Last weekend, early in the morning, on our hottest day ever recorded for January in Sydney, my wife and I went in search of the very rare Pied Currawong with leucism. Our young media connected family and friends showed us a photo of the bird, and after reading the articles, which had spread world wide, we got a little excited wanting to see it. We drove to the Sydney Botanic Gardens and entered just after they were opened, while still in the cool of the morning before the heat of the day. Next to the harbour, these gardens make a beautiful diversion from the glass and steel of the noisy city nearby.
We walked around the entire gardens for around 2 hours and did not see the bird. We had been told it had been nesting and that she was raising two normal coloured Pied Currawong babies. As we walked around the gardens we saw many families of normal Pied Currawong grazing the mowed lawn for insects. Similar to the Magpie the pied aspect is expressed in the black plumage with white in the wings and tail feathers, but not on its outer plumage as with the magpie.
Leucisim (leuco = white) is a genetic mutation which very rarely occurs in some birds and animals. Leucism results in a reduced amount of natural colouring in the plumage and thus appears blochy white, with only traces of black. It is not albinism (albino) which is a complete lack of pigment or melanin. The most important distinguishing feature is the eye colour. Albinism has red eye and the leucism normal eye colour. Albinism is all white but Leucism has blochy patches of natural colour, as seen in the female leucistic Pied Currawong. The sunfowers were stunning as their faces pointed toward the morning sunlight.
Disappointed we were just about to leave the gardens and my wife prayed, as she does in these situations, “Father, we don’t deserve to see it, but we know you show you love to us regsrdless.” Just then we met a family of Danish tourists photographing the Kookaburras with us. As we chatted we both saw a flash of white fly past about 30 metres away and we were suddenly in pursuit, and what a blessing with a visual of the bird and its babies. Strangely enough, the garden tour guide we spoke with earlier, knew nothing of this rare bird residing in the park. Here are some of the many photos I was blessed with as we followed the bird and its hungry babies. At times she tried to escape their pestering behaviour, but you will see in this very shaky video clip (due to long lens extension without tripod) she feeds them grubs from a rotting tree root.
As you will see I managed to get photos of the bird in many positions as it moved arounf the gardens. The Danish family followed with excitement.
New babies was the bird theme of the gardens with parents feeding and training throughout. The immature Pied Currawong, like many juvenile and immature birds has a dark eye. The immature Currawong also has a light grey mottled chest and a distinct yellow gape (a marking between beak and eye). Mature birds have the yellow eye.
This Rainbow Lorikeet was continually squawking to its parent which was trying to ignore it. I had to enhance the lighting as it was under the tree.
But interesting as it was, the Kookaburra families were the main attraction at the gardens. Kookaburras. The garden tour guide said that it was amazing how the Kookaburras, which had not previously been in the gardens had come in large numbers and were breading there.
However, these birds are very territorial, and their laughing call, which was happening continually on and off during our time there, was probably due to families competing for territory. The immature bird has an all dark beak and the mature has a lighter coloured lower beak.
This was further confirmed by the way they chased each other around the gardens in quite vicious pursuit.. Several Kooka babies were seen, learning to call. How strange to see so many in one place, possibly the extreme hot weather may have attracted them to the large shady trees there, and fresh water ponds necessary for nesting. Here is some footage of a baby trying to get the attention of an older Kooka.
Again please excuse my jumpy video as I had left the monopod in the car. Here is a pair calling to another family across the field, the youngster sits and watches as they declare their territory.
It was interesting to watch this young Grey Butcherbird who flew from the tree he was calling beautifully from, to lie on wood chips in the hot sun. It is thought that when birds do this they are helping to spread their preening oil throughout their feathers and more so for passerines to expose any lice or irritating insects to the sun and so cause them to leave. Ants sometimes will come and help remove the lice, as the birds spread their wings over warm sand.
The magpie is known to do this, and I have seen Pied Butcherbirds do it when I was in Queensland recently. Here we see two young Pied Butcherbirds copying their parent spreading their wings in the hot sun.
We left the beautiful botanic gardens very thankful and rejoicing at God’s kindness in allowing us to find and then photograph this rare bird, which amazed our young when they saw the evidence that we had actually seen it when many had failed, because it lived in a section of the gardens seldom visited. e crossed the road for a swim in the Olympic Pool, which was quite refreshing in the by now, heatwave conditions.
Take a look at this picture of a pair of Kookaburras. On first view you might think they are a breeding pair of adults, but on the basis of the facts I shared earlier, examining their beaks, you would conclude that they are a pair of juveniles, and the picture below them might be their parents.
How easy it is to assume what we see is what we want to see, when without the wisdom to apply these facts we can get it awfully wrong. So it is with our understanding of life and the facts concerning our origins and destiny. The issue is never with the observable facts ( true observable science) but with how we interpret them and what we try to make them say (the philosophy behind the hypothesis). As a scientist it is so important to not declare something fact which is based on assumption, but to have the integrity to say “I really don’t know, but these facts may possibly fit my philosophy in some ways but not in all ways.” Science can only measure observable events and material evidence in the present, everything else is postulation. Have a wonderful week exploring God’s beautiful garden… our earth.
“ For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that people are without excuse.” – Romans 1:20-22
“The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge…” – Proverbs 1:7
“God alone understands the way to wisdom;
he knows where it can be found,
24 for he looks throughout the whole earth
and sees everything under the heavens.
25 He decided how hard the winds should blow
and how much rain should fall.
26 He made the laws for the rain
and laid out a path for the lightning.
