ/s320/Australian+Wood+Ducks.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo taken 20th August 2012</td></tr>
</tbody></table>The Australian Wood Ducks in Tenterfield are mostly found along the Tenterfield Creek. They can be found roosting in the Tenterfield Showgrounds area of the creek itself. They are the most common duck in Tenterfield, and the most common large bird flying during the early mornings and late afternoon and just after dark. <br />
<br />
During the late afternoon Australian Wood Ducks can be seen sometimes on the edge of the road near the Tenterfield Creek searching for food. They are more commonly spotted in open fields and in the Tenterfield Creek itself. <br />
<br />
This particular species is sighted in small groups during the day but roost together in much larger numbers. Their breeding season is much earlier in the year, in Summer I think, and they often have more than 2 chicks per pair of mating ducks. <br />
<br />
It is difficult to get physically close to these ducks. The closest I have got to them is about 60 feet before they fly away as they are easily spooked. Shirley E Hardyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06693223246748297158noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6431980151134286335.post-80447893742584823242012-08-21T17:28:00.001+10:002012-10-02T15:06:40.452+10:00Welcome Swallow Hirundo neoxena<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-DGSfWT1XAhM/UDMtDTUB_-I/AAAAAAAAIwU/_AX0GgGEjGw/s1600/DSC02177.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" mda="true" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-DGSfWT1XAhM/UDMtDTUB_-I/AAAAAAAAIwU/_AX0GgGEjGw/s320/DSC02177.JPG" width="250" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo 1</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Welcome Swallows are often seen in Tenterfield but usually in smaller numbers. Yesterday when I was taking some photos of the Tenterfield creek I came across these two birds. The two birds look like a breeding pair, and the bird on the right looks pregnant/about to lay eggs soon. The bird on the left kept a look out for danger as the other bird seemed to be collecting mud for the nest. Or is she eating insects in the mud? The photos were taken moments after the video was taken.<br />
<br />
Without taking photos of these type of birds it is difficult to tell which species is which, as there are several species of Woodswallows and Swallows/Swifts in Tenterfield. They all move quickly and are usually flying about chasing insects. I believe the Swallows I have seen flying over my backyard in Summer may be this same pair. If this is indeed the case then it is probable that these particular Wood Swallows breed twice a year, in Summer and Winter.<br />
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 0px; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Sq-2oWjl8CY/UDMtDDknGgI/AAAAAAAAIwU/mCwxsQCswqU/s1600/DSC02178.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 15px; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" mda="true" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Sq-2oWjl8CY/UDMtDDknGgI/AAAAAAAAIwU/mCwxsQCswqU/s320/DSC02178.JPG" width="250" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo 2</td></tr>
</tbody></table><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 0px; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-x9MQsvPXKA4/UDMvGOH1-RI/AAAAAAAAIwU/Id4OGSywkds/s1600/Welcome+Swallows+male+on+left+pregnant+female+right.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" mda="true" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-x9MQsvPXKA4/UDMvGOH1-RI/AAAAAAAAIwU/Id4OGSywkds/s320/Welcome+Swallows+male+on+left+pregnant+female+right.JPG" width="250" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo 3</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<br />
<center><iframe allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" frameborder="0" height="360" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/_C-QFnNioOM?rel=0" width="480"></iframe></center><div style="text-align: center;">The video I took which was taken first.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div>Shirley E Hardyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06693223246748297158noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6431980151134286335.post-90687923936955636692012-08-20T21:31:00.000+10:002012-09-29T16:42:03.964+10:00Satin Bowerbird Ptilonorhynchus violaceus<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-tIKoxAPHahw/UDIQMc58i9I/AAAAAAAAIqw/amoki0zKm7A/s1600/DSC01904.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" mda="true" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-tIKoxAPHahw/UDIQMc58i9I/AAAAAAAAIqw/amoki0zKm7A/s320/DSC01904.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I don't know the gender of this bird. It is on my <br />
front lawn.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>This Satin Bowerbird has been a frequent visitor to my front garden, and my neighbour Carol's garden for the passed two months. In the last few days it has disappeared and has not been sighted since.<br />
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Satin Bowerbirds arrive in Tenterfield around the 16th of June each year and by the end of July they are gone. However this one stayed longer than normal.<br />
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More commonly sighted are the female and juvenile Satin Bowerbirds but only one adult black male seems to visit the south-west area of Tenterfield. Many like the one in the photo arrive as well but over the years the numbers that arrive in Tenterfield has been declining. <br />
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In July you can hear the adult male calling but it is elusive and next to impossible to take a photo of. It hides itself in thick bushes or high in the tree tops behind a branch so you cannot see it. The adult male knows you are there but never allows you to see it, or momentarily lapses on it's sense of judgement and you see a flash of black fly passed overhead.<br />
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When the adult male is here it eats berries from this bush below, which is in my neighbour, Carol's garden.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-q4iViJJxwoU/UDIVLgdfiBI/AAAAAAAAIrM/itkwkYu4g1E/s1600/DSC01915.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" mda="true" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-q4iViJJxwoU/UDIVLgdfiBI/AAAAAAAAIrM/itkwkYu4g1E/s640/DSC01915.JPG" width="500" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The bush is much bigger in real life.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-xiN-h7P7uEw/UDIWA2NhYxI/AAAAAAAAIrU/odN612CF5fw/s1600/DSC01917.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" mda="true" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-xiN-h7P7uEw/UDIWA2NhYxI/AAAAAAAAIrU/odN612CF5fw/s640/DSC01917.JPG" width="500" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The berries are finished and are now going to seed.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>No Satin Bowerbirds breed in Tenterfield as I have never seen them in Summer which is when their breeding season is. One thing I do know about Satin Bowerbirds is they love apples and will gobble up apple pieces quickly before any other bird eats them.<br />
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Because this particular Satin Bowerbird (see photo at top) hung around for a while, it treated most of the local birds with respect. However, it recently encountered a pair of Rainbow Lorikeets which it took a great disliking to, and attacked both Lorikeets every moment it got when they were eating the seed in Carol's bird feeder. I have never seen the Satin Bowerbird actually eat seed from the bird feeder so I cannot explain why it would attack just two birds in the bird feeder and not any other birds like the Australian King Parrots or Eastern Rosellas that were also present in the tree at the time. <br />
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The following 4 photos was taken from one of the Rainbow Lorikeet videos taken on 14 August 2012. It shows the Satin Bowerbird deliberately attacking the Rainbow Lorikeet, jumping onto the tree branches in the middle of the tree then turning around and having a second attack at the bird. It also attacked the other Lorikeet higher up in the tree branches. It obviously did not like the Rainbow Lorikeets being there.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Pu06mwpKzyg/UDIbiqEn6FI/AAAAAAAAIrs/sBgRIJUQhhk/s1600/MOV01985-013.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" mda="true" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Pu06mwpKzyg/UDIbiqEn6FI/AAAAAAAAIrs/sBgRIJUQhhk/s640/MOV01985-013.jpg" width="500" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Shot 1 </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-pc3-VIPx1Vk/UDIbo9t2z4I/AAAAAAAAIr0/wBnKHZWC524/s1600/MOV01985-014.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" mda="true" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-pc3-VIPx1Vk/UDIbo9t2z4I/AAAAAAAAIr0/wBnKHZWC524/s640/MOV01985-014.jpg" width="500" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Shot 2</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Hh-r4mpnbDc/UDIbr-MdTaI/AAAAAAAAIr8/NLNst7yd6rE/s1600/MOV01985-015.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" mda="true" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Hh-r4mpnbDc/UDIbr-MdTaI/AAAAAAAAIr8/NLNst7yd6rE/s640/MOV01985-015.jpg" width="500" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Shot 3</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-e0UQshDJ7Yo/UDIbv_GTmkI/AAAAAAAAIsE/Zkry_2FqMH0/s1600/MOV01985-016.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" mda="true" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-e0UQshDJ7Yo/UDIbv_GTmkI/AAAAAAAAIsE/Zkry_2FqMH0/s400/MOV01985-016.jpg" width="500" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Shot 4 </td></tr>
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I guess I'll have to wait until next year before I can add something else about Satin Bowerbirds in Tenterfield. I doubt this one bird will be returning in a hurry.<br />
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Shirley E Hardyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06693223246748297158noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6431980151134286335.post-38241044804299059652012-08-19T19:49:00.000+10:002012-10-31T13:44:03.756+11:00An unidentified grey coloured bird NOW IDENTIFIEDYesterday when I was at my neighbour Carol's place, just after video taping the Red-browed Finches, this little bird hopped across the front lawn. At first it looked like a big fat House Sparrow but House Sparrows don't grow as big as this bird. It was an unusual sighting because I did not see any other birds like it around before or after this video was taken. Whatever this bird is, it may be a juvenile or a young female. I did see flashes of brown on the bird, mostly on it's back but apart from that it looked mostly several tones of grey coloured.<br />
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This bird seemed to be about 1/2 to 2 times as large as a House Sparrow. I never saw it fly nor did I hear it make a sound. It hopped slowly, pausing to check the ground for insects. I only saw it on the ground until it disappeared into the large bush at the end of the video below. As you can see in the video the bird spent most of it's time in the shadowy area on the lawn, making it next to impossible to identify it. I could not get a photo of this bird, as by the time I finished video recording it the bird was not spotted again and was well hidden in a bush's undergrowth.<br />
