Return to Birding Dates – Seeking Freshwater Birds (Part 2)

Posted by aussiebirder on July 16, 2020
Posted in: Australia, Australian Birds, Australian wildlife, Bird Book, Bird watching, Birding, Birds, Birdwatching, Fauna, National Parks, Nature, Nature Reserves, Outings, raptors, Sydney, Australia, Uncategorized, Waders, water birds, wetlands, wildlife. Tagged: , . 2 Comments

Continuing from last week’s Birding Date, my wife and I took the opportunity to get another a couple of days later. Again we pursued freshwater birds, in particular the ever elusive and shy Blue-billed Duck, at Bushell’s Lagoon, a well known birding place I have shared many times before, nestled in the more rural northern side of Sydney surrounded by market gardens. We were surprised to find so few birds, even though the lagoon (lake) was quite full after recent rains. On arrival the above Whistling Kite was attempting to circle over the lagoon, which it does daily. 

A Masked Lapwing was noisily pursuing it. This Kite is often chased by smaller waterbirds, especially when they have young to protect, as these can easily become food for it, as well as, the four other species of raptor that cruise over this often bird filled lagoon. People ask, how come these large raptors which normally kill and eat such birds, do not turn on their pursuers and make a meal of them? The smaller more agile bird has the edge on the larger less maneuverable bird, which usually plucks its prey from the ground. I have observed one Noisy Miner chasing a Whistling Kite back and forth, for over twenty minutes, and trying to bite its back (as they do). 

This little family of Black-winged Stilt were feeding on the waters edge. You will note that junior has a black patch over its eye.

Black-winged Stilt in flight
Black-winged Stilt in flight
Stilt family
Black-winged Stilt in flight
Parent and immature Stilt

We saw several groups of Australasian Grebe, and this parent displaying breeding plumage had an immature with it.

Australasian Grebe

One of the Grebe couples was continually calling, which enabled a recording of their unique sound.

This Eastern Great Egret is always seen standing on this mound as if it owns the lagoon. I have not ascertained why it spends so much tine there.

Then there were the more normal Great Egrets, grazing and flying about. When Egret  stretch their neck tall, after sighting you, it is because this is their defence mechanism to ward off threats. The psychology is that by making oneself appear taller, appearing larger, it will deter confrontation.

This pair of Pacific Black Duck are often left out by birders due to their common appearance, but I did like this photo.

 

Our eyes were turned to the sky again as this Nankeen Kestrel hovered about, the second and smaller raptor for the day. The Sea-Eagle and Swamp Harrier did not appear.

About the same time this small flock of Straw-necked Ibis flying in formation flew over. In large flocks they can take ten and more minutes to work out the formation before they move off. Sometimes circling for ages constantly changing positions in the formation, till finally the leader flies off and the V shape is formed. They can fly great distances once they have worked it out. This means of conserving energy and changing position allows the weaker younger flyers to fly in the slip-stream of the others.

The bird that marked our day was a passerine which we have never seen in so great number here. Several pairs of Black-faced Cuckoo-shrike were present, looking for opportunities, with some immature from last season. The black face is often a challenge to photograph, and the light has to be just in the right place to catch their face. Here are three images where post production has given different outcomes.

We were delighted as we enjoyed seeing so many of this bird which often fleet away from us. The younger birds have less black on their face.

We were surprised to hear the call of an Olive-backed Oriole in a tree, calling in a most unusual manner. Normally this bird would have migrated north for Winter. We have noticed several birds which normally migrate, staying in Sydney for the winter. Of course he had choose the darkest tree covering, so it is light enhanced.

We were curious as to why this Yellow-rumped Thornbill was out and about  alone, as it is usually a flock bird found further inland. This unlike other Thornbill species, is more of a ground grazer.

Lastly this Silvereye caught our eye. After failing to get a photo of a very shy Golden Whistler we made our way to Windsor for our usual FishnChip lunch in the park observing the new bridge across the Hawkesbury River, after which we made our way home.

You may be interested to see this interaction between a mature White-bellied Sea-Eagle and an immature. It is difficult to understand what the adult is trying to do, but some have interpreted that the adult is displeased with the kind of prey the immature has lifted from the ocean, as we would be also. Here is the link to Daniel’s post. Click on the first photo and arrow through.

If this is your first visit to my blog why not check out my birding website HomePage for more helpful information.

If you have purchased my book “What Birds Teach Us” and would like to share it with a friend who may like birds, or have a child between 7 and 12 years why not direct them to:  https://aussiebirder.com/birdbook/ 

Most specie of Duck nest on the ground or in reeds over water, but the Australian Wood Duck nest high up in eucalypt trees, especially in the natural holes of the Angophora costata tree, and usually over or beside water. I have on previous occasions described this as the perfect nesting tree for the Sulphur-crested Cockatoo and Rainbow Lorikeet which we also have in abundance around Sydney. This is why these ducks nest and thrive along the river in the Royal National Park. It does seem interesting and somewhat out of place to find a non passerine waterbird, which does not have the clasping claws for perching, standing on a branch high in a tree.  These very faithful partners and parents are always found together as they pair for life.

Australian Wood Ducks (Male and Female)

If I did not know the Aussie Wood Duck nested in trees I could interpret their presence there as trying to escape danger below, which is often the case for the Lyrebird, another ground grazer. This teaches us how easy it can be to misinterpret people and their actions without finding out the full and true story.  This is what the Australian Raven teaches in my book “What Birds Teach Us”. We need to remind ourselves and others about the danger of making ‘Global Statements’

A Global Statement is one which says: “You always…” or “… all of the time.” “They all…”, when what we really mean to say, more accurately, removing the emotion, the need to justify oneself and any anger, is: “You have on occasions…” or “Sometimes you…” “I have noticed that recently many/some…”. This will help to defuse any argument that may arise, taking the blame away and helping to identify the problem in a fairer and more honest light. This helps the other person to identify and own their problem, because when we put a label on someone we have judged them, rather than their misdeed.

