aussiebirder

A cool brisk sunny Winter’s morning and we went for a walk in our local Nature Reserve to check out the activity at the owl nesting hole, as this year there appears to have been some disruption to the Powerful Owl (Australia’s largest owl) having its usual nesting hole now inhabited by the Southern Boobook (Australia’s smallest owl). It was a beautiful gift to catch this Boobook again in the nesting hole in bright sunshine.

We assume it is nesting, and everyone who follows the Owls is wondering where the Powerful Owl pair have gone to nest. Many birders are on the lookout and searching the park for them. Only one pair of Powerful Owls can live in a designated area or park as they are severely territorial, and will fight to the death if an intruding male comes into their area.

The smaller Southern Boobook was enjoying the warm sun in the morning doing some preening, and sleeping and watching from his tree hole balcony, as you can see below.

Note the retractable talons visible below these along with strong hooked beak contribute to raptor features. Owls have the softest of feathers to permit them to fly silently. They are also able to turn their head 0ver 180º to see behind them without moving their body. They study their prey, as wise owls do, and wait till they come close as they silently wait and observe, and when close they pounce. Their unique night vision includes the ability to perceive UV light and see well in extremely poor light.

The tiny beautiful Brown Thornbill was busily checking the giant Casuarina Trees for insects making its beautiful melodious purring call.

This Eastern Yellow Robin was so bright as it dived down to catch insects from the grass. It was quite OK about us standing as it came quite close, as they do. They are very curious of humans and will observe and sometimes follow us to see if we stir up any insects as we walk. Click photos to enlarge them.

This female Golden Whistler took advantage of the remaining puddles after our excessive rain to bath in. A wonderful provision made available to them. Click photos to enlarge them.

Small MMFs (Mixed Feeding Flocks) flew between trees searching for insects. These were mainly tiny Silvereye. These birds are a feature of Winter when the small resident insectivorous birds own the forest, as nectar and seeds are in reduced supply during this period.

Have a wonderful week and enjoy the birds. The Eastern Yellow Robin features on the cover of my second book Flight of a Fledgling which you can check out by clicking HERE. This book discusses the importance of having a healthy sense of who we are. It will open on a new tab.

Social Anxiety Disorder is a debilitating emotional disorder causing irrational behaviour featuring intense fear and anxiety of social situations which includes where they are expected to perform or speak. Though most of us do not suffer from this condition, many of us and our social media led children suffer from the effects of fear and anxiety from what we think others might think about us. This may include Social Media posts about them or about what they fear of judgements made by their peers. These comments or judgements can cause great emotional pain and lead to depression and unhealthy avoidance patterns if believed by the recipient and is often seen as bullying which is illegal in our country using online social media.

This Boobook looks as if it is hiding like one with Social Anxiety Disorder, or one who is suffering the effects of bullying and fear of what others might be thinking or saying about their looks or behaviour.

It takes courage, confidence and a true sense of self value and worth, being safe in your own skin, to allow such evil assessments to wash off and have no effect. It is only when one believes the lie which the enemy of our souls (the devil and his evil demons) that it becomes a curse to the receiver which will stick and like a poisonous arrow slowly kill their joy, peace and confidence bringing instead shame, pain, anxiety, fear and a sense of worthlessness.

We get our true sense of worth and value from God, our Creator and Sustainer. He alone gives a true assessment of who we are, which does not depend on what others say, but on what he says. He says we are always loved, valued and cherished not because of what we do or what we look like but because of who we are, his child of great value. It is important as parents that we affirm and give our children a healthy sense of who they are with warm hugs and ‘I love you’ s frequently.

“See how very much our Father loves us, for he calls us his children, and that is what we are! But the people who belong to this world don’t recognize that we are God’s children because they don’t know him.” – 1 John 3:1 (NLT)

“Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God.” – John 1:12 (NIV)

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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.

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, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025.