aussiebirder

Leaving Grafton we made our way to Halliday’s Point to spend time with friends and my daughter’s family for my birthday. On the way we stopped in for lunch at the Hunter Wetlands Centre in Newcastle. We watched from the cafe as the Magpie Goose flock which the centre has been breeding for release into the wetlands were washing and playing in the lake below. These most unusual birds inhabited the whole east coast before European settlement, but were completely removed from populated areas being shot for food and other reasons. Now they inhabit the lesser populated areas of the north of NSW, as well as Queensland, WA and NT. This bird appears to be neither a goose or a duck, having features of both, being in a class of their own. Watch as they bathe together:

We saw other waterbirds with them but this pair of Wandering Whistling Duck were a lovely sighting considering their rarity in our area.

On arriving at Halliday’s Point we stayed at a resort called Serenity. Quiet and serene it was with just the sound of the surf from the beach nearby, concomitant to its absolute beach frontage. While on the beach with daughter and grandies we saw whales breaching on their return to Antarctica with their new born young. Though they were a long way out and difficult to photograph. This area is known for its families of White-bellied Sea-Eagle, which were a feature of my birding when I lived here years ago, The feature photo in my first book “What Birds Teach Us” for this photo was taken bear here. As we enjoyed the beach we saw an eagle soaring effortlessly along the coastline. It appeared to be a juvenile Sea-Eagle. The various stages of this bird are depicted in my second book “Flight of a Fledging” Both books are available here securely online, and can be posted to your address before Christmas.

Compare the plumage of the juvenile we saw, with that of the adult pictured above. The bird made several passes over us back and forth along the beach.

The beach and lakes nearby are lined with many native fig trees which are currently fruiting. One bird we heard calling in these trees was the Australasian Figbird. Notice the bright red eye ring of the male we saw. These birds noisily and excitedly feed together within tree canopy making them a challenge to photograph as rainforest trees are dark within at the best of times with their thick dark green foliage. Most of our rainforest birds are fruit eaters, as the forest has many varieties of native fruits that provide food for these birds all year round.

While we were enjoying a quiet cocktail at night on the Serenity bar veranda, we sighted this cute family of Tawny Frogmouth perched in a very makeshift nest up on the rafter under the roof of the veranda. The parents were nearby keeping watch as the three babies slept and peeked out at us. We had better views the next morning. Click on image to enlarge it.

This image shows how the family were situated on the corner of the rafter. Tawny’s are known for their very poor nest building, and it is not uncommon for a nestling to fall from the nest and require human assistance to place it back.

As I explain in my book ‘What Birds Teach Us’ the Tawny Frogmouth is not an Owl species but a species of its own: Frogmouth, deriving its name from its wide mouth. To find out more about why this bird which has some Owl similarities, is wrongly called an Owl by many novice Aussies, who I am constantly re educating as to why.

Other birds we saw around the resort were this Great Egret with its beautiful lace-like plumage.

This male Eastern Koel was loudly calling nearby and I managed to sneak a shot of this extremely shy bird in flight as it left. This migratory cuckoo has probably already had its female plant its egg in a Pied Currawong nest, and it waiting for it to grow and fledge before flying with it back to New Guinea in Autumn, only to repeat the process again next spring as it is an obligate brood parasite and has never made a nest or raised its own nestling but relies on other birds to do so as it deceptively plants its eggs in the nest of our other larger native birds. From a distance this bird can be confused with the also elusive male Satin Bowerbird but the red eye and its unique call give it away.

While we relaxed by the pool on a hot day there, we noticed this juvenile Brahminy Kite glide over us as it also made a flight along the beach line.

Both the Sea-Eagle and the Brahminy breed here and share the beach, as fish make up the primary part of their diet, though they can eat small turtles, sea snakes, small rodents, reptiles and other birds. A juvenile Brahminy can easily be mistaken for a juvenile Sea-Eagles since they make up the majority here. This bird is truly beautiful against a blue sky when it is adult, as you can see in the side image.

Lastly, we saw this Eastern Water Dragon resting in the hot sun in its classic head up sunning pose, as they do being cold blooded, and needing heat to become active. Also this quite tame Swamp Wallaby was hanging around our villa with a joey in its pouch. Water Dragons are amazingly fast swimmers. The sway their tail back and forth to propel them across the water.

Have a wonderful week and enjoy the additional migratory birds as they begin nesting and calling as they mark the approach of Christmas and the New year.

Find out more about this beautiful and very practical gift idea for your loved one. It not only introduces them to Australia’s amazing birds but teaches them helpful life lessons from each of the birds behaviours. CLICK HERE to find out more. The price advertised in Promo video below is for Australian addresses. For All NON Australian addresses, books are $48 each delivered to your address.

Just as it is easy to miss the true identity of the Tawny Frogmouth and make a wrong assessment because of the hearsay of others or based on personal judgement, in regard to its true nature, in that it is not an Owl. So it is with the wisdom of life and our true understanding of our origins, our Creation and therefore our personal identity. Intelligent men we call ‘scientists’ are respected for their learning and the findings and information they report to the world. Much of it is true science which can be tested and proved, but much is also falsely presented as fact and is not true science which can not proven or reliably attested. It is important to believe only the Truth, for only the Truth makes and keeps us free, as Jesus himself said when on earth.

The Enemy is a liar and a cheat and seeks to steal the knowledge of God’s Truth from us. Jesus says the thief, as he describes him, has only come: ‘to steal, kill and destroy‘ ( John 10:10) our lives by robbing us of God’s Truth. Jesus said:’ I am the Truth’. In other words life as we know makes no sense without Jesus, God’s Son, as his eternal kingdom is what this whole life on Earth experience we all share, is all about. Jesus live the perfect sinless humble life as a man, died a most terrible painful shameful death and was resurrected from the dead because his Father, Almighty God Himself, offered his own Son to die in our place because he loves us soooo much and wants us to turn away from our selfish life to come back to life we were originally created for and which in the heart of everyone of us we know the importance of being loved, respected and affirmed. This free gift is available to all who turn away from their old selfish life, believe and receive Jesus as their Lord and Saviour.

“The true light that gives light to everyone was coming into the world.  He was in the world, and though the world was made through him, the world did not recognize him. He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him.  Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God.” – John 1:9-12 (NIV)

“ Jesus replied, “Very truly I tell you, everyone who sins is a slave to sin. Now a slave has no permanent place in the family, but a son belongs to it forever.  So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed. ” – John 8:34-36

“God made him who had no sin to be sin for us [suffer in place of us], so that in him we might become the righteousness of God [ be accepted by God like Jesus].” – 2 Corinthians 5:21

“ And anyone who believes in God’s Son has eternal life. Anyone who doesn’t obey the Son will never experience eternal life but remains under God’s angry judgment.” – John 3:36 (NLT)

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Adv. Dip. in Counselling and Family Therapy.

Member of Birdlife Australia

To introduce people to our unique Australian birds,

And learn from them how to live a healthy and happy life.

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