Australian Raven in defensive stance

For example, a person who tells a lie, yes that is wrong, but to call them a liar is to label them as one who perpetually lies, denigrating them and their character, when it may have been a one off event. “You have lied to me.” or ” You have told a lie.” is more accurate, and focuses on the wrong deed and not the person. Of course if they frequently lie. “This person’s word may not be trustworthy, as they have been known to frequently lie.” Thus focusing on their word (action) and removing the character destroying global comment  is a healthy, loving and honest way to navigate improving relationships. We all need positive encouragement to do life better, rather than judgmental accusations which tear apart one’s character and cause a person to go on the defensive to protect themselves. Both win when love has prevailed to bring correction and healing.

“A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger. The tongue of the wise adorns knowledge, but the mouth of the fool gushes folly [is impetuous or rash].” – Proverbs 15:1

“Whoever heeds discipline shows the way to life, but whoever ignores correction leads others astray.” – Proverbs 10:17

If you have not already gone to my new aussiebirder YouTube channel click here.

Why not subscribe to my channel. New material will be added from time to time.

Have a wonderful week and stay safe !

W. A. Hewson (Adv. Dip. Counselling & Family Therapy).

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.

 

Return to Birding Dates – Seeking Freshwater Birds (Part 1)

Posted by aussiebirder on July 11, 2020
Posted in: Australia, Australian Birds, Australian wildlife, Bird Book, Bird watching, Birding, Birds, Birdwatching, Fauna, National Parks, Nature, Nature Reserves, Outings, raptors, Sydney, Australia, Uncategorized, Waders, water birds, wetlands, wildlife. Tagged: , , , , , , . 11 Comments
Musk Duck male

With further lifting of restrictions in our state, my wife and I decided to enjoy 2 birding dates in the one weekend, where our main focus was on freshwater birds. I had prepared the night before having just launched my new promo video for my book with the help and expertise of my son David, who works as an editor for a Sydney TV station. You can view the new promo here.

Leaving early Friday morning we arrived at Leura in the Blue Mountains for breakfast which we thoroughly enjoyed and now recommend Leura Cafe. The service was excellent and very caring, which reflected their boss.  My wife enjoyed it so much she took the above photo. They complied strictly to the Covid rules, unlike some of the other shops in town.  I had planned to also engage 2 new booksellers in the Blue Mountains region west of Sydney, while we passed through to Lake Wallace. You can see why they call them the BLUE Mountains. The blue haze is created by the eucalyptus vapour from the millions of eucalypt trees in the mountains.

how blue are these mountains
Fire damaged forest
sheer rising walls of stone

Evidence of the recent horrific bushfires is seen in the centre photo above way down in the Grose Valley. I managed to plant my book in one  bookshop in Lithgow and a clothing boutique in Blackheath. I already have established markets in other towns nearby there.

Musk Duck male
Musk Duck female
Musk Duck female
Musk Duck immature
Musk Duck male
Musk Duck (mum and 2 kids)
Musk Duck immature x 2
2 immature Musk Duck
Musk Duck male tail submerging
Musk Duck tail submerging

The Blue-billed Ducks we usually see here were not found, but a Musk Duck family were there Dad, Mum and 2 kids. Blue-bills are often found with their Musk cousins, in fact the females of both species look almost identical. These are one of the most difficult birds to photograph due to their black shiny plumage. Similar to the Blue-bills, they are a diving duck which spend almost all their life on water, sleeping afloat also. Their body lies low in the water. The male has a very unique flesh protrusion hanging from his throat. He gets his name from the musk like odour he emits to attract the female.

The only other waterbird was this Great Crested Grebe, alone far out on the lake. Another bird who lies low in the water.

Also we saw the usual Australian Swamphen and occasional Dusky Moorhen.

Australian Swamphen
Australian Swamphen

Of the passerines an adult male Australian Magpie and his two youngsters came begging when my wife and I sat  by the lake to have our morning coffee and Anzac bickies, I had baked the day before. They were soon joined by an aggressive Red Wattlebird who also wanted a piece of the action.

Magpie family
Red Wattlebird

Other small passerines included Fairy-wrens and this White-browed Scrubwren.

Last of all this Galah

Afterwards we drove back to Leura for lunch (a gourmet pie from the bakery)  and shopping, then off home. Another wonderful birding date enjoyed, for which we were truly thankful. I will share our following Birding Date next week.

I have recently established an aussiebirder YouTube channel where you can view videos such as the one above. You might like to subscribe. It is in its early stages as I add more to it. The above video displays the amazing provision that our Creator has provided for the birds through Intelligent Design.

Have a wonderful relaxing weekend and Stay Safe!

W. A. Hewson (Adv. Dip. Counselling & Family Therapy).

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.

 

The Non Migrating Migrants – Bar-tailed Godwits and others

Posted by aussiebirder on July 1, 2020
Posted in: Australia, Australian Birds, Australian wildlife, Bird Book, Bird watching, Birding, Birds, Birdwatching, Fauna, National Parks, Nature, Nature Reserves, Outings, raptors, Sydney, Australia, Uncategorized, Waders, water birds, wetlands, wildlife. Tagged: . 15 Comments

As we pass through the middle of our Winter, the cold dark mornings and evenings with it’s shorter days, I thought it time to go to the river mud flats to see the migratory waders who did not make their yearly 16,000 km flight to Alaska and Siberia back in April. Last year in our most devastating Summer, I found no migrants stay over, even the young ones flew. It is like they were warned to go, as the poisonous smoke from the bushfires lasted months here in Sydney. 