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<br /><strong><span style="color: red;">Footnote - 31 OCTOBER 2012:</span></strong> Having thought about this bird, and birds in general for some time now, I believe this particular bird is a juvenile Grey Shrike-thrush. Juvenile birds that leave home do not usually hang around the same area as where their parents are. This explains why I only ever saw one of this species initially. This also explains another sighting of a bird which I thought might have been a Jacky Winter. Grey Shrike-thrush juveniles start out being two toned grey in colour and then develop the brown colourations as they begin to mature. Being a juvenile would actually explain this bird's size and behaviour. MYSTERY SOLVED!Shirley E Hardyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06693223246748297158noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6431980151134286335.post-62634511934094948732012-08-19T15:07:00.001+10:002012-08-19T15:10:38.635+10:00Double-barred Finch Taeniopygia bichenovii<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-3cwQnX83_OY/UC9ZA_3haEI/AAAAAAAAIpI/V2A0nyJMomQ/s1600/DSC02028.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" mda="true" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-3cwQnX83_OY/UC9ZA_3haEI/AAAAAAAAIpI/V2A0nyJMomQ/s400/DSC02028.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">At first I thought the bird in the center was a female Red-browed Finch as it was in the same flock as the Red-browed Finches I took photos and videos of yesterday, but enlarging the picture above reveals a completely different bird. It has a distinctive dark bar under it's throat. Red-browed Finches don't have that feature at all. I've also read that male and female Red-browed Finches look similiar to each other. So what are these other birds in the photo? </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I have finally identified the bird in the center (to the best of my ability and I'm almost 100% certain of it) as being a Double-barred Finch, along with the bird at the very back to be a juvenile Double-barred Finch. The juvenile is hard to see in the photo as it just looks like a bluish olive coloured smudge of colour. The rest of the birds in this photo are definitely Red-browed Finches.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Going on the colour formation of the closest Double-barred Finch to the camera lense, I am guessing it is a young bird, perhaps almost an adult but older than a juvenile. It is not fully grown and may not be breeding yet. Either way it is a wonderful discovery!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I have to confess that I have seen these Double-barred Finches before but I don't know where. Their appearance is distinctively eerie, especially when they lift their heads up and look straight at you. It's like looking at a tiny blue-faced owl - even though no such creature exists. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Why Double-barred Finches would flock with Red-browed Finches is a mystery. Perhaps there is safety in numbers? I have no idea exactly how many Double-barred Finches I saw yesterday but going on the fact there was about 30-50 Finches in the entire flock, it is possible there could have been either one quarter to one third of them being Double-barred Finches.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Hopefully I can get better photos and/or close up videos of these birds before they disappear. The flock in which I have seen them in have been visiting my neighbour, Carol's garden for some time now - perhaps a month or two. I do not know how long they have been in Tenterfield, as the flock of Finches are not easy to photograph or video tape, as they are constantly moving. Sometimes you can hear the flock but cannot see them. Other times you can hear them and momentarily see them before they all fly away. The flock rarely keeps still - as a whole. Unfortunately I do not have a big enough zoom on my digital camera to get a close up photo of the birds.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">For more info on this species <a href="http://www.birdsinbackyards.net/species/Taeniopygia-bichenovii" target="_blank"><span style="color: red;">click here</span></a>.</div>Shirley E Hardyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06693223246748297158noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6431980151134286335.post-66741165351822880102012-08-18T22:24:00.002+10:002012-10-02T15:30:49.068+10:00Red-browed Finch Neochmia temporalis<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-3cwQnX83_OY/UC9ZA_3haEI/AAAAAAAAIpI/V2A0nyJMomQ/s1600/DSC02028.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-3cwQnX83_OY/UC9ZA_3haEI/AAAAAAAAIpI/V2A0nyJMomQ/s1600/DSC02028.JPG" width="500" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">In this picture there are 6 Red-browed Finches. The very top one looks like a juvenile; 3 of them look like males; one I can't identify as it is in the shade; and one (center - the left bird in the row of 3 birds) looks like it could be a female.</td></tr>
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I went to visit my neighbour, Carol, today to help her with some gardening. It was sunny but there was an icy cold wind blowing. To my surprise there were about 30 - 50 tiny little birds on her front verandah steps as I turned the corner into her front yard. The little birds flew into the trees. I started video recording them when they flew back to the ground but Carol's dog barked until he realised it was me and scared them back to the trees. I was too far away from the little birds to get a good video of them. I needed to get closer to them but couldn't right that moment. So I went inside following Carol's dog instead. <br />
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Anyway, after a while I went back outside and tried taking some photos of the little birds. I zoomed into the max but I still couldn't make out what bird species they were, until I got home after dark and uploaded the pics to my pc. <br />
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These little birds are called Red-browed Finches. In close proximity to these birds they are about the same size as a Weebill, which is pretty small. As these birds were so small it was very hard to identify them. They moved very quickly, hopping here and there and kept flying into the bare trees. It was challenging to get a decent video or photo of them to say the least.<br />
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Below are the two videos I recorded of these birds before they eventually got chased away by the Willy Wagtail (see 2nd video).<br />
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<br />Shirley E Hardyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06693223246748297158noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6431980151134286335.post-54628692788364372932012-08-18T00:14:00.001+10:002012-10-02T15:32:11.346+10:00Magpie Lark Grallina cyanoleucaMagpie Larks are reasonably common in Tenterfield, often sighted in pairs or by themselves. The most commonly sighted gender is the male although females will be seen during breeding season. <br />
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Whilst down by the Tenterfield Creek recently I spotted this Magpie Lark (see video below) doing doughnuts in the water. I laughed. I had to view the video recording to see what it actually was doing, which was stirring up the water's bottom for insects.<br />
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Shirley E Hardyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06693223246748297158noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6431980151134286335.post-13845029548438493882012-08-17T22:19:00.002+10:002012-10-02T15:59:06.770+10:00Rainbow Lorikeet Trichoglossus haematodusAll of the Rainbow Lorikeets moved out of Tenterfield about 6 years ago due to the drought worsening. These birds are a very aggressive species and do not share food with any other bird species. They will chase away any bird that wants the same food as it is eating. <br />
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Whilst at my neighbour Carol's place two Rainbow Lorikeets showed up and aggressively took over the bird feeder. In Video 2, the local Satin Bowerbird took an aggressive disliking to them and tried unsuccessfully to chase them away. Video 1 and 2 were taken about 3/4 an hour apart on the 14th August 2012, around 5pm. These videos may be the only recent video recordings of the now non-existent Rainbow Lorikeets of Tenterfield. <br />
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<strong>Video 2</strong><br />
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<strong>Video 1</strong><br />
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Footnote: 20 August 2012 - This pair of Rainbow Lorikeets have only been sighted once since these videos were taken. They have not returned since. I am guessing they were just passing through and were having a rest for a few days before they moved on again.<br />
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UPDATE: 2 OCTOBER 2012 - This pair of Rainbow Lorikeets tend to disappear for about 3-4 days then come back again. These two individual birds are the only Rainbow Lorikeets I have thus far seen in Tenterfield. Both appear to be adult birds and possibly a breeding pair.Shirley E Hardyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06693223246748297158noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6431980151134286335.post-52112930761142808212012-08-17T16:27:00.001+10:002012-09-29T16:43:39.030+10:00Torresian Crow Corvus orru<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-4_oQq8DSH4k/TyUPBGtQthI/AAAAAAAAEmA/WP2x4yMk2ko/s1600/DSC00323.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="179" mda="true" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-4_oQq8DSH4k/TyUPBGtQthI/AAAAAAAAEmA/WP2x4yMk2ko/s320/DSC00323.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A Torresian Crow on my front lawn.</td></tr>
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In Tenterfield there appears to be only one family of Torresian Crows numbering about 15 individuals in total as of December 2011 to February 2012. These birds do not breed in large numbers, and only appear to have one hatchling every few years. <br />
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Some of their offspring have been deformed but that is possibly due to interbreeding. One of the local Torresian Crows has developed a human like cough but apart from that appears to be healthy.<br />
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The local Torresian Crows are mostly carnivors but will eat fruit, nuts and any human food left out. They are spotted frequently raiding rubbish bins for food, if the rubbish bins are not sealed properly on a Tuesday and Thursday morning. They also seem to enjoy playing and/or ripping up junk mail and newspapers that are delivered here in town. <br />
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The Torresian Crows of Tenterfield can be spotted just about everywhere in Tenterfield, including Rouse Street. They have been spotted sitting on the actual street light posts at the intersection of Manners and Rouse Streets, amongst other areas in town. They are also known to follow certain humans into town and back again, if that human walks into town from their home to do grocery shopping. That has happened to me more than once.<br />
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These birds are ruthless at getting food, especially human food. They are not well liked in Tenterfield by humans and are considered to be a nuisance. If any humans feed the bird life in Tenterfield, the Torresian Crows will always show up hoping to snatch food from the other birds. There is very little that these crows don't eat. If there is an excess of human food available, especially in Summer, Torresian Crows in Tenterfield have the habit of burying food nearby. This behaviour has been observed on many ocassions several years ago. However, the Torresian Crows seem to forget where they buried their food. <br />
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The local birds are intelligent but very slow learners. They respond to humans pointing at food - this I believe is a learned behaviour - and their reactions are quick and precise. <br />
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However, one behaviour of the Torresian Crows I have noticed over the years is if human food is available, and there are Australian Magpies also at the scene, the Torresian Crows will attack the Australian Magpies by pecking at their backs to scare them away from the food.<br />
