aussiebirder

These beautiful warm winter days, with clear blue skies, have been excellent for birding in the Sydney area, so off I went to my favorite walk in the Royal National Park which is only a 20 minute drive  for me.  The National Parks shop at Audley is another place where you can purchase my book. Because the birds have been low in number, I decided to quietly stalk the river bank in search of the Sacred and Azure Kingfisher. This is easy to do when you are alone. Click on photos to enlarge them.

To my great delight a beautiful Azure Kingfisher flew from across the river directly into a tree I was standing behind.  These birds are very human shy, and this was the first time I had ever been this close to one. It was surprised to find me standing so close, so it flew into an even better sunlit position. It was so beautiful, with the sun enhancing it’s iridescence. This bird is found from top to bottom of eastern Australia, including the west coast of Tasmania. The more rufous bellied race are found at the top end of the mainland in far north Queensland and NT. They mainly stay by fresh water creeks and rivers hunting yabbies and very small fish. They are a beautiful flash of orange and blue when they fly past. They are very fast fliers.  

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The Azure Kingfisher did not like my attention so it flew across the river and rested on a rock. Finally, it dived into the river, beneath the water, caught a small fish and emerged all in a matter of a few seconds, and then landed back on the rock where it sat with fish in mouth for several minutes without moving. Kingfishers have binocular vision like eagles, and also have eyesight that corrects for light refraction in the water, allowing them to accurately target their prey. They do not have good eye movement within the socket and need to move their head more. Please forgive the poor images as the poor lighting and distance over river impair the image quality. 

Cockatoo squadron meeting. with guards standing watch.

I was just starting my bush walk away from the river, and my attention was drawn to the raucous racket of over thirty Sulphur-crested Cockatoo. These birds are always noisy, all day long. But my attention was then drawn to this war room meeting of the flight commanders. They even had guards standing watch on each corner of the meeting room. I think I managed to work out what they were saying.

Soon after this there was more screeching and off most of them flew in a swarm of flapping wings. I don’t think their plan impressed the park rangers at the visitor centre enough to bring about what ever changes they mat have been considering.

As I walked I noticed the bush to relatively quite, the Golden Whistlers and many other birds go quiet during winter, and start calling again in Spring when they are courting and breeding. The birds are still there but you won’t see them as much because they are quietly moving around the tree canopy.  The only honeyeaters I saw were the New Holland and the Yellow-faced, with an occasional glance at the Eastern Spinebill, which I have previously captured feeding from the native Banksia ericifolia flower heads.

Banksia Ericifolia

Spider Grevilea

Gymea Lily

Spider Grevilea

I could hear the call of the Lewins Honeyeater but did not see it. This is winter birding at its best.  The beautiful winter flowers bloomed along with early wattle.

This beautiful eclypsing Variegated Fairy-wren caught my attention and was a delightful addition to a seemingly birdless walk. Again I heard the Lyrebird calling in the valley, and saw its scratchings, where it had passed recently, but did not see it on this occasion.

Tawny Frogmouth (female)

Tawny Frogmouth (female)

Tawny Frogmouth (female)

Tawny Frogmouth (male)

Tawny Frogmouth (male)

So I left after a good long walk, refreshed and thankful for the beautiful gift of the Azure Kingfisher. Afterwards, I drove to Oatley Park Reserve to check on the Tawny Frogmouth pair that I posted recently, and on this occasion the female looked right at me for some time, and the light was not too bad, as you can see above. Females of the east coast race strigoides  differ from male having rufous shoulders and malar markings. They can be quite rufous coloured at times, as . Then later went back to sleep. The male remained sleeping the whole time, mimicking a tree branch, as they do so well.  He has no rufous but long dark streaking on neck and chest also being paler grey than female.Notice one of the frames above, how difficult it can be to spot them in the dark canopy of a eucalypt tree, which their plumage resembles so remarkably. It can be also difficult to determine the sex of these without good lighting, which leaves me with the thought of how important light is to revealing the truth and true nature of a creature or object. The Bible declares that “God is Light, and in Him there is no darkness at all.” – 1 John 1:5

“For everyone who does evil hates the Light, and does not come to the Light for fear that his deeds will be exposed. 

But he who practices the truth comes to the Light, so that his deeds may be manifested as having been wrought in God.” – John 3:20,21

If we live in the light of God’s wisdom and Word we have nothing to fear or be embarrassed  about both now and on the last day. Jesus is the Light of the World and came to earth to bring us back into the light of God’s truth to embrace Him as our true loving Heavenly Father.

Jesus  spoke saying: “I am the Light of the world; he who follows Me will not walk in the darkness, but will have the Light of life.” – John 8:12

Check out the rest of my website and also my entries for the Art Exhibition Show next month at the Oatley West Public School Community Festival 25th – 27th August.  This is a major event in our area each year, and I am thankful that I can display some of my photography of Oatley Park birds and reptiles as well as sell my book. Don’t forget my book “What Birds Teach Us” can be bought here online at the best price, which may soon rise in price due to its popularity. Have a great week  birding!

If you know of a private book shop or book seller who would stock my book, please get them to email me from my Birdbook page.