It is worth noting that none of these Godwits show any breeding plumage, which means they are immature and not yet breeding age. It is customary for some Godwits, mostly younger ones, to miss migrating back their first year, it is fairly random. We found at least seven who stayed. They usually stay as a group, and an adult may also stay to keep watch, but not always. I found another two in a separate place across the bay, foraging together. Notice how they press their whole head into the moist sand as they hunt out tiny mud crabs and worms. The buff around their neck is also a sign of their immaturity, as is the dark primaries.

When one in the group has a catch, you often see them sleuth away to eat it, as the others can chase after them if they see they have scored. This is also a feature of the immature bird, looking for an easy feed or handout. Notice in the last frame, that these birds are smaller than the Silver Gull. The female is usually slightly larger and has a longer beak. Unlike their cousin  the Black-tailed Godwit with its straight beak, their beak is slightly upturned. 

I am grateful to my faithful blog followers who have already purchased my book.  They will know this bird is famous for having the quality of Endurance. Flying 8 days non-stop from Alaska to Australia across the Pacific Ocean each Spring, when they will return to our shores with new young to enjoy our warmer weather and grace our river banks once again.

The Bar-tailed Godwit teaches Endurance

Also on the beach was this pair of Pied Oystercatcher. an endangered species in NSW due to the increase in 4WD vehicles being permitted on beaches where these birds breed, which is one of the crazy things our National Parks allow. Dogs and people are the other threats, as our state is the most populated, and the threat is greater. See how synchronized this pair are even in their flight.

One of them had some preening exercises which made some interesting shots.

Afterward, I headed out to see if the whales were active as they passed by our city. Most have already journeyed past in the last few weeks and only small pods of stragglers are left. While I saw no breaching I did see this pair staying close and synchronizing their moves. Sadly I missed a brilliant photo opportunity when both tails rose and slipped beneath the water at the same time. A similar synchrony to the Pied Oystercatcher above.

This what we saw last week when over 130 passed by in a day. This one was a fair way off…

The rugged sandstone cliffs near Botany Bay are the first sighting of Sydney travelers see when coming into Sydney airport.

Sandstone cliffs along Sydneys coastline

As we stood on Cape Banks, one of the best shoreline viewing points for whales on the north side of Botany Bay, we noticed the Australasian Gannet at work flying back and forth past the cape.

Cape Banks

At first we saw an immature Gannet and then captured the parent with its youngster together, which is a rare capture, as these birds are usually hunting alone.

You will notice the classic brown and speckled wing coloring of the immature, and the lack of the yellow head.

To my delight in the cold wind on top of the Cape, I turned to see this Nankeen Kestrel hovering and about to pounce on something, but caught view of me out of the corner of its eye and made its departure. It looked beautiful and in full colour against a blue cloudless Winter sky.

This bird is featured in my book for its Healthy Expectancy as it hovers over areas, and how we can learn to pursue healthy goals and wait for opportunity.

Another interesting synchrony of birds my wife and I witnessed while in Wagga Wagga last week was this small pod of Australian Pelican working in perfect synchrony together to fish the freshwater lake. My wife said it looked like a ballet.

They would move and submerge their heads as one. Pelicans are known to fish in pod, similar to a pod of Dolphin. Usually they make a V formation and push the fish to the shoreline,  which is shared in my book “What Birds Teach Us”

But here they display a different technique.

Moving slowly in tight pod together
Stop suddenly and submerge heads
Moving again slowly in tight pod
Stop suddenly again
This time going deeper
Australian Pelican resting

If you enjoyed this post and this is your first visit to this blog, why not become a follower and receive weekly emails of the latest post. You will not only learn more of the unusual behavioural characteristics of our beautiful and amazing Australian birds but also life lessons we can learn from them. Explore my website to find useful tips on birding and also lessons we can learn from birds.

It was so interesting and entertaining to watch the Pelicans work the lake (above) with such precise unity of function and purpose. We have heard the Covid catch-cry “We Are All In This Together” which actually means we can achieve success by us not physically getting together, but social distancing. Thus the meaning is in synchronizing  the concept of doing together and not the act of being together. It is failure or refusal to recognize the difference that has been responsible for so many lives lost this year, and why Covid outbreaks occur in pockets in the community. The wonderful truth is that we can achieve great things together, without actually being physically in the same place, like the Pelicans. We can pray for those suffering, send financial help, encourage the anxious by making phone contact, assist elderly neighbors to get their needs, to name a few. But we are in synchrony of purpose: To stay safe, be safe for others and maintain hygiene vigilance. As a very wise man once said…

“Wisdom and good judgment live together, for wisdom knows where to discover knowledge and understanding.” – Proverbs 8:12 (Living Bible)

Enjoy your week and stay safe.

W. A. Hewson (Adv. Dip. Counselling & Family Therapy).

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.

 

Clear Calm Winter Skies – and Rapturous Raptors

Posted by aussiebirder on June 24, 2020
Posted in: Australia, Australian Birds, Australian wildlife, Bird Book, Bird watching, Birding, Birds, Birdwatching, Fauna, National Parks, Nature, Nature Reserves, Outings, raptors, Sydney, Australia, Uncategorized, wildlife. Tagged: , , , , , . 17 Comments

The warm clear calm sunny days of Winter are wonderful times to be out walking and enjoying the beautiful world we live in. For us here in Sydney it is whale migration time, where the Humpback Whales travel up the east coast for warmer weather, to both mate and also give birth to their young, in and near Hervey Bay in Queensland. Here in Sydney, hundreds of city dwellers are gathering daily on the tall sandstone cliffs of Botany Bay National Park to view the passing giants, and hopefully view a breaching whale or two, as was my plan.