27 Then he saw wisdom and evaluated it.
He set it in place and examined it thoroughly.
28 And this is what he says to all humanity:
‘The fear of the Lord is true wisdom;
to forsake evil is real understanding.’” – Job 28:23-28
NOTE: All photos, videos and music used on this website are photographed, composed, performed by the site owner and remains his copyrighted property, unless otherwise stated. The use of any material that is not original material of the site owner is duly acknowledged as such. © W. A. Hewson 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018
The way every detail was explained, I could clearly visualize the temptation you enjoyed while birding. Expecting other birding experience’s post from you as motivating as this one. God Bless.
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Thanks for your comment De’Xventure, I am encouraged that it was positive and motivating for you. Enjoy your week!
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What an exciting trip you had! And you were blessed to find this rare, special bird! And so many babies and juveniles….really enjoyed the pictures and the videos. It looks like your year has started well and I am sure more blessings are on the way!
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Thanks so much Tiny, we still tell the story with child-like excitement, how we were blessed on our recent rare finds, and yes we pray that we including yourself will enjoy some very special finds this year that will bring spontaneous praise and appreciation of the created wonders. Have a wonderful week my friend!
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The leucistic pied currawong looks incredible Ashley, you’re very fortunate to be able to both see and photograph her. And it would have been amazing to see and hear so many kookas in one place! It seems we all need to adapt to the change in our climate and weather conditions (says me sitting in the air con inside the house while it’s 36 degrees outside!). Have a wonderful weekend! 🙂
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Thanks Sue, yes it was amazing both seeing the Currawong with her juveniles and seeing and hearing almost continual Kookas the whole time we were there. Families contested for territory both verbally and sometimes with force. Yes we took my grandson to the Powerhouse technological museum today which kept us out of the heat for a while. Enjoy your coolness, and the rest of the weekend!
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Very interesting collection of avian wonders. It is hard to get past the laughing Kookaburras without replaying it again. 🙂
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Thanks Lee, Yes I remembered you mentioning about your zoo visit trying to get the Kookas to laugh, so I though I would catch a little footage for you, but sorry for the shakiness, as the monopod was left in the car. One of my birding goals this year is to get perfect steady Kooka footage with the whole family going off with their call. I have sought this earnestly for years, but they won’t do it if they see you coming, and they usually do it when you have walked some distance away. One day I pray the Lord will grant my desire so I can share it with you. It is nit just about them laughing, so to put it, but to have them do their full repertoire, where they stop for a few seconds and one starts then up slowly till they go into full throttle calling for some minutes, ending in them flying off. Have a great weekend and keep warm!
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Yes, they clam up when the camera comes out. Still trying to get over my bronchitis. It is going to cool down again, but I am staying in.
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Happy New Year, Ashley and Robyn! Really interesting post!
Heard about bats somewhere in Australia dropping dead because of the heat. Sad.
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Happy New Year Myra to you and family. Chelsea is in our prayers daily. I have not heard about the bats, but I can understand it as bird numbers and breeding numbers are much reduced this season, it seems like they knew before us about the extreme weather. This has caused many birds to move into areas they have never been found in before. Richest blessings for the new year!
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What a gift to see and photograph the very rare Leucistic Pied Currawong! Many other wonderful captures here too, all the little ones being typical toddlers. 🙂 I do love the Kookaburras and have photographed them at one of our zoos. They look so adorable. Stay cool, Ashley!
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Thanks Donna, Yes staying cool is the order of the day here in some of the worse recoded temps for this time of year, though many are suffering a very cold and wild winter over there. We have noticed a big fall in bird numbers breeding this year, possibly they had divine warming. It was interesting that so many Kookaburras were in the gardens having babies in close proximity, which is uncommon. The trees offer cool shade. Have a wonderful weekend my friend 😊
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Beaut to be able to find and have such an awesome encounter with this bird. And a day in such wonderful surroundings woiuld have made it even more enjoyable.
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Thanks David, it was a perfect day, as my wife put it. We were so blessed on this record hot day to achieve what we did and get a swim in as well. We enjoyed the gardens and watched the Kookas chasing and fighting each other as we enjoyed our coffees at the gardens cafe. I have never heard Kookas call so much in one place. These heat waves have reduced bird numbers and especially breeding numbers this year. Enjoy the weekend. Keep 😎 cool
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Beautiful pictures and I love the way God answered your prayer and allowed you not only to see the bird but get photos of it. I am always amazed at how He cares even about our desires, not just our needs! Stay cool!
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Thanks so much Jen, we are more excited with the way our loving Father answers our requests as we are with the beautiful bird gifts he grants us when we ask. He certainly knows how to give good gifts to his children. Yes getting photos of the bird always is true confirmation and there are many birder photographers I have met who say as I do, until you have an image of the bird you can look at and make the bird out, you have not really seen it, nor can you prove you have. My eyesight as it is, at times I do not fully realise the treasure I have captured till I crop and enhance the image at home, as the bird may sometimes be too far away to accurately identify at the time. I guess I should say keep warm Jen as parts of your country experience wild winter weather. Have blessed week!
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Thank you, you have a great week as well! If you can believe, I am sitting on my porch as the temperature is in the 60s and it’s like spring, what a wild ride this weather has been!
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Wow how amazing is that, we are both having to weather the weather as we experience these extremes at both ends of the thermometer. This is another sign of the last days we are living in which Jesus warned us about telling us not to be alarmed or afraid when these unusual occurrences occur.
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