aussiebirder

After a peaceful walk by the Hacking River in our local Royal National Park, fondly known as the ‘Nasho‘, I decided to feature the birds we saw today and have seen in recent days that dwell along the river banks. The word riparian is a quaint word we seldom use which means ‘by the river‘. Birds use the river for water, food, bathing and escape from impending danger, especially from human approach.

The first bird we saw on arrival was this beautiful tiny Azure Kingfisher brilliant in the sunshine with its contrasting aqua blue and bright orange plumage. This bird appears to be nesting in the riverbank beneath where it is perched. Azure Kingfisher dig their nesting tunnels above the water level into the riverbank sloping upwards. These nests can be prone to danger should the river flood. They are river dependent with the river being its only source of food, which includes small fish, aquatic insects, crustaceans and shrimp. Click on image to enlarge it.

In the ferns and shrubbery along the river near the Azure Kingfisher the high pitched calls of the Superb Fairy-wren could be heard. Several families of these birds are found along the river at Fig Tree Flat. Occasionally the birds would come out and hop around on the grass and dive back under cover on our approach.

Further along the river the Sacred Kingfisher can be seen resting. These birds nest in the forest nearby usually in arboreal termite nests. They are not as dependant on the river as the Azure is and will eat small reptiles, rodents. small birds and insects in addition to small fish. Kingfishers have amazing extremely keen binocular eyesight which can correct for the refraction of water in the river, making it possible for them to catch fish with pinpoint accuracy.

Walking under the large fig tree we came across the latest new family of Australian Wood Duck out grazing on the riverside lawn. These birds are grazing ducks and spend most of their day on the land, only going to the water to escape danger and to drink and wash. They eat mainly insects, clover, seeds, grasses and small invertebrates. Only the mother duck quacks giving instruction to her children, and the father duck bravely hisses and attacks when the family is threatened. Wood Ducks are unique in that they nest high above the ground in tree holes and not by the water.

These little ‘fluff ball babies’ are very prone to predation out on the paddock, hence the term sitting ducks. This is why they have large clutches because they usually lose many of the clutch to raptors before they mature. The male and female pair for life and they both raise the young together. The male has the dark brown head and the ducklings resemble the mother’s plumage until they begin reaching maturing, as with most juvenile bird species.

Also on the grass at the river flats you would find these young Laughing Kookaburra and father Australian Magpie feeding his youngster who is learning by observation. Both Little Pied Cormorant and Little Black Cormorant drying their wings over the river after a morning of fishing. Cormorants are diving birds but their feathers are not oiled like those of ducks, as they lack the uropygial oil gland at the base of their tail which the ducks, including the Pacific Black Duck pair pictured, draw from when preening, to waterproof their feathers.

Each year in spring on the green grass field by the river in front of the park cafe the Mask Lapwing (known previously as the Spur-winged Plover) pair appear and decide to nest where visitors sit and children play. The male is constantly on alert and quite stressed to guard the female nesting on a simple nest on the grass in the middle of the field. Lapwings prefer a 360° clearance around the nest. The male will become quite aggressive on the approach of any creature and will even stand erect and show its spurs if challenged. The two juveniles have hatched and are learning to graze under the careful watch of the father.

Here is a good example of the spurs being protruded when the Lapwing is in it’s full upright defence mode. You can understand why it had the previous name of Spur-winged Plover. It is also the largest of the Plover species in Australia and a formidable opponent to any human, dog, bird or even cat. This will usually only only occur during breeding season when the unwitting opponent may, if they proceed to approach the nest or young may receive wounds from the spurs which it readily weaponizes.

For a touch of humour, here is a riverbank capture taken some months before of the same male and female Fairy-wren pair. The male is just finishing his moult. His wild preening is assisting his plumage change. Music is from Henri Mancini’s Baby Elephant Walk written for the movie Hatari which was one of the first movies I saw in the cinema as a boy.

100 Best Birdwatching Sites in Australia (now in its 3rd Edition) by Sue Taylor is an excellent book for those starting out birding in Australia and for not so novices. My wife and I found this book most helpful and over the last twelve years have visited most of the sites. We highly recommend the book and its easy reading approach. Sue takes you along to places you may never thought of in each state and island in Australia where she shares the specific birds species she found.

Click on the image below to find out more and purchase these beautiful books which many are buying for Christmas presents. It will open in a new tab.

Yes, my Pre Christmas book signing morning is this coming Saturday at Harry Hartog Bookstore – Miranda Fair

I would be especially delighted if you came and told me that you Followed my blog.

“Oh, the joys of those who do not follow the advice of the wicked, or stand around with sinners, or join in with mockers. But they delight in the law [Words] of the Lord, meditating on it day and night.
They are like trees planted along the riverbank,
bearing fruit each season.
Their leaves never wither,
and they prosper in all they do.”

From Psalm 1:1-3 (NLT)

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

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