 

As I watched several whale pods pass by and chatted with the whale counters, we were treated initially to a lone Eastern Osprey fishing right in front of our viewing station. As you can see above she caught the fish and then landed to proceed to eat it, but made sure she was a fair way from us. The Osprey unlike any other bird have dual opposed claws, which are not so good for landing on a hard flat surface, but are Intelligently Designed for catching, gripping and carrying slimy fish.

Some time after she left with her fish, having been scared off by an over keen photographer (not me, by the way). As the afternoon Winter sun started falling lower in the sky, we were all excitedly delighted to behold a pair of adult White-bellied Sea-Eagles circling over the ocean cliffs right in front of us, in a similar fashion to the Eastern Osprey previously. The White-bellied Sea-Eagle is our second largest raptor in Australia, and the most commonly seen, especially along the east coast, though it is found inland along most rivers.

I am always reminded when I see an eagle soaring on the thermals of the need for us to get renewed perspective in our difficult life situations, to see the bigger picture rather than be sunk by the short-lived circumstantial moment.

The Bible often uses the eagle to describe deliverance and renewal of strength and perspective in life.  Eventually, the male Sea-Eagle caught a fish and circled with it, landing briefly out of sight to remove and eat its head, as they do,

During the cause of the circling, the body of fish is given to the female. This practice is usually done to feed their young and also as a courting gesture, which is what we all excitedly hoped was the case. We were hoping that they would grip claws and fall in their aerial marriage dance,but this did not occur while I was there, as I had to leave to drive home before dark to get the washing off the line and cook dinner for 5 people.

This bird is highlighted in my book ‘What Birds Teach Us” for the quality of Trust, where my rare photos depict the stages of how the parent eagle under-girds the fledgling till it can fly. It catches the youngster on its back and carries it back to the nest if fails to fly, and then nudges it out of the nest again till it gets over its fear and flies freely.

From my book “What Birds Teach Us”

The eagle depicted on the left hand page (above) actually knew me as a friend and would often soar motionless above my head and look at me when I was out on the beach. Friends would call out when they saw it and say “Ashley, your eagle is here !” It would remain there even in strong wind, but as soon as I pulled out my camera, would, without seeming to move a muscle drift off. I remember telling my son when he visited on one occasion, as we stood on the beach: “Wait, and you will meet my eagle.” and sure enough he visited us only minutes later, looking down from above my head but did not stay long. 

The very next day while travelling south my wife and I sighted Australia’s largest raptor, the Wedge-tailed Eagle soaring, again as a pair. The clear calm blue sky enabled the photographing of its underside clearly. I have often said, if it is a bright cloudy sky full of diffused light, a raptor in flight will be but a silhouette. Winter is a great time to see and photograph raptors here on the east coast. The Wedgie (as we nickname them) is mainly an inland bird found west of the ranges. It has suffered a history of being the most hunted and killed bird for over a hundred years, having a bounty on its head, as graziers blamed it for taking their lambs. Thankfully it is now protected, but any farmers continue to shoot it, out of the sight of the law. This huge bird has a wingspan of 2.3 metres, and has been seen carrying lambs and wallabies in its talons.

This bird also features in my book, where it addresses the importance of being empowered in our life as these birds are. Raptors, like the Wedge have the ability to telescope their eye socket and see 5 to 10 times better than we can. The Wedgie can see a mouse, from the air, one kilometre away.

It is amazing how close I got to the eagle on the left hand page above. Most Wedgies would not have allowed me to photograph them. I was driving past on a bush road and there it was just standing on the stump, looking at me. It did not seem afraid or threatened, but was empowered and in control of the situation.

In two days I had seen three of our largest raptors, what a wonderful find ! and they were against a clear blue Winter sky.

If this is your first visit to my blog, take a moment and check my website for more interesting birding tips and info,as well as my recent book release here.

Several of my friends, including two of my blog followers, coincidentally shared posts and recent experiences of hearing and delighting in birdsong. Birders call the early morning birdsong the Morning Chorus. This is when all the birds awaken from sleep and excitedly feed and locate their family by calling. Many also constantly declare their territorial possession, but many more sing purely for the delight and pleasure of it, as it releases the feel good endorphins in their brain, the same way it does for us humans when we sing. I believe that the birds in their morning song, are also singing with an attitude of gratitude, as they freely feed, and food is readily made available for them. Jesus mentions how the birds do not have to work, labour or worry about their food, but just like in the moment, trusting God to faithfully provide for them, and he does. I also was greeted by these caroling Australian Magpies early in the morning last Sunday, where four families of Magpie sat on lamp posts, trees and aerials calling in response to each other, declaring their territory and acknowledging the presence of their neighboring families.

Have a wonderful week, and stay safe.

W. A. Hewson (Adv. Dip. Counselling & Family Therapy).

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.

 

Meeting the Gang Gang Gang – One Foggy Winter’s Day

Posted by aussiebirder on June 17, 2020
Posted in: Australia, Australian Birds, Australian wildlife, Bird Book, Bird watching, Birding, Birds, Birdwatching, Fauna, National Parks, Nature, Nature Reserves, Outings, Sydney, Australia, Uncategorized, wildlife. Tagged: , , , . 18 Comments

Gang Gang Cockatoo male

You may remember last week my wife and I sited 2 female Gang Gang Cockatoo feeding quitely in Barren Grounds NP. Last Thursday, in response to a tip off siting, I left early in the morning, through thick pea soup fog, making my way to the Central Coast area near Gosford in search of a large flock of Gang Gang Cockatoo. The reason we are seeing them, and other cockatoo at this time of year is because they have come down from the mountains for a warmer winter and to eat the seeds from the uneaten pods on the various coastal native and introduced trees. In spring most will return to the mountains to a cooler summer climate. 

