aussiebirder

During our stay on South Bruny Island and also in the forests surrounding Hobert we managed to see many of the endemic birds and several of the endemic animals, which was a great delight for us. Endemic meaning they are only found in this part of the world and no where else. we saw one other lifer, the Tawny-crowned Honeyeater down south of Inala at the South Bruny Lighthouse. Banksia margenata was flowering there in the wind swept hillside being blown upon by the cold Southern Ocean winds. This flower provides a source a nectar for the honeyeaters.

We know now there is a direct relationship with the Eucalypt tree species and particular bird species and their location. In recent years endemic species, including the endangered Forty-spotted Pardalote and its relationship with Eucalyptus viminalis, posted last week, have been squeezed to a small area of its native state because of forest habitat destruction, reducing the numbers and locations of birds, pressing them toward extinction. Even with the human efforts of conservationists like Inala Nature reserve without more serious Government intervention our terrible wildlife extinction rate will only continue.

One of the great joys of studying and photographing Australian birds is that our vast country has so many species endemic to small areas in various states and regions, which is habitat and climate related. This makes holidaying in our country more enjoyable since we can look forward to discovering new birds (lifers) as we travel the length and breadth of our wonderful country and its islands. In addition to the Forty-spotted Pardalote while in Tasmania recently we added two more new lifers to our list of Tasmanian endemics, the Tasmanian Forest Raven and the Tawny-crowned Honeyeater (race: chelidonia). Click on image to enlarge it.

We saw the honeyeater in the cold windy point of South Bruny Lighthouse on the far south of the island in the rugged heathlands of South Bruny National Park, where the Banksia marginata (Silver Banksia) were flowering, a source of food for these birds in Winter.

Another endemic bird we saw near the lighthouse was the Dusky Robin. An immature Dusky landed near the female Superb Fairy-wren. The adult was also seen.

The first endemic bird we saw on our arrival in Hobart and commonly seen grazing in the fields and towns throughout Tasmania was the Tasmanian Native Hen, known to the locals as the Turbo Chook. Though it can no longer fly, it can run at an amazing pace to escape humans and other predators. I noticed one chasing the Magpies away from its territory.

The second numerous bird we heard moving among the Eucalypt canopy was the Yellow Wattlebird, Australia’s largest Honeyeater. Notice the long dangling wattles which shine golden in the sunlight. Their call is like someone about to retch or vomit and is loud as they communicate to each other in the trees. You will hear its call below.

This honeyeater does not have a preferred tree but moves about seeking the currently flowering Eucalypts for food, particularly from the older forest trees which are being felled for timber, and thus reducing bird numbers.

Yellow Wattlebird Calling

Other endemic honeyeaters we saw at Inala Nature Reserve were the Black-headed Honeyeater and the Strong-billed Honeyeater. They were busy among the White and Blue Gum trees after nectar, lerps, insects and manna, which the Pardalotes had made available to them also, though the Strong-billed Honeyeater looked like some nest building was taking place.

Bruny Island and Inala is an amazing wildlife reserve. I will share more endemics next week from Tasmania. One of the amazing creatures only seen on Bruny Island is its endemic White Wallaby. It is not albino it is actually white, and it is quite a blessing to see them, though we did see them on a previous visit because we searched for them, we did not see them on this visit.

Have a wonderful week and enjoy the birds !

Just as birds and animals are each endemic to a particular place in the world, and only appear there because they are born and die in the place where they are raised, so we too are born into particular families each with its own culture, family rules and country. We have no say in it whether born into wealth or poverty, war or peace, love or violence. Naked, helpless and dependant we come into the world and in a similar way we leave it, without anything we own or have acquired during our life accept the memory of our life and word and actions that our eternal souls carry with us when we appear before our Creator, Almighty God represented by the Lord Jesus who was the only truly righteous man who ever lived and whom was vindicated in his sinlessness by being raised from death back to life. The legacy we leave is not so much our material wealth, how much stuff we left them, but our relationships where people know how much we cared and loved them.

What we do with our life matters, to our family, friends and most of all to the One who created us to be his representative here on earth. Birds survive and flourish because they do what obediently they have been taught to live. They have spent weeks watching observing their parents so they can do likewise when it is their turn to be adults.

“And I tell you this, you must give an account on judgment day for every idle word you speak.” – Matthew 12:26 (NLT)

“For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” – Romans 6:23 (NIV)

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