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Shirley E Hardyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06693223246748297158noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6431980151134286335.post-56019705093785597042012-08-17T15:32:00.000+10:002013-01-19T18:07:14.050+11:00Australian King Parrot Alisterus scapularis<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-xhh4eGjMWOE/TyUNcGphvDI/AAAAAAAAEl4/HeUcYRYwMZ0/s1600/DSC00397.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="179" mda="true" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-xhh4eGjMWOE/TyUNcGphvDI/AAAAAAAAEl4/HeUcYRYwMZ0/s320/DSC00397.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A local solitary male Australian King Parrot.<br />
© Photo taken by Daniel C. Hardy<br />
about 2008 - 2010.</td></tr>
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There are a small flock of Australian King Parrots that I believe live in Tenterfield. They are sighted daily feeding in my neighbour Carol's garden at the bird feeder. I am not sure if any of the birds in the video below are breeding pairs. <br />
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There used to be large numbers of King Parrots in Tenterfield some 8 years ago but then the rain stopped falling and the environment began to dry out and most of them left. A few years ago some of the King Parrots returned despite the ongoing drought and have since stayed in Tenterfield.<br />
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The males are predominantly red and green with a red head whereas the females are green and red. The females are slightly smaller than the males and are more shy and more easily scared off if approached by a human. Australian King Parrots are about 41 - 43cms in length and are one of the bird species consistently spotted in Tenterfield, especially seen in the late afternoon prior to roosting in tall trees.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-B67cjBhSD6U/UC3SAsy1EBI/AAAAAAAAIng/hhU0x-y3xos/s1600/0811101649-02.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" mda="true" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-B67cjBhSD6U/UC3SAsy1EBI/AAAAAAAAIng/hhU0x-y3xos/s320/0811101649-02.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Rotunda at Jubilee Park</td></tr>
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You often see these birds at Jubilee Park feeding on tree seeds that have fallen to the ground in Summer. You can safely get 12 feet from the male Australian King Parrots without them flying off at Jubilee Park. If these birds are spotted at bird feeders, you can safely get 6 feet from these birds, only if you walk slowly toward them. Some of the local male King Parrots do not seem to mind humans taking photos of them, and seem to pose for the camera. King Parrots seem to enjoy the company of humans, especially solitary ones who don't have a mate yet. Males of this species are more commonly sighted than females due to a lack of large numbers of breeding pairs in the area.<br />
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Shirley E Hardyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06693223246748297158noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6431980151134286335.post-67264733930655839722012-08-13T13:37:00.002+10:002012-10-02T15:42:35.107+10:00Pied Currawong Strepera graculina<div style="text-align: left;">
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-BUjiOWhgl1c/UCtCktm21ZI/AAAAAAAAInQ/3ZxykXR7u0Y/s1600/DSC01902.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" mda="true" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-BUjiOWhgl1c/UCtCktm21ZI/AAAAAAAAInQ/3ZxykXR7u0Y/s320/DSC01902.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pied Currawong from the video below.</td></tr>
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Pied Currawongs used to live in Tenterfield in large numbers until the drought came. Now only a small handful of them live here. At first, all Pied Currawongs disappeared from the South-west area of Tenterfield and the township as a whole but a small family group returned and appears to have stayed in the south-west corner of town. This individual (see photo) is one of those birds that has stayed.<br />
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I really don't know all that much about Pied Currawongs except that they eat meat and seem to love eating nuts but they don't like apples. Often they will swallow food whole but have been observed breaking food up into smaller pieces like the Australian Magpies do.<br />
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Pied Currawongs are the type of birds that will follow other birds around, especially Australian Magpies, if they know these other birds will be fed by humans. Pied Currawongs appear to always be hungry. <br />
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Pied Currawongs live in small to large family groups and are always seen together or in smaller family groups. This Pied Currawong seems to be a lone member, perhaps a young single male, of the bigger family group here in Tenterfield. <br />
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The Pied Currawong is the very first bird you see in this video. I was mostly focusing on the Satin Bowerbird as it is rare to get videos of them here in Tenterfield for such a long period of time. I was blessed with recording the Pied Currawong's call at the same time as recording the Satin Bowerbird. The Satin Bowerbird in this video may possibly be a juvenile male as when I took photos of the bird it's eye colouring was blue in several shots. Other birds in this video are adult and juvenile Australian Magpies and you hear a Torresian Crow calling right at the very end of this video.Shirley E Hardyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06693223246748297158noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6431980151134286335.post-39130576349296917302012-08-06T15:23:00.000+10:002012-10-02T15:42:07.701+10:00A female Red Wattlebird?<center>
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This bird was spotted in my neighbour's backyard within minutes of spotting the first Red Wattlebird a few days ago. However, this bird is slightly longer than the bird I have identified as a Red Wattlebird. The grey coloured Wattlebird made no sounds during my sighting of it and I've only ever seen one of this bird at any given sighting. <br />
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Whilst doing an Google image search for Red Wattlebirds, there are plain looking grey coloured Red Wattlebirds that do not appear to have a noticable yellow belly. However, I need to get a better closeup of this particular bird so I can identify it more accurately.Shirley E Hardyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06693223246748297158noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6431980151134286335.post-525307514688885242012-08-05T17:50:00.000+10:002012-10-02T15:41:05.495+10:00Red Wattlebird Anthochaera carunculata<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Red Wattlebird call<br />
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Yesterday I was surprised to see this bird again. It took me a while to identify the bird but in the videos I have of this bird I believe it to be a Red Wattlebird.<br />
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The video below was taken around 4:45pm close to sunset. There were many birds in my neighbour's back yard, this bird being one of them. To identify the Red Wattlebird's call from all the other bird calls in this video, listen for the loudest yet shortest calls. The bird spends most of its time preening itself in the video then getting annoyed, perhaps, by the Eastern Rosellas.<br />
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Shirley E Hardyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06693223246748297158noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6431980151134286335.post-80302046462753133672012-08-04T02:25:00.000+10:002012-10-02T15:40:19.499+10:00Restless Flycatcher Myiagra inquieta<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
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Whilst visiting a neighbour one day last month, my daughter, my neighbour and I were standing near a tree. There were a few birds in the bushes by the Tenterfield creek but not in our immediate area. Then suddenly this bird flew into the tree and started singing and then flittering around whilst catching insects from the ground. <br />
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At first I thought this bird was a Willy Wagtail but looking closer at it, the bird was slightly bigger, longer, wider and slightly fatter than a Willy Wagtail. It actually looks like a Willy Wagtail on growth steroids at first glance.<br />
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I've actually been confused about this bird, as I have heard it's call before but had never seen it up close. I have a few videos of it's calls near my place but the audio is a bit disappointing. When it really starts singing it sounds like a Whipper Snipper machine. <br />
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When this video was taken I saw a second Restless Flycatcher, which was identical looking to this bird just smaller in size and was not getting as close to us humans as this bird did in the video.<br />
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Shirley E Hardyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06693223246748297158noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6431980151134286335.post-13004689239415130332012-08-03T14:06:00.000+10:002012-10-31T14:10:00.026+11:00Unidentified bird call recorded on 3 August 2012The bird in question in this video is probably of a local bird whose song I am not familiar with just yet. This call sounds like the call of a Superb Fairy Wren or of the Willy Wagtail. Unfortunately, I recorded this audio using my mobile phone - meaning the sound is not a true representation of what the bird's call is like in real life.<br />
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Shirley E Hardyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06693223246748297158noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6431980151134286335.post-54110379094155060242012-07-21T14:26:00.000+10:002012-10-31T14:57:11.314+11:00AUDIO - A little bird calling on 21 July 2012Today I heard a little bird calling. I heard it from my bedroom window. The audio is in poor quality as it was recorded on my mobile phone. You can hear my pedastool fan going in this video as well as a Torresian Crow.<br />
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Shirley E Hardyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06693223246748297158noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6431980151134286335.post-4516378937181964982012-07-20T15:22:00.000+10:002012-10-31T15:25:51.714+11:00Another unknown bird call - 20 July 2012I recorded this bird singing but the audio is of very poor quality. I only had a mobile phone to use and the sound is not a true audio recording of the bird's actual voice. <br />
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Shirley E Hardyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06693223246748297158noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6431980151134286335.post-59771129348929431562012-07-01T18:45:00.001+10:002013-06-27T11:12:27.697+10:00Photos - Superb Fairy WrenClick to enlarge the photo.<br />
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Shirley E Hardyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06693223246748297158noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6431980151134286335.post-33204733455534089022012-07-01T11:38:00.002+10:002013-06-29T18:59:21.114+10:00Photos - Australian Magpie 3Click an image to enlarge a photo!
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</span>Shirley E Hardyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06693223246748297158noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6431980151134286335.post-40644316307655322172012-07-01T11:38:00.001+10:002013-06-29T18:59:53.297+10:00Photos - Australian Magpie 2Click an image to enlarge a photo!
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</span>Shirley E Hardyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06693223246748297158noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6431980151134286335.post-87306319085566175622012-07-01T11:38:00.000+10:002013-06-29T19:00:25.800+10:00Photos - Australian MagpieClick an image to enlarge a photo!
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Shirley E Hardyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06693223246748297158noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6431980151134286335.post-19376785662647413872012-07-01T11:22:00.000+10:002012-12-18T12:05:49.859+11:00Photos - Red-rumped Parrot<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Shirley E Hardyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06693223246748297158noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6431980151134286335.post-27661719262812108762012-07-01T08:20:00.029+10:002012-08-30T09:01:45.051+10:00Photos - Double-barred FinchNewest photos of Double-barred Finches here in Tenterfield. The following photos were taken at my neighbour Carol's place unless otherwise stated.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://img641.imageshack.us/img641/5922/dsc02392qr.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 15px; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" fea="true" height="170" src="http://img641.imageshack.us/img641/5922/dsc02392qr.jpg" width="250" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo taken 29 August 2012 Image 1</td></tr>
</tbody></table><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 0px; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://img62.imageshack.us/img62/737/dsc02393l.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" fea="true" height="170" src="http://img62.imageshack.us/img62/737/dsc02393l.jpg" width="250" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo taken 29 August 2012 Image 2</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://img853.imageshack.us/img853/3074/dsc02394sp.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 15px; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" fea="true" height="170" src="http://img853.imageshack.us/img853/3074/dsc02394sp.jpg" width="250" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo taken 29 August 2012 Image 3</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Shirley E Hardyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06693223246748297158noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6431980151134286335.post-22464102079811317012012-06-25T15:28:00.000+10:002012-10-31T15:35:51.546+11:00Why is it every time I go outside birds want food? 25 June 2012I just came back inside from out the front when all these birds showed up. They were expecting to get food from me but I never gave them any. They all eventually left after a few minutes. The bird species that showed up are Australian Magpies, Pied Currawongs, a Satin Bowerbird and Torresian Crows. This is typical of what birds do whenever I go out the front of my place. I barely can garden in peace or just sit out the front without birds wanting food from me. It is quite annoying most of the time.<br />
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Shirley E Hardyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06693223246748297158noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6431980151134286335.post-48869618855017566902012-06-22T16:45:00.000+10:002012-10-02T15:36:08.868+10:00Australian Magpie Gymnorhina tibicen<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-1htA28ZWFaA/TyUPcrSp2lI/AAAAAAAAEmI/stBqlvZDcEc/s1600/DSC00328.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="179" rca="true" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-1htA28ZWFaA/TyUPcrSp2lI/AAAAAAAAEmI/stBqlvZDcEc/s320/DSC00328.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Adult male Australian Magpie - local bird</td></tr>
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Australian Magpies are common throughout Tenterfield and are reknown for swooping anything that comes near the nest in the breeding season. Each pair of Australian Magpie mates for life, and generally have 1-2 offspring per year. If an adult breeding Magpie dies or disappears from the area, the remaining Magpie will generally find another mate within 1-2 years, usually around when the breeding season begins. They mate in late Winter to early spring, depending upon whether winter has been warm enough. Their mating season generally begins from September to October.<br />
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<br />
Here is a video taken on 21 June 2012 of a local juvenile trying to bond with me. It wanted food but I never fed it. This juvenile was born last Spring (2011) and by 2013 it will be gone. <br />
<br />
All juvenile Magpies are allowed to stay within the family unit for 2 years then they are chased off by the parents, mostly by the father. <br />
<br />
Many interesting things have been observed within the Australian Magpie species here in Tenterfield. Some family units have a hard time feeding, and as a result can be spotted feeding well after dark. Other interesting things include mimicking sounds of various animals, including horses, ducks, other birds and humans. Only the females seem to do this but I'm not sure on how widespread this phenomenon is across Tenterfield.Shirley E Hardyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06693223246748297158noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6431980151134286335.post-45160258460380012282012-06-11T01:28:00.000+10:002012-09-29T16:46:09.362+10:00The Australian White Ibis who only wants bread<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-nVV64XOyTbg/T9R5keYCNZI/AAAAAAAAHiM/479p9D85V-s/s1600/Photo0155.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" fba="true" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-nVV64XOyTbg/T9R5keYCNZI/AAAAAAAAHiM/479p9D85V-s/s320/Photo0155.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Taken: Thursday, 10 May 2012, 3:29:48 PM</td></tr>
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<br />
This little fellow frequently visits the front lawn area looking for food scraps during the autumn and winter months, specifically looking for bread. It never finds any though. I often have to slowly scare it back across the road in fear it will get hit by passing cars and to generally keep it away from people. Over time it has become an opportunistic feeder but the bird adapts and learns quickly in my presence and moves on quickly when no human food is given to it.<br />
<br />
The Australian White Ibis has to be my favourite Tenterfield bird. It is a very smart but cheeky bird, and is quick on it's feet when getting food. It is usually seen alone during parts of the year. Around Winter/Spring it will be seen with it's mate as breeding season approaches. Mind you, I've yet to see babies of this bird species in Tenterfield although obvious mating pairs are formed each year. <br />
<br />
This particular bird in the photo is a male and I have seen him for several years here, as he is the only Australian White Ibis who seeks food from me. He has brought with him, once or twice, his mate and another Australian White Ibis with him. That has since stopped.Shirley E Hardyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06693223246748297158noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6431980151134286335.post-42540668497524290772012-06-10T18:25:00.002+10:002012-10-02T15:35:11.511+10:00Masked Owl passing through Tenterfield May 2012<center>
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<br />
An amusing but cold May night came the presence of a noctural bird to my part of Tenterfield. It was heard for the best part of a month every night between the hours of 10:30PM to 1AM. The owl seemed to fly in from the north, settled into a tree, screeched for about 5-15 minutes, then moved on heading south further.<br />
<br />
My brother first alerted me to this bird's call as he did not recognise the sound. It was heard around midnight this particular night. It was quite amusing listening to the bird as it screeched and it's voice echoed across Tenterfield. Many dogs across Tenterfield were barking because of this owl.<br />
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I taped the incident on my mobile phone but the sound quality is really poor. My apologies for that and all the talking at the end of the video. You can faintly hear the Masked Owl screech amongst the background noise of barking dogs. <br />
<br />
I'm hoping to get a better quality recording of this owl next time I hear it in my area.<br />
<br />
The only other recording I have of a Masked Owl is this one:<br />
<br />
<a href="http://youtu.be/MApXOyTxFZo">Masked Owl in Tenterfield again - 25 July 2012</a>Shirley E Hardyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06693223246748297158noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6431980151134286335.post-25212579236868163312012-04-25T04:21:00.012+10:002012-08-06T23:42:02.335+10:00Blown off course<div style="text-align: center;"><strong><u>Tropical bird drops into Tenterfield pool 25 Apr, 2012 04:21 AM</u></strong></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-VnoGDITwfB8/UB_INFIU8NI/AAAAAAAAITs/pvfwxEA1McY/s1600/1841166.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" eda="true" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-VnoGDITwfB8/UB_INFIU8NI/AAAAAAAAITs/pvfwxEA1McY/s1600/1841166.jpg" /></a></div>It may be getter cooler, but Tenterfield is still attracting some tropical visitors. <br />
<br />
Last week, an endangered red-tailed tropic bird usually found on Lord Howe Island made a landing at the Tenterfield Memorial Baths to the surprise of the local manager. <br />
<br />
“I arrived at the pool in the morning and I saw this bird sitting on the grass, it was a pretty big shock,” Jeff Moss said. <br />
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“It is not something you expect to see in Tenterfield.” <br />
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Mr Moss said he called the National Parks and Wildlife office in Tenterfield who got in touch with the Australian Seabird Rescue (ASR) in Ballina who have been looking after the bird for nearly a week.<br />
<br />
“He is doing pretty well and eating fairly steadily now,” ASR manager Keith Williams said.<br />
<br />
“We usually see one or two of these birds a year but I think Tenterfield is about as far inland as they’ve ever come. I don’t think we’ve had one from quite that far away before.<br />
<br />
“He probably got caught right in the middle of the strong north-easters we had earlier… and was taken a bit off course.”<br />
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The bird (pictured) is believed to be between 18 months to two years old. <br />
<br />
Mr Williams said the adult birds have a very distinct long red tail and have a large breeding colony on Lord Howe Island. <br />
<br />
“As a true seabird he doesn’t work that well on land so the poor guy would have been a bit shaky on the land,” he said.<br />
<br />
“He’s obviously tried to stay near the water though, and I reckon the pool is probably the closest you’re going to get in Tenterfield.”<br />
<br />
The bird has been kept under observation at the ASR’s office in Ballina and Mr Williams said he and his team would wait for a slight south-easterly wind before the bird was released. <br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: left;">Source: <a href="http://www.tenterfieldstar.com.au/news/local/news/general/tropical-bird-drops-into-tenterfield-pool/2532919.aspx"><span style="color: blue;">http://www.tenterfieldstar.com.au/news/local/news/general/tropical-bird-drops-into-tenterfield-pool/2532919.aspx</span></a></div>Shirley E Hardyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06693223246748297158noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6431980151134286335.post-6547611921457728692012-04-04T21:21:00.132+10:002012-09-23T16:31:10.571+10:00Eastern Rosella mimicry calls have begun<b>Calls - Listen</b> <br />
Please check the Videos page for all videos of the Eastern Rosella's calls.<br />
<br />
<span style="color: black;">Unusual vocalisations of one lone Eastern Rosella </span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-RVHhbDEX48E/Ty9hV5MCCPI/AAAAAAAAE4g/3OQ8mwfkeMg/s1600/Eastern+Rosella.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; display: block; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-decoration: none;"><img align="left" alt="Bell Miner" height="150" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-RVHhbDEX48E/Ty9hV5MCCPI/AAAAAAAAE4g/3OQ8mwfkeMg/s200/Eastern+Rosella.jpg" style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="Bell Miner" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Eastern Rosella</td></tr>
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has tricked me into believing there were Bell Miners <br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-qFOX7-hlGjE/T3hCy3pjrAI/AAAAAAAAGGw/ffVPTj-bl1w/s1600/bell+miner.jpg" style="cssfloat: right; display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-decoration: none;"><img align="right" alt="Pacific Koel" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-qFOX7-hlGjE/T3hCy3pjrAI/AAAAAAAAGGw/ffVPTj-bl1w/s320/bell+miner.jpg" style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="Pacific Koel" width="220" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bell Miner</td></tr>
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here in Tenterfield. But that is not the case. After a bit of time I discovered the true maker of these Bell Miner calls...... <br />
<br />
It all began around the 16-22nd January 2012 when I began hearing the calls of Bell Miners here in Tenterfield. There were 1-2 calls in the beginning. The closest population of Bell Miners (that I'm aware of) to the Tenterfield area is about 45 minutes drive east of here, just passed Drake, in the Great Dividing Ranges rainforest area. It took me a while to figure out that Bell Miners were not in the area, nor had they moved into Tenterfield but at first I thought they had. <br />
<br />
<u>The Local birds - Bell Miner mimicry calls video</u> clearly shows an Eastern Rosella practising it's mimicry sounds of a Bell Miner with other Eastern Rosellas present even though no actual birds can be seen in this video, not clearly anyway. I was actually on my way to Bi-Lo when walking passed the back of ST. Joseph's Catholic Primary School I heard these rosellas calling out to each other. So I started filming and surprisingly got more than I bargained for, with the bird's full range of vocalisation that I could not actually hear myself. You can clearly hear the rosella starting its mimicry sounds with a few other rosellas not doing it.<br />
<br />
The confusing part to all of this was hearing the sounds of more than one Bell Miner calls in Tenterfield before and after this video was taken. Tenterfield sits in a sort of bowl shaped formation with hills on 3/4 of its sides (it reminds me of a crater actually), and is lower than the surrounding areas. Sounds travel across town VERY EASILY and quickly, and in many directions. You can always hear the echoes of just about anything in town coming back at you from just about any direction during the day and night, if you are in the right location to hear it. This is what I was hearing - one bird's calls but many echoes.<br />
<br />
Why this mimicry call is happening I do not know, as I have never known Eastern Rosellas in Tenterfield to make mimicry sounds of other birds or animals. This particular call only occurs late in the afternoon from about 4pm onwards and it is not heard for any longer than one hour. Before and after those calls are heard you just hear the normal sounds of the Eastern Rosella.<br />
<br />
Maybe something unusual is happening here in Tenterfield, or maybe the birds are evolving or maybe the birds are just bored senseless. It could be a mating vocalisation thing, as a few other birds in Tenterfield also display various vocalisation mimicry sounds. The female Australian Magpie for one! The Bell Miner mimicry sounds stopped sometime in mid to late May 2012, which tells me it may be a mating call variation of it's normal mating call.<br />
<br />
These pretty Rosellas are normally very hard to photograph as they are elusive and hide themselves very well in long grass, even on the sides of the road. Only if you walk passed where they are do they suddenly take to the air scaring the pants off of you with all their sudden screeching and wing flapping. <br />
<br />
I have seen Eastern Rosellas on Miles, Francis, Douglas, and Manners Streets, as well as other streets in Tenterfield. They seem to like places with few houses on them and areas where there is dense to semi-dense cover for them to hide in. They often frequent areas close to the Tenterfield Creek, which is where I have mostly spotted them in town. They generally are not seen in Rouse Street but can be observed on ocassion in Bruxner Park feeding in the tall trees there. They do not generally feed on the ground anywhere where humans are present. If disturbed they usually flee to tall trees, fences, or power lines if a human is too close for comfort.<br />
<br />
They are aggressive birds and will not share food with different rosellas species or parrots. When competing for food Eastern Rosellas always win when fighting other rosellas and parrots. In the past I have seen Eastern Rosellas fight off King Parrots as food competitors.<br />
<br />
I have also observed Eastern Rosellas roosting in large Poplar trees throughout Tenterfield when the trees have not lost their leaves. The taller the Poplar tree the better, the birds reckon. They roost about 3/4 the way up the tree in a family group (small flock). They are quite noisy prior to falling asleep, often resettling on a new branch or ten whilst making a bit of vocalisations to each other. Sometimes you can almost hear them making a sound similiar to a sigh or a snore before they fall asleep. It is quite funny. Eastern Rosellas are easily startled prior to falling asleep. If startled they will go to higher branches within the Poplar tree and will settle down again after a few minutes.<br />
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Eastern Rosellas seem to stay in the area despite other bird species migrating elsewhere due to a lack of food. They exist in very small numbers in Tenterfield.<br />
<br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><strong>REPOSTED AND RE-EDITED ON 10TH JUNE 2012</strong></span>Shirley E Hardyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06693223246748297158noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6431980151134286335.post-85371276091558883482012-04-01T16:36:00.006+10:002012-09-29T16:46:44.685+10:00Pacific Koels in Tenterfield<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="background: #f4f7d4; border-bottom: #ccc 1px solid; border-left: #ccc 1px solid; border-right: #ccc 1px solid; border-top: #ccc 1px solid; margin: 0px 0px 10px; width: 100%;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="color: black; font-family: verdana; font-size: 11px; padding-bottom: 5px; padding-left: 10px; padding-right: 10px; padding-top: 5px;"><br />
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<tr style="background-color: silver; color: black; text-align: center; width: 100%;"><td>Mistaken identity</td></tr>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-Gnz2Qo3gELc/T3fdHqZjkDI/AAAAAAAAGGo/7F-sF111vIg/s252/Pacific%2520Koel%2520male.jpg" style="display: block; text-decoration: none;"><img align="right" alt="Pacific Koel" height="168" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-Gnz2Qo3gELc/T3fdHqZjkDI/AAAAAAAAGGo/7F-sF111vIg/s252/Pacific%2520Koel%2520male.jpg" style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="Pacific Koel" width="140" /></a><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-0AutPSSncrk/Ty8NarHRyWI/AAAAAAAAExo/KkSN1k-uZsg/s1600/Eastern+Koel+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="display: block; text-decoration: none;"><img align="right" alt="Eastern Koel" height="168" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-0AutPSSncrk/Ty8NarHRyWI/AAAAAAAAExo/KkSN1k-uZsg/s320/Eastern+Koel+1.jpg" style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="Eastern Koel" width="140" /></a></td></tr>
<tr style="background-color: white; font-size: 10px; text-align: center;"><td>This bird (left image) has been mistaken for this <br />
bird (right image) here in Tenterfield. I have not<br />
seen any birds that look like the bird on the left <br />
here in Tenterfield. I have seen one bird that <br />
looks like the bird on the right though.</td></tr>
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</td></tr>
<tr><td style="border-top: #ccc 1px solid; font-family: verdana; font-size: 11px; padding-bottom: 5px; padding-left: 10px; padding-right: 10px; padding-top: 5px; text-align: left;"><b>Calls - Listen</b> <br />
The male Common Koel advertises its presence by a loud ascending whistle or 'koo-el', monotonously repeated; the call of the female is a repetitive 'keek-keek-keek-keek'. Males often call throughout the day and well into the night.</td></tr>
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<br />
I have only seen one Pacific Koel (a male) up close when it happened to be raining earlier this year, and it was about 20-25cms in length. It was thin looking. The bird was about 20 feet from where I stood on the side rafter of the open car garage. It had more of a broad body look with short but wide tail feathers rather than long tail feathers like that of an Eastern Koel and had the deepest of red eyes. It looked and sounded like an Eastern Koel but shorter and stockier than what it was supposed to be recognised as for that particular species. Not being able to get a photo of it I can only guess but I found an image on the Internet that shows the bird I saw. It appears to be, perhaps, a subspecies of the Eastern Koel, or something like that. It also had the noticable red eyes and black plumage but it was more jet-midnight black in colour (like the male Satin Bowerbird or the Torresian Crow), but apart from that it was hard to recognize as it was drenched from the rain and it's feathers were not all entirely in their proper places. So I could not actually determine if it had a coloured tinge to it's feathers or not. When it was raining the Koel was regularly but infrequently calling out to other birds.<br />
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As these birds are rarely seen in Tenterfield, and I was fortunate enough to see one up close, I can say that these birds don't look like your typical Eastern Koels which are supposed to exist in town. <br />
<br />
All individual specimens of these Pacific Koel birds in the south-western section of Tenterfield appear to be of the male gender. I have heard at least 3-4 males over the summer period in the area but one male seems to have moved permanently into the area roosting in a nearby pine or gum tree at my neighbour's house. <br />
<br />
In some instances these Koels do move on to other areas if there are no females to mate with in Tenterfield. <br />
<br />
The Tenterfield Pacific Koel population is very small, consisting of at least one permanent male plus a few neighbouring males in the south-west corner of the township, or I am hearing an echo of that same bird coming from many directions at once which is also time lagged.<br />
<br />
A few years back some Pacific Koel males did move out of Tenterfield due to the drought. There is a male Pacific Koel that has a large territory of at least 2-3 kilometers. The known local permanent resident is known to roost in nearby tall trees. It can be heard calling prior to the sun rising every morning, as well as late in the afternoon from around 5PM onwards. They seem to prefer the taller trees, specifically Eucylptus species to roost in. They mostly spend their time in the higher canopy of those tall trees. I have yet to see any bird on the ground. <br />
<br />
There are no fruit-bearing trees or shrubs of any sort in the neighbouring area that would make Koels stick around to feed on their fruit. However, during the day the males that are here are barely heard so it is more than likely they are feeding somewhere else outside their own territories. This is more than likely because they cannot tree hop, instead they have to travel great open distances to find food.<br />
<br />
There have been no known instances of Pacific Koels breeding in the south-western part of Tenterfield. I have not heard any young Pacific Koels nor seen any foster parents with a young Koel offspring.<br />
<br />
Pacific Koels do not seem to mind humans being around as long as humans don't get too close to them. These birds exhibit "no fear" of humans in the south-western part of Tenterfield. They are still relatively shy birds though. These birds are not "opportunist feeders" meaning they will not be attracted to any food you may put out for them or for other birds, not even fresh fruit.<br />
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<strong><span style="font-size: x-small;">REPOSTED & RE-EDITED ON 10TH JUNE 2012</span></strong><br />
<br />
<strong><span style="color: red; font-size: small;"><u>Updated: Saturday, 14 July 2012</u></span></strong><br />
<span style="font-size: small;">The local Pacific Koel male has not been heard in the area for several weeks. No other Pacific Koels have been heard in the area since then.</span>Shirley E Hardyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06693223246748297158noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6431980151134286335.post-68848056306983368802012-03-31T23:24:00.000+11:002012-03-31T23:24:39.558+11:00Australasian Grebe Tachybaptus novaehollandiae<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="background: #f4f7d4; border-bottom: #ccc 1px solid; border-left: #ccc 1px solid; border-right: #ccc 1px solid; border-top: #ccc 1px solid; margin: 0px 0px 10px; width: 100%;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="color: black; font-family: verdana; font-size: 11px; padding-bottom: 5px; padding-left: 10px; padding-right: 10px; padding-top: 5px;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-zj9J3_J_Qi8/Ty8NJ3AsfPI/AAAAAAAAExo/SY4DTM2jKF4/s320/Australasian+Grebe.jpg" style="display: block; text-decoration: none;"><img align="right" alt="" height="168" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-zj9J3_J_Qi8/Ty8NJ3AsfPI/AAAAAAAAExo/SY4DTM2jKF4/s320/Australasian+Grebe.jpg" style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; margin-right: 5px;" width="140" /><strong style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; color: black; text-align: right; text-decoration: underline;"></strong> </a><br />
<br />
<b>Did you know?</b><br />
Australasian Grebes eat their own feathers and then feed them to their young. This prevents the juveniles from injuring themselves when they swallow fish bones.<br />
<br />
<div style="clear: none; color: black; margin: 0px; text-decoration: none;"></div></td></tr>
<tr><td style="border-top: #ccc 1px solid; font-family: verdana; font-size: 11px; padding-bottom: 5px; padding-left: 10px; padding-right: 10px; padding-top: 5px; text-align: left;"><b>Calls - Listen</b> <br />
<a href="http://205.196.120.217/cl2uhhu967mg/eb6oww01aq7qcea/Australasian+Grebe.mp3">Australian Grebe sounds</a> <a href="http://205.196.120.217/cl2uhhu967mg/jhgd660p6a96x4x/australasian_grebe1.mp3">Trill sounds of Australasian Grebe</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table><b>Physical description of birds:</b><br />
The Australasian Grebe is a small waterbird with two distinct plumage phases. The non-breeding plumage of both the male and female is dark grey-brown above and mostly silver-grey below, with a white oval patch of bare skin at the base of the bill. During the breeding season, both sexes have a glossy-black head and a rich chestnut facial stripe which extends from just behind the eye through to the base of the neck. At this time, the eye becomes darker and the patch of skin at the base of the bill becomes pale yellow and more noticeable. When approached, Australasian Grebes usually dive under water.<br />
<br />
<strong>Distribution:</strong> <br />
In Tenterfield, the Australasian Darter is located at the Tenterfield Dam as well as at various locations along the Tenterfield Creek. Although I have not personally seen this bird species in Tenterfield itself, that does not mean it does not exist here. The Australasian Grebe is not numerous in numbers in Tenterfield. <br />
<br />
Not a commonly sighted bird in Tenterfield.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<center><strong><span style="font-size: large;"><u>General information</u></span></strong></center><br />
<strong>Habitat:</strong> <br />
The Australasian Grebe is found in freshwater marshes or small freshwater waterways, in Tenterfield (for example), it would be the Tenterfield Dam or Tenterfield Creek. It may also exist in large dams of property owners outside the immediate township of Tenterfield. The Australasian Grebe has been located and identified 70kms west of Tenterfield visiting a property dam.<br />
<br />
<strong>Feeding:</strong> <br />
Food consists mainly of small fish and water insects. Prey is normally caught during deep underwater dives, but some is taken on the surface. Like other grebes, the Australasian Grebe is often seen eating its own feathers and feeding them to its young. This behaviour is thought to help prevent injury from any sharp fish bones that are swallowed.<br />
<br />
<strong>Breeding:</strong> <br />
The Australasian Grebe may raise up to three successive broods in a season. The pale blue eggs are laid in a nest which is a floating mound of vegetation, normally anchored to a submerged branch or reed. The striped downy chicks are able to swim from birth and are cared for by both parents. When parents start breeding again, however, the young of the previous brood are driven away.<br />
<br />
<strong>Living amongst humans</strong><br />
Instead of flying away from danger these birds tend to dive underwater to get out of harms way. Australasian Grebes live within the range of up to a 1,000 metres altitude of sea level and therefore will be found in various environments in the area. <br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<center>Slideshow of Australasian Grebe images<br />
<object height="300" width="480"> <param name="flashvars" value="offsite=true&lang=en-us&page_show_url=%2Fsearch%2Fshow%2F%3Fq%3DAustralasian%2BGrebe&page_show_back_url=%2Fsearch%2F%3Fq%3DAustralasian%2BGrebe&method=flickr.photos.search&api_params_str=&api_text=Australasian+Grebe&api_tag_mode=bool&api_media=all&api_sort=relevance&jump_to=&start_index=0"></param><param name="movie" value="http://www.flickr.com/apps/slideshow/show.swf?v=109615"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><embed type="application/x-shockwave-flash" src="http://www.flickr.com/apps/slideshow/show.swf?v=109615" allowFullScreen="true" flashvars="offsite=true&lang=en-us&page_show_url=%2Fsearch%2Fshow%2F%3Fq%3DAustralasian%2BGrebe&page_show_back_url=%2Fsearch%2F%3Fq%3DAustralasian%2BGrebe&method=flickr.photos.search&api_params_str=&api_text=Australasian+Grebe&api_tag_mode=bool&api_media=all&api_sort=relevance&jump_to=&start_index=0" width="480" height="300"></embed></object></center>Shirley E Hardyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06693223246748297158noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6431980151134286335.post-55086124922854555992012-03-31T20:51:00.000+11:002012-03-31T20:51:07.513+11:00Australasian Darter Anhinga novaehollandiae<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="background: #f4f7d4; border-bottom: #ccc 1px solid; border-left: #ccc 1px solid; border-right: #ccc 1px solid; border-top: #ccc 1px solid; margin: 0px 0px 10px; width: 100%;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="color: black; font-family: verdana; font-size: 11px; padding-bottom: 5px; padding-left: 10px; padding-right: 10px; padding-top: 5px;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ms0eUI5bdM0/Ty8NESXwHmI/AAAAAAAAExo/IUPSzdPU1K4/s1600/Australasian+Darter.jpg" style="display: block; text-decoration: none;"><img align="right" alt="" height="168" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ms0eUI5bdM0/Ty8NESXwHmI/AAAAAAAAExo/IUPSzdPU1K4/s1600/Australasian+Darter.jpg" style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; margin-right: 5px;" width="140" /><strong style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; color: black; text-align: right; text-decoration: underline;"></strong> </a><br />
<br />
<b>Conservation Status</b><br />
Federal: Secure - Least Concern<br />
NSW: Secure<br />
NT: Secure<br />
QLD: Secure<br />
SA: Secure<br />
TAS: Not present<br />
VIC: Secure <br />
<div style="clear: none; color: black; margin: 0px; text-decoration: none;"></div></td></tr>
<tr><td style="border-top: #ccc 1px solid; font-family: verdana; font-size: 11px; padding-bottom: 5px; padding-left: 10px; padding-right: 10px; padding-top: 5px; text-align: left;"><b>Calls - Listen</b> <br />
This bird is usually quiet. <a href="http://205.196.120.209/5bobf1j3u48g/67z5cznwu95ex0t/Australasian+Darter+Calls+recorded+during+breeding+period.mp3">Sounds during breeding season from nest</a> <br />
<a href="http://205.196.120.251/52kn52x7ymqg/vxx8iw9tz71dmxu/Australasian+Darter+Calls+of+2+individuals.mp3">Two individuals calling</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table><b>Physical description of birds:</b><br />
The Darter is a large, slim water bird with a long snake-like neck, sharp pointed bill, and long, rounded tail. Male birds are dark brownish black with glossy black upperwings, streaked and spotted white, silver-grey and brown. The strongly kinked neck has a white or pale brown stripe from the bill to where the neck kinks and the breast is chestnut brown. Females and immature birds are grey-brown above, pale grey to white below, with a white neck stripe that is less distinct in young birds. The Darter is often seen swimming with only the snake-like neck visible above the water, or drying its wings while perched on a tree or stump over water. While its gait is clumsy on land, it can soar gracefully to great heights on wind thermal currents, gliding from updraft to updraft. It has a cross-shaped silhouette when flying.<br />
<br />
<strong>Distribution:</strong> <br />
In Tenterfield, the Australasian Darter is located at the Tenterfield Dam as well as at various locations along the Tenterfield Creek. The Darter seems to prefer locations that have trees near the water's edge as well as low lying branches close to the water. It can also be found at various dams on people's properties in the immediate area surrounding Tenterfield, on ocassions. <br />
<br />
The Australasian Darter is not numerous in numbers with sightings of less than 10 individual birds at any given time. <br />
<br />
<br />
<center><strong><span style="font-size: large;"><u>General information</u></span></strong></center><br />
<strong>Habitat:</strong> <br />
The Darter is found in wetlands and sheltered coastal waters, mainly in the Tropics and Subtropics. It prefers smooth, open waters, for feeding, with tree trunks, branches, stumps or posts fringing the water, for resting and drying its wings. Most often seen inland, around permanent and temporary water bodies at least half a metre deep, but may be seen in calm seas near shore, fishing. The Darter is not affected by salinity or murky waters, but does require waters with sparse vegetation that allow it to swim and dive easily. It builds its nests in trees standing in water, and will move to deeper waters if the waters begin to dry up.<br />
<br />
<strong>Seasonal movements:</strong> <br />
Darters can move over long distances (over 2000 km) when not breeding, but populations tend to contract to breeding areas during summer.<br />
<br />
<strong>Feeding:</strong> <br />
The Darter catches fish with its sharp bill partly open while diving in water deeper than 60 cm. The fish is pierced from underneath, flicked onto the water's surface and then swallowed head first. Smaller items are eaten underwater and large items may be carried to a convenient perch and then swallowed. Insects and other aquatic animals, including tortoises, may also be eaten, as well as some vegetable matter. In hot weather, adult birds may pour water from their bills into the gullets of their young chicks when they are still in the nest.<br />
<br />
<strong>Breeding:</strong> <br />
The Darter is usually a solitary bird, forming pairs only while breeding. Breeding is erratic, happening whenever water levels and food supplies are suitable, but most often occurs in spring and summer. Nests are usually solitary, but Darters may nest within loose colonies with other water birds that nest in trees, such as cormorants, spoonbills and ibis. The male decorates a nest-site with green leafy twigs and displays to attract a mate, with elaborate wing-waving and twig-grasping movements. The male carries most of the nest material to the nest-site, which is normally in the fork of a tree standing in water, usually about 3.5 metres above the water's surface. Both sexes complete the nest, incubate the eggs and raise the young. Chicks are kept warm by brooding continously (or cooled down by shading with spread wings) for up to a week after hatching and both adults stay in the nest with the chicks overnight. In hot weather, the adults will even shake water over the chicks after a swim. Chicks can swim after about four weeks in the nest and start to fly at about 50 days.<br />
<br />
<strong>Living amongst humans</strong><br />
Although the deep, open water bodies that Darters favour suffer less from drainage than other wetland types, Darters are still threatened by increased salinity, clearing, grazing, increased fire frequency and extraction of groundwater. Because Darters often feed on introduced fish species such as Carp and Redfin Perch, they may be adversely affected by attempts to reduce numbers of these fish species. Darters are also often casualties of duck-shooting, with birds being shot or disturbed from their nests and losing their eggs to ravens. Adults may also drown if trapped in fishing nets.<br />
<br />
<br />
<center>Slideshow of Australasian Darter images<br />
<object height="300" width="480"> <param name="flashvars" value="offsite=true&lang=en-us&page_show_url=%2Fsearch%2Fshow%2F%3Fq%3Daustralian%2Bdarter&page_show_back_url=%2Fsearch%2F%3Fq%3Daustralian%2Bdarter&method=flickr.photos.search&api_params_str=&api_text=australian+darter&api_tag_mode=bool&api_media=all&api_sort=relevance&jump_to=&start_index=0"></param><param name="movie" value="http://www.flickr.com/apps/slideshow/show.swf?v=109615"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><embed type="application/x-shockwave-flash" src="http://www.flickr.com/apps/slideshow/show.swf?v=109615" allowFullScreen="true" flashvars="offsite=true&lang=en-us&page_show_url=%2Fsearch%2Fshow%2F%3Fq%3Daustralian%2Bdarter&page_show_back_url=%2Fsearch%2F%3Fq%3Daustralian%2Bdarter&method=flickr.photos.search&api_params_str=&api_text=australian+darter&api_tag_mode=bool&api_media=all&api_sort=relevance&jump_to=&start_index=0" width="480" height="300"></embed></object></center>Shirley E Hardyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06693223246748297158noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6431980151134286335.post-68392623374401068842012-02-01T14:34:00.003+11:002012-11-07T01:28:29.573+11:00Videos - Red WattlebirdAll videos of the local Red Wattlebirds are listed here in link form except for the video on the Red Wattlebird main page.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CJLniRVh_oY"><span style="color: black;">4 Aug. 2012 - Red Wattlebird sitting in tree calling</span></a><br />
<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eLJRkDNNLsI"><span style="color: black;">7 Aug. 2012 - Red Wattlebird yet to identify as male or female</span></a><br />
<a href="http://youtu.be/Mb9ZDEiQjKg"><span style="color: black;">? August 2012 - Red Wattlebird eating</span></a><br />
<a href="http://youtu.be/7rtOmDATVTE" target="_blank"><span style="color: black;">14 Aug. 2012 - Unidentified Red Wattlebird gathering nesting material</span></a><br />
<a href="http://youtu.be/CIDuVIKkOJg"><span style="color: black;">23 August 2012 - Call begins at 0:43 seconds, 10 mins. before roosting</span></a><br />
<a href="http://youtu.be/7Ehs5gWjPh8"><span style="color: black;">6 November 2012 - Father Red Wattlebird up close waiting patiently for food</span></a> <em><span style="color: red;">- New</span></em><br />
<br />Shirley E Hardyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06693223246748297158noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6431980151134286335.post-91149237848812278342012-02-01T13:32:00.000+11:002012-11-02T13:35:32.613+11:00Annual Studies - Rainbow lorikeet sounds<a href="http://youtu.be/wqF_lHNAB1k"><span style="color: black;">6 September 2012 - I disturbed the Rainbow Lorikeets from feeding</span></a> (I'm sure they are swearing at me)Shirley E Hardyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06693223246748297158noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6431980151134286335.post-43407671146805104272012-02-01T13:21:00.000+11:002013-03-22T20:50:05.115+11:00Annual Studies - Grey Shrike-thrush soundsThe main gender of these mp3 audio files is of one particular local male Grey Shrike-thrush. He grew up in the immediate vicinity and made this area his home. It took him 3 tries before he got it right with a female. He only came into breeding age this year and had a lot to learn. He is now a father of 2 children. <br />
<br />
<center>
<object data="http://flash-mp3-player.net/medias/player_mp3_multi.swf" height="190" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="500"> <param name="movie" value="http://flash-mp3-player.net/medias/player_mp3_multi.swf" /><param name="bgcolor" value="#ffffff" /><param name="FlashVars" value="mp3=http://199.91.152.143/nd5p0y38s0xg/bht1q64btd9trmp/Grey+Shrike+thrush+says+I%5C%27m+too+close+to+its+nest+10+Oct+12.mp3|http://205.196.123.187/f5jdc8ipx8hg/c4pdmra4j7r4vfs/Grey+Shrike+thrush+singing+10+Oct+2012.mp3|http://205.196.121.145/p7fozp2bh8lg/ohwafbfpi6ekunf/Grey+Shrike+thrush+male+calling+to+attract+mate+01+Nov+2012.mp3|http://205.196.122.24/t58lp02aw9dg/jbcipcs0dc7o1yq/Grey+Shrike+thrush+sounds+01+November+2012.mp3|http://205.196.123.172/e4xgg0vp61ug/nid3vk3y3wdkgnn/Is+this+the+Grey+Shrike+thrush+calling+6+Nov+2012.mp3|http://205.196.123.205/rfkemtbyo6gg/9h1ok4dc8ppj4vn/Wolf+whistling+birds+8+Nov+2012.mp3&title=2012, 10 October - Warning me I'm too close to nest|2012, 10 October - Just singing|01 November - Male calling to attract a mate|2012, 01 November - grey Shrike-thrush sounds|2012, 06 November - A female then a male calling|2012, 08 November - Wolf Whistling communication&bgcolor1=189ca8&bgcolor2=085c68&width=500&height=190;" /></object></center>
<br />
The typical call of a Grey Shrike-thrush (male). You can usually identify this species by this typical call sound. <br />
<iframe frameborder="no" height="82" scrolling="no" src="http://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fapi.soundcloud.com%2Ftracks%2F84373244&show_artwork=true" width="100%"></iframe><br />
<br />
<strong><u>DURING THE BREEDING SEASON:</u></strong> <br />
8 October 2012 - The first phase of a male's mating call. It's call is calm but persistent. <br />
<iframe frameborder="no" height="82" scrolling="no" src="http://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fapi.soundcloud.com%2Ftracks%2F84375166&show_artwork=true" width="100%"></iframe><br />
<br />
8 October 2012 - The male successfully attracts his very first female in hope to breed with her in his chosen area. The female first calls out followed by the male. The male is the loudest bird in this audio clip.<br />
<iframe frameborder="no" height="82" scrolling="no" src="http://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fapi.soundcloud.com%2Ftracks%2F84382612&show_artwork=true" width="100%"></iframe><br />
<br />
8 October 2012 - The female goes quiet moments later so he begins calling out to her again.<br />
<iframe frameborder="no" height="82" scrolling="no" src="http://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fapi.soundcloud.com%2Ftracks%2F84383159&show_artwork=true" width="100%"></iframe><br />
<br />
9 October 2012 - The male trying to lure a female to the area of his choice. The female was interested in him but wouldn't come any closer to where he was. <br />
<iframe frameborder="no" height="82" scrolling="no" src="http://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fapi.soundcloud.com%2Ftracks%2F84376707&show_artwork=true" width="100%"></iframe><br />
<br />
9 October 2012 - Failing to keep the female's interest later that day the male begins to call out to attract another female. This time he has changed his call. <br />
<iframe frameborder="no" height="82" scrolling="no" src="http://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fapi.soundcloud.com%2Ftracks%2F84379347&show_artwork=true" width="100%"></iframe>Shirley E Hardyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06693223246748297158noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6431980151134286335.post-51433591271884462442012-02-01T00:00:00.004+11:002012-12-16T10:21:11.586+11:00Annual Studies - Eastern Spinebill sounds| In time this player will be added to. It is a matter of being in the right place at the right time with this bird species. <br />
<br />
<center>
<object data="http://flash-mp3-player.net/medias/player_mp3_multi.swf" height="100" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="500"> <param name="movie" value="http://flash-mp3-player.net/medias/player_mp3_multi.swf" /> <param name="bgcolor" value="#ffffff" /> <param name="FlashVars" value="mp3=http://205.196.121.133/mah5oa5ypbcg/a6jma8b66zh3v7v/Eastern+Spinebill+3+August+2012.mp3&title=2012, 03 August - In the Grevillea bush under my bedroom window&bgcolor1=189ca8&bgcolor2=085c68&width=500" /> </object></center>
Shirley E Hardyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06693223246748297158noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6431980151134286335.post-21043662872984412472012-02-01T00:00:00.003+11:002012-11-07T01:33:15.155+11:00Annual Studies - Torresian Crow sounds<a href="http://youtu.be/h7MGG3P2u3E">August 14, 2012 - Begging for food from me</a><br />
<a href="http://youtu.be/079uBwOi2w8">February 8, 2012 - Torresian Crow calling</a><br />
<a href="http://youtu.be/VDIxVLCoZj4">November 6, 2012 - 2 baby Torresian Crow hatchlings being fed by parent</a> <em><span style="color: red;">- New</span></em>Shirley E Hardyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06693223246748297158noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6431980151134286335.post-48600689590012130812012-02-01T00:00:00.002+11:002013-03-16T20:38:00.294+11:00Annual Studies - Superb Fairy Wren soundsHere is some of the audio recordings I have so far of the Superb Fairy Wrens.<br />
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20 August 2012 - A lone male seen landing in a bush, called out, then it flew away.<br />
<iframe frameborder="no" height="82" scrolling="no" src="http://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fapi.soundcloud.com%2Ftracks%2F83489134&show_artwork=true" width="100%"></iframe><br />
<br />
11 September 2012 - Male and female intentionally looking in my bedroom window at me. It looked like the male was getting the female to look in my bedroom window at me. The male makes the short chirps; the female makes the long trilling sounds.<br />
<iframe frameborder="no" height="82" scrolling="no" src="http://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fapi.soundcloud.com%2Ftracks%2F83473110&show_artwork=true" width="100%"></iframe><br />
<br />
2 October 2012 - Superb Fairy Wrens squabbling amongst themselves.<br />
<iframe frameborder="no" height="82" scrolling="no" src="http://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fapi.soundcloud.com%2Ftracks%2F83489604&show_artwork=true" width="100%"></iframe>Shirley E Hardyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06693223246748297158noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6431980151134286335.post-61208361483295566452012-02-01T00:00:00.001+11:002013-03-17T01:54:12.673+11:00Annual Studies - Red Wattlebird soundsThe sounds made by various generations of Red Wattlebirds.<br />
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14 August 2012 - A Red Wattlebird successfully retrieved a thread from the rug on my clothesline. It was collecting nesting material for it's nest. It made 2 calls then flew away. <iframe frameborder="no" height="82" scrolling="no" src="http://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fapi.soundcloud.com%2Ftracks%2F83492625&show_artwork=true" width="100%"></iframe><br />
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8 October 2012 - The typical call of the Red Wattlebird which can be heard throughout an entire year. This call does not change.<br />
<iframe frameborder="no" height="82" scrolling="no" src="http://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fapi.soundcloud.com%2Ftracks%2F83501548&show_artwork=true" width="100%"></iframe><br />
<br />
Shirley E Hardyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06693223246748297158noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6431980151134286335.post-45403014680764378432012-02-01T00:00:00.000+11:002013-03-30T18:29:53.633+11:00Annual Studies - Eastern Rosella soundsEastern Rosellas seem to have a large variety of sounds which they make throughout the course of a year. They seem to make more sounds than any other Parrot or Lorikeet in the area. They come second behind the Pied Butcherbird for the variety of different sounds they make.<br />
<br />
Actually, some of the Eastern Rosella calls are hard to identify as they sometimes sound similiar to Rainbow Lorikeets. Their range of pitch can vary from a low pitch - a whisper (usually when a bird is by itself in a tree) to a loud screech-like sound (when taking flight if disturbed. They can even go higher and make trilling sounds and a whole host of other sounds and vocal patterns. Some of their sounds I can't identify as an Eastern Rosella sound until they make the typical Eastern Rosella sound. At this point in time I have not been able to identify which gender is which with these birds, even though a pair breeds and roosts within 300 metres from my front door and hang around the area all the time.<br />
<br />
The sound files below are taken over a 12 month period, on various days. If new sounds are recorded/heard they will be added to this page when they become available. I have more sounds currently waiting to be uploaded and added to this page.<br />
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<strong>IDENTIFICATION CALL</strong> - You can usually identify most Eastern Rosella calls by the fact they often make this sound below. It seems to be the basic foundation "sound" for their entire vocalization. A Willy Wagtail sound is at the end of this clip - sorry about that.<br />
<iframe frameborder="no" height="82" scrolling="no" src="http://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fapi.soundcloud.com%2Ftracks%2F84188678&show_artwork=true" width="100%"></iframe><br />
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01 April 2012 - An Eastern Rosella mimicking a Bell Miner. Sorry about the poor quality audio. I'll replace this audio as soon as I can. This mimicry only began here in 2012.<br />
<iframe frameborder="no" height="82" scrolling="no" src="http://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fapi.soundcloud.com%2Ftracks%2F84100329&show_artwork=true" width="100%"></iframe><br />
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4 August 2012 - Eastern Rosellas chasing each other in and out of a tree.<br />
<iframe frameborder="no" height="82" scrolling="no" src="http://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fapi.soundcloud.com%2Ftracks%2F84101566&show_artwork=true" width="100%"></iframe><br />
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5 August 2012 - A lone bird calling for it's family<br />
<iframe frameborder="no" height="82" scrolling="no" src="http://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fapi.soundcloud.com%2Ftracks%2F84104402&show_artwork=true" width="100%"></iframe><br />
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14 September 2012 - A lone Eastern Rosella was at the top of a decidious tree breaking off the tips of the branches and chewing on them whilst making all these calls.<br />
<iframe frameborder="no" height="82" scrolling="no" src="http://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fapi.soundcloud.com%2Ftracks%2F84105997&show_artwork=true" width="100%"></iframe><br />
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6 October 2012 - This sound was heard roughly at the beginning of the breeding season and continues months after the young have left the nest to join the rest of the family group. It is more common to hear this sound in the late afternoon and during roosting. Only one individual of the entire family group is heard making this sound.</br>
<iframe width="100%" height="82" scrolling="no" frameborder="no" src="http://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fapi.soundcloud.com%2Ftracks%2F85582595&show_artwork=true"></iframe></br>
</br>
10 October 2012</br>
<iframe width="100%" height="82" scrolling="no" frameborder="no" src="http://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fapi.soundcloud.com%2Ftracks%2F85582056&show_artwork=true"></iframe></br>
</br>
<strong><u>DURING THE BREEDING SEASON:</u></strong><br />
6 November 2012 - This is the sound mostly just of one Eastern Rosella possibly sitting on eggs (or feeding their chick) in their nest calling out to it's mate. The nest was in a hollow of a branch high up in a Eucalypt tree. The bird was seen preening itself on a branch after it's mate showed up and headed for the nest.<br />
<iframe frameborder="no" height="82" scrolling="no" src="http://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fapi.soundcloud.com%2Ftracks%2F84109132&show_artwork=true" width="100%"></iframe><br />
<br />
<strong><u>AFTER THE BREEDING SEASON WITH THEIR JUVENILE AS PART OF THE FAMILY UNIT:</u></strong><br />
8 February 2013 - A sort of Eastern Rosella rolling laughter sound. This sound is only heard, rather infrequently, not long after their offspring have left the nest and before the breeding season begins again.<br />
<iframe frameborder="no" height="82" scrolling="no" src="http://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fapi.soundcloud.com%2Ftracks%2F84189997&show_artwork=true" width="100%"></iframe>Shirley E Hardyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06693223246748297158noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6431980151134286335.post-40754147235215410522012-01-01T20:25:00.001+11:002012-08-26T20:27:38.853+10:00Videos - Australian King Parrot<a href="http://youtu.be/bjDkSMsKtnI"><span style="color: black;">18 August 2012 - Eating Pine tree seeds</span></a>Shirley E Hardyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06693223246748297158noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6431980151134286335.post-41028338292337274622012-01-01T19:25:00.000+11:002012-10-29T19:26:01.000+11:00VIDEOS - Double-barred FinchSome videos I took of Double-barred Finches that live in the area.<br />
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<a href="http://youtu.be/vX26C-LnYTI"><span style="color: black;">24 August 2012 - Double-barred Finches sitting on tree branches</span></a>Shirley E Hardyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06693223246748297158noreply@blogger.com0