On arriving at the exact location the Cockies were last sited, three days before, I was pleasantly delighted to find in this driveway lined with Liquid Amber trees the flock hidden high among the bare branches in the morning sun, munching on the seed pods. The telltale signs of their presence, beside the sound of falling debris, were the hundreds of spent seed pods on the ground. There were many males and several females. The following is an immature male, which is continuing to gain his male red crown  but slowly loosing his orange frontal bands, which are found on females and juvenile birds. Females lack the red head dress.

Sadly the females, were very evasive and constantly hid from my camera, in a similar way to the female King Parrot. This was the only clear shot I got before she saw me and hid.

There language or call has been likened to a squeaky door, and as you can hear they are not far wrong.

I just admired them as they fed in this very beautiful part of the world, with green moist rainforest surrounding. You will hear the sound of an Eastern Whipbird in the background. 

Gang Gang is the native Australian name for these birds which several Aborigine tribes used. When a word is repeated in their language it usually means many or large number of whatever, such as lots of Gang or large flock of Gang.  I just enjoyed watching the males head dress in the sun…

Watching how this immature male holds the seed pod to his mouth as he crunches it with is intelligently designed beak for the purpose. It is wonderful how God has designed birds to know what their food is because they are actually designed with the equipment, and know how to use it.

Soon they flock started to be come suddenly startled and took flight.

There were over 30 birds all suddenly gone, flying back and forth across the valley, so I left, happy that I did actually see them after a 2 hour drive.

Silently in nearby trees Eastern Crimson Rosella also dined on these tasty Liquid Amber fruit.

Leaving after the flock had left, I made my way through the fog to a mountain nature reserve called Girrakool Nature Reserve Loop Track where I shared a coffee and bickie with a female Australian Brush Turkey, who was quite friendly, looking for handouts.

During my walk along the creek loop track I came across an area of quite noisy communication between several White-cheeked Honeyeater, which are seen here this time of year.

Watch as one of these birds does its staccato call. I love how its tail and whole body are involved, such passion and feeling in their call. Recent ornithological neurological studies show that the feel good endorphin effect, like that we get from laughing or singing or feeling elated is similar when these birds sing or call passionately.

It was good to see that some nectar producing flowers were out, which was a good sign for the presence of the honeyeater.

As I made my way back I suddenly pulled to the side of the road when I saw this large raptor a Square-tailed Kite circling over  some trees, where various birds fled and chased it, but it continued for some time, as if it had a target in mind. This is not a commonly seen raptor, so it was blessed find. You can see from the tail how it gets its name. 

If this is your first visit to my blog, why not explore my website for helpful birding tips here or find out more about my recent book release here.

As I returned home I was thankful that my journey was fruitful and was able to bring you more of the Gang Gangs in this post. During the loop walk I saw several waterfalls in full flow from recent rains. Considering it was only several months ago we were on water restrictions and deep in drought.

Water is essential to the life of every living thing. Birds build their nests near fresh water, which makes them easy to find. Our lives flow like a waterfall or stream, constantly pouring out to the small part of the world that surrounds us. We have the power to refresh and give life to those we meet each day by our words and body language. Words are powerful and so are our gestures, a smile, a G’day to a stranger, an encouraging acknowledgement of ones taste in dress, or achievements, all give life and add value to the people we meet. We all have a love deficit of some form which needs refilling, because we leak. We can help others overflow when we overflow with love and encouragement. When I was training with Suicide Assist the instructor shared this story after we had all shared why we were doing the course: “I was walking down the street one day and passed a man who looked sad, so I looked him in the eyes and gave him a big smile, and walked on thinking nothing more of it. Several years later, I asked a group of newbies to the course ‘Why they were doing the course ?’ and one man passionately pointed toward me and said: ” Because of this man I am here and alive today, he saved my life with a smile. I was on my way to act out my suicide, and when he smiled, I realised there was more to life, that some one actually cared enough for me to smile. That random act of kindness saved my life, and now I want to help save others like me.”

‘Anxiety weighs down the heart, but a kind word cheers it up.’ – Proverbs 12:25

‘Whoever is kind to the poor lends to the Lord, and he will reward them for what they have done.’ – Proverbs 19:17

Enjoy your week, and enjoy getting out and about again. Be thankful with an Attitude of Gratitude and couple this each day with  a deliberate random act of kindness and this will be health and happiness for your body and soul. Who knows how many lives you will bless !

W. A. Hewson (Adv. Dip. Counselling & Family Therapy).

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.

 

Free to Birding Date Again- A Day Trip to Barren Grounds NP

Posted by aussiebirder on June 10, 2020
Posted in: Australia, Australian Birds, Australian wildlife, Bird Book, Bird watching, Birding, Birds, Birdwatching, Fauna, National Parks, Nature, Nature Reserves, Outings, Sydney, Australia, Uncategorized, wildlife. Tagged: , , , , , , , . 13 Comments

Gang Gang Cockatoo female/immature feeding on gum nuts.

Last Friday my wife and I filled our Thermos flasks and packed my freshly baked Anzac biscuits to my original recipe (my best ones yet) and drove just over one hour, up to the Southern Highlands for the day on a birding date now that restrictions are lifting. After a lovely breakfast at the Bowral Cafe we made our way to Belmore Falls where we had our morning coffee and brickies, after discovering the amazing absence of birds. It was a perfect Winter’s day, sunny crisp 10°C very quiet, so we basked in the ambiance and serenity of the moment and crunched on another bickie, as there were just a couple of Wattlebirds chasing each other.

This part of the Great Dividing Range, similar to the Blue Mountains region, rise up out of the valley as if they have been cut vertically with a knife. We drove to the largest falls with the longest drop, Fitzroy Falls in the Morton National Park where we usually see Lyrebirds performing, but they were not present today, as most are nesting, though the falls was on full display.  After a chat with Sally in the visitor centre, to discover they have sold out of my book, we made our way to the falls. I love watching the ribbons of water falling and finally melting deep in the valley on the rocks below.

You can see what I mean by the sheerness of the drop.

We drove through the little country town of Robertson where hundreds of Long Weekend people were swarming to the popular tourist shops and cafes, making up for lost time. We saw this and thankfully drove off to a much higher, very recluse, part of the mountain known as Barren Grounds National Park, which some will remember we have visited on many occasions in the past, usually in pursuit of the extremely rare and endangered Eastern Ground Parrot, which most birders never ever see, as it is just as recluse.

As we walked long the track we noticed both a lack of flora and fauna, even for this time of year. Many birds had been incinerated in the horrific bushfires not too far away from here earlier this year. Our first encounter was with the New Holland Honeyeater, one of Australia’s most endurant honeyeater being found in large numbers throughout Australia with several subspecies. These guys were flying all over the place in one area catching insects on the fly. You may remember I mentioned in my book as a most diligent bird.

The following photo will show how difficult it can be to spot this bird when it rests.

We noticed in the mixed feeding flock (MFF) an inland  bird we had not seen for a long time, the White-naped Honeyeater. A tiny honeyeater with a white stripe across the back of its head and red eye surrounds. It was a challenge to photograph as it moved deep into the dark canopy of the eucalypt in search of lerps.

The welcome and predictable appearance of the Eastern Yellow Robin was a delight. This curious Robin flies right up to you on a tree so close my lens is unable to focus. It just sits looking at you and then flies to another tree. The assumption is that they follow you along the track hoping that you might disturb insects which they will pounce on, as they often fly to the ground to feed, which is an identifying behaviour when viewing them from a distance. If you would like to see the Robin feeding its nestlings, watch my short promo video on my birdbook page

The Eastern Spinebill was another honeyeater joining the MFF. They were also lerping as there were no nectar producing wild flowers out at present so lerps and insects become their food source till the August when we begin to see the Early Bush Spring.

The cream of our finds was from a lady passing us on the track who had sighted a pair of Gang Gang Cockatoo. These are mountain birds seldom seen by us near the coast, and like all Cockatoo at present looking for the seed cones and eucalypt gum nuts produced from last Summer to sustain them during this time of no fruit or blossom. At the head of this track there is a sign that informs us to look out for them as they are seen here.

The male has a bright red head and crest. Their unique body plumage looks almost owl-like, quite distinct from other Cockatoo. My wife prayed and asked God that we might see the Gang Gangs on the track we turned onto. Just after praying and stopping to have a sip of water she heard pieces of gum nuts falling from the tree she was standing under. Looking up she found the two, which appeared to be either both female or immature, as they lacked the red head and has orange underbelly stripes, which the male lacks. We both could have quite easily walked bye and not seen them as they were hidden high in the canopy of the eucalypt. This was an exciting find, though they were difficult to view high in the dark foliage of the eucalypt, quite unperturbed by our presence. You could only detect their presence by the sound of falling gum nut fragments. Most Cockies are detected in this manner when they silently feed. I had to play with the lighting somewhat to see their features.

Cockatoos and other members of the Parrot family are unique in that they are able to bring their food to their mouth with their foot, unlike most other birds which have to bring their beak or bill to their food. Notice in this clip how the Gang Gang holds the gum nut to its mouth as it chews it.

We finally left the Cockies feeding and made our way back to the car where we returned to Bowral Cafe for a hot gourmet pie, but we were too late and had to find another cafe where we enjoyed a late gourmet pie lunch. We headed homeward thankful for an enjoyable day out together on a beautiful birding date.

A simple prayer request is instantly answered. We are always thankful for God’s kindness to us when he comes birding with us. He loves to delight his children by giving them what they ask for, not because we deserve it, for we don’t, but because he is faithful to his word and loves us to ask him for help in our lives.

Jesus says:”Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.”  – Matthew 7:7-8

Jesus says:”If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him!” – Matthew 7:11

It is very reassuring to know help is just a heartfelt prayer away:

God the Father says: “Call upon Me in the day of trouble; I shall rescue you, and you will honor Me.” – Psalm 50:15

Enjoy your week as your freedoms return, and remember it is not over yet, so respect social distancing.

W. A. Hewson (Adv. Dip. Counselling & Family Therapy).

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.

 

The Great River Walk – What Winter Birds Are There ?

Posted by aussiebirder on June 6, 2020
Posted in: Australia, Australian Birds, Australian wildlife, Bird Book, Bird watching, Birding, Birds, Birdwatching, Fauna, National Parks, Nature, Nature Reserves, Outings, Sydney, Australia, Uncategorized, wildlife. Tagged: , , , , , , , , , . 14 Comments

Male Superb Fairy-wren                                            Female Superb Fairy-wren

Having picked up my camera and lens from having its 5 month hospitalization and major surgery, my wife and I headed out west of Sydney to the The Great River Walk, which runs along the Nepean River at Penrith. You may remember we visited this walk for the first time in Summer, so we thought it good to check out the Winter birds here. They were fewer and much the same, and in much the same places, but no nesting this time or males displaying. Though as you can see above the male Superb Fairy-wrens were well decked out in breeding plumage, as they can breed several times in one year. 

It’s inland cousin, the Splendid Fairy-wren is the one featured on the cover of my book and also as the first bird in my book.

It was quite cool in the morning and many walkers were on the track, but this did not perturb the birds as they sang and hopped about in the scrub by the track. We checked were the previous nesting sites were during Summer, but they were long gone, though we did see a pair of Dusky Woodswallow that had previously nested there, hunting and resting nearby on top of a lamp post.

Earlier my wife had spotted this PeeWee (Magpie-lark) which she noticed look different, and yes it was, lacking the full front black breast plate. It appeared to be a male possibly immature.

See several Yellow Thornbills in the sunlight was one of our greatest delights, as this is more of an inland birds we seldom see in the coastal forests. These tiny birds make their beautiful little buzz and piping notes as they busily move over trees for insects. 

It is interesting that several birds that normally migrate north to warmer weather during Winter are remaining during these months, possibly because they have adapted to our warmer winters. The Red-whiskered BulBul is one such bird. We saw this pair and several other family groups also.

Of course the Red-browed Finch is present as always. These little Firetails are always a delight to watch flocking about the grass seed.

The male Golden Whistler made a short appearance, escaping my camera. However, I managed to catch this shot. He was calling out of season. This is another bird featured in my book for his joyful song. Recent studies in bird neurology have found that birds such as the Whistlers sing not just to communicate and ward off intruders but also just for the sheer pleasure of it, as it releases the feel good endorphins in the brain, in the same way as it does when we sing and are happy. 

The loud melodic ring of the Bell bird dominated one area of the walk, where these birds had taken control of several eucalypt trees, where they were busily moving throughout the trees harvesting the bird sugar candy called lerps. They constantly and deliberately eluded my camera. One bird had just bathed in the river nearby and was quite disheveled, as he preened and cleaned himself.

This is another bird featured in my book for its amazing social and community structure. This is what it sounds like. The sound can be so loud in some forests when hundreds of these birds are calling that it is almost deafening. The sound is amazingly amplified off the eucalypt leaves in a similar way to the sound of the Whipbird (also featured in my book).  Here is a sample.

Lastly, we saw a small flock of yellow-tailed Black Cockatoo fly off into the distance toward the Blue Mountains in search of seed cones. This one I managed to capture flying into the mist.

In summary, many of the territorial non migratory birds remained in the same areas we found them last Summer, though several of the other species, particularly the honeyeaters,  had left for warmer areas or chasing blossom.

It is interesting to watch how many species of bird can co habitate together in harmony, and share the experience of being with others, even if they are different species, gaining the advantages of the Mixed Feeding Flock (MFF) whereas others show aggressive tenancies to all of different species, excluding them from their social network. This is similar to human behaviour, and is featured in recent violent occurrences in both Australia and the USA, where aggressive Miner-like behaviour caused the death and injury of two men.

“For the Lord is right and good. He loves what is right and good. And those who are right with Him will see His face.” – Psalm 11:7

“This is how we know who the children of God are and who the children of the devil are: Anyone who does not do what is right is not God’s child, nor is anyone who does not love their brother and sister.” – 1 John 3:10

Enjoy your long weekend and the returning freedom to move about, to explore, to dine and to meet with others again. Remember to continue social distancing and be vigilant to prevent a second wave. 

My Mission: To encourage all people to make good life choices, using birds to teach important life skills.

W. A. Hewson (Adv. Dip. Counselling & Family Therapy).

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.

 

 

Down Among the Leaf Litter – A Walk in the Rainforest Part 3

Posted by aussiebirder on May 28, 2020
Posted in: Australia, Australian Birds, Australian wildlife, Bird Book, Bird watching, Birding, Birds, Birdwatching, Fauna, National Parks, Nature, Nature Reserves, Outings, Rainforests, Royal National park, Sydney, Australia, Uncategorized, wildlife. Tagged: , , , , . 19 Comments

Superb Lyrebird male

This week has been Wild Wet Windy Weather, and quite cold,  a good reason to stay inside. So I continue with a walk I did deep into the rainforest last week, where I went to clear my mind to walk and talk with my Father in his Rainforest Garden, in the Royal National Park. Last week I featured the female Superb Lyrebird, this week the male (above). The male with the beautiful tail. I saw both male and female Lyrebirds foraging quietly, and they allowed me to come close, which is unusual. I was only 2 feet away from one and it was not alarmed. How wonderful that they trusted me. These are birds that feed deeper in the forest away from most human traffic, and are more trusting. If you want to see Lyrebirds, find where visible recent scratchings are on the track and be in that area, early morning after sunrise when they are having breakfast.

The other two rainforest floor dwellers along with the Lyrebird, that I mentioned in the above video are the Bassian Thrush and the Australian Logrunner. These two are very secretive birds and difficult to both find and see as they are found on the dark forest floor among the leaf litter where they find their food. They have excellent camouflage and will stop dead still when they see you. Check them out and you will see what I mean. The Logrunner is a very small bird and often heard before seen, as it flicks the leaf litter with its legs, leaning back on the tail.

Australian Logrunner (male and female)
Bassian Thrush

If you do hear a Logrunner calling and communicating with partner it may sound like this:

If it is a territorial dispute it will sound more like a squeaky toy (a rubber ducky being repeatedly squeezed quickly).

The so called Naturalists from the early European settlement here in the 1800s, invaded our forests with rifles in the name of science (or today scientific research as with the whales Ha Ha). The so called bird lover John Gould dined on Australian birds and bragged about it, as he claimed fame for his 7 volume work on our birds  in 1848. They killed thousands of Lyrebirds to stuff for display back in the homeland, eat, extract their tails from for display and just for the fun of it… don’t that make you a little upset ?

Eventually the Conservation Movement stopped the meaningless slaughter of these and many other native species, some now extinct. Now the ferule cats, domestic cats and foxes continue the slaughter, both here and in the forests near Melbourne, especially Sherbrooke Forest where the population was almost decimated by domestic cats. Local residents by Law now must keep their cats caged.

Last week, my wife and I also visited one of our western Sydney birding spots, as we delivered a book shipment to a warehouse nearby, but most of the birds were gone, that once were in abundance. I have noticed that many left during the months of bushfire smoke late last year. Here’s what we found.

The New Holland Honeyeater is found in abundance in the southern Sydney National Parks and Reserves, especially along the coastline heath. This bird is featured in my book: “What Birds Teach Us” for its Diligence, here is a sample page:

 

The good news is, the final part for my lens has arrived and the camera should be ready by Saturday and this era of movie filling up my website storage may end.  It has been like having a best friend in hospital, and you can’t visit, having my lens out of action for four months. Though my wife has enjoyed having her photos receive encouraging remarks for my dear blog followers.

Thank you to those of you who have purchased my recent release 2nd Edition of “What Birds Teach Us”, some purchases are still making their way through the slower than usual Corona time, especially in the USA, but we are keeping track. We are working at present on new Promo videos and preparation for a book launch at a group of private schools.

Koorong Books has the 2nd Edition now in stock and is available online and in store. Koorong have stores all over Australia, mainly in the larger cities.  Sadly, my previous best sellers, NSW National Parks Visitor Centres are still closed due to Covid.  However at present the best price is to buy here online.

“We want each of you to show this same diligence to the very end, so that what you hope for may be fully realized.” – Hebrews 6:11

Have a wonderful week birding… and…. 

My Mission: To encourage all people to make good life choices, using birds to teach important life skills.

W. A. Hewson (Adv. Dip. Counselling & Family Therapy).

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.

When the Lyrebird Goes Quiet – A Walk in the Rainforest: Part 2

Posted by aussiebirder on May 21, 2020
Posted in: Australia, Australian Birds, Australian wildlife, Bird Book, Bird watching, Birds, Birdwatching, Fauna, National Parks, Nature, Nature Reserves, Outings, Rainforests, Royal National park, Sydney, Australia, Uncategorized, water birds, wildlife. Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , . 14 Comments

Last week my wife and I went for a longer than usual walk into the rainforest in the Royal National Park. We have been enjoying these long walks in the fresh sunny Autumn weather, and it has been therapeutic emotionally and physically as I continue to come to terms with social distancing, accepting retirement, my camera still being repaired and my book promotion put on hold. 

 

Continuing from my previous post we left early in search again for the female Superb Lyrebirds nesting, as Autumn is the time when she builds the nest and lays her eggs, while the male continues to do his song and dance performances to woo his female fans for mating. Click Here for some of my previous footage, which some of you have seen, to give you an idea how they dance to their own beat, and use their repertoire of mimicry to impress the female.

Male Lyrebird performing mimicry
Male Lyrebird dancing to his own beat.

Like the Bowerbird, the males spend most of their life, and time practicing their performance for that short period of several weeks when they mate. Notice the female photo above (again the work of my dear wife, who wants to thanks those who complemented her for her beautiful Fairy-wren photo featured last week)) has an ordinary feathered tail and a rufous throat, unlike the beautiful male tail. As we walked deeper into the forest we noticed increased scratchings by the track, and soon we started finding the females preparing their nests and just very quietly foraging for food.

It was not long before we found what we were looking for, a female collecting sticks and moss for the nest. Again, she was very careful to not give away the location of the nest. I watched how particular she was collecting the correct stick. She would stop, add to the bundle, pick it up and move to her next pick up.

This particular day we saw no males, though the following week I saw 3 males and 3 females. As we made our way through the forest our stress levels fell and we felt more relaxed.

We started hearing and then seeing the White-throated Treecreeper ascending a tree, silently. Usually you only find them by hearing their loud repeating call. This is a female, because of the orange spot on her ears.

As she ascended you will hear in the background the sound of another Treecreeper climbing, foraging for grubs and insects in the bark of the eucalypt tree. This is a bird seen in greater number during the colder months.

The Golden Whistler is quieter during the winter months also. The males are usually hard to spot during Winter months, as they are shy and not singing as much as they Sing in Spring. The females on the other hand are very curious and will come close to get a good look at you.

One bird you will always hear in our rainforest all year round is the Lewin’s Honeyeater. Their call is similar to the Treecreeper but much faster in staccato. You may remember the call from a previous post, it was also in the background of the female Golden Whistler clip (above).

On this occasion I was able to get closer. Most of our Honeyeaters migrate around following blossom, and avoiding colder weather, but the Lewin’s is a rainforest Honeyeater and is usually territorial remaining all year round, similar to the Miners and Wattlebirds.

One of the encouraging signs after the drought beginning to break from recent rains, is the sound of the many Eastern Whipbirds, which went very quiet during the driest part of last year, as they forage on the forest floor turning moist leaf litter for grubs and insects, in moist gullies.  They are very elusive birds, and in my early birding years had me standing for hours trying to catch a glimpse. This one eluded us also.

Eastern Whipbird sees us and plans his escape
Eastern Whipbird making his gettaway

As we finished our 9 km walk we noticed this Australasian Darter resting, and doing an excerpt from some Bird Ballet for a few seconds.

Darter Ballet

My contemplation for this week comes from the following film clip during my rainforest walk this week. The National Park was spared the horrific bushfires this past year, but has been burnt out years ago in 1994 with a horrific fire click here to see some of the photos. This tall straight forest hardwood in the thick of the rainforest was burnt out but continues to grow strong, because enough of the vital cambium layer just under the thick bark, which feeds the tree, survived the intense heat and fire.

This tree reminded me of me, when years ago I suffered burn out from being too busy and too stressed from the demands of job, family and life itself. Thankfully with God’s provision and help I survived and managed to to come back even stronger, like the tree, which spurred me on to study family counselling and write the books. While I remain connected and rooted firmly to my Life Source I can continue growing and enjoying life, having learnt how to avoid further burn out. My birding walks help achieve this,in a mindful way, like Adam (the first man) I can walk and talk with God alone in his beautiful garden, and be at peace, because I have come to realize his faithful love and provision for me. If you feel safe to check out my Birder Sanctuary pages you will see some of the principles that helped me through the difficult times, and continue to. Interesting enough God used birds to teach, help and even feed man many times throughout  history, and Jesus mentions them more than any other animal.

 Enjoy your week, