aussiebirder

My wife and I recently took flight to the west coast of our vast continent to Perth WA (currently 3 hours behind our east coast time), to visit my son and cousin as well as visit some other sights around Perth, including their zoo and famous King’s Park. Thankfully the Aveley Community Festival 2025 was also on the day we visited my son. One of the displays was by Carnaby’s Crusaders Ltd (a charity organisation to help save the Carnaby’s Cockatoo from extinction) where Dean Arthurell was showing a pair of Carnaby’s White-tailed Black Cockatoo listed as an Endangered species. This bird species is only found in a small region around north and south of Perth. They suffer from loss of habitat and suitable tree breeding holes. They feed on pine cones and casuarina seeds but the availability of food due to land clearing is diminishing and it is only a matter of time before extinction. The male has a pink eye ring and a darker beak. Click on the images to enlarge them

The even rarer Critically Endangered Baudin’s White-tailed Black Cockatoo is limited to a very small are south of Perth and is difficult to actually locate to photograph. It looks similar to the Carnaby’s but has a longer beak.

Another booth next to Dean’s was hosted by a Birds of Prey display displaying a tame Wedge-tailed Eagle, Australia’s largest eagle and bird of prey. This gentleman pictured with the eagle which had been taken from its nest illegally and raised from a chick. Authorities later took it and entrusted it to the care of the Western Australian Birds of Prey conservationists, an organisation which was begun by Yvonne Marie Sitko. The bird sat quite obediently on his arm as he cuddled and scratched it and it smooched him. These birds are apex predators and have superior eyesight, strength and soaring ability to other birds and animals. They can see a mouse a kilometer away.

Wedgies, as we know them, suffered terrible culling in all states of Australia in the past hundred years with a bounty of one shilling a head, which was a considerable amount of pocket money for a boy with a rifle on a farm. Thousands of these majestic birds were needlessly killed, and continue to be illegally, because they were thought to steal lambs. If this did occur it would have only been in time of drought as they prefer smaller rodents and birds. It has taken many years for numbers to recover and remain low today in some states, including WA where other raptors are in great number and Wedgies are seldom seen.

I believe this bird is named ‘Aussie’ and is the mascot for the West Coast Eagles Australian Rules football team in Perth. The bird apparently flies and does an entrance before each game. It flies before each of their home games at Optus Stadium for about 15 minutes before the start of each game.

You can learn more amazing facts about this bird from my beautiful book ‘What Birds Teach Us’, an excellent gift idea for your child and even a parent bird lover. It not only teaches about the bird but each bird teaches a valuable life lesson which will take them into a happy healthy life. Click on the image below to find out more.

The most common birds seen flying around Perth and in its parks are the Singing Honeyeater, Australian ‘white-backed’ Magpie, Red Wattlebird and Variegated Fairy-wren. The iconic Black Swan which was first sighted by Europeans in Perth’s Swan River was also found along the waterfront mainly on the southern side. This bird is featured on the WA state flag.

This bird has bred successfully all over Australia and its islands for many years since. The Black Swan is featured in my second book ‘Flight of a Fledgling’ where is gives assistance with ‘Dealing with Grief and Loss’. Click on the image below to find out more about this very helpful book.

Perth is well known for its unique flowers called ‘Kangaroo Paw’ found in many and various species and colour combinations. This unusual flower grows well in the arid poor soils of Western Australia. Each flower resembles the paw of the Kangaroo. Here are some examples seen in the wonderful Western Australian Botanic Gardens in Kings Park, Perth on the hill overlooking the city. A Whistling Kite flew over and I caught an image of it.

The Australian Wood Duck was also present in the fresh water as was the Australian Darter. The Kookaburra was also around.

Just as the Carnaby’s Cockatoo and many other Australian species of birds and animals are threatened with extinction [Death] as they are separated or disconnected from their food and nesting sources, so it is for us. If we do not remain connected to our life source [God our Creator through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ and his life, death and resurrection] we face permanent future separation and dislocation from the true source of life and meaning including its joy, peace, hope and love.

Jesus said: “I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain [connected to and trusting] in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit [your life will prosper into eternal life] ; apart from me [disconnected from Jesus] you can do nothing [of lasting or eternal value]. If you do not remain [connected to and trusting] in me, you are like a branch that is thrown away and withers [your life will be lost]” – John 15:5,6 (NIV)

“You rescue the humble [those who recognise their need and submit to God’s authority and provision],  but you humiliate [put to shame; disgrace; chasten ; humble] the proud [those who will not submit to God, but attempt t make it in their own strength and with only their own intelligence and the wisdom of this world].” – Psalm 18:27 (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.

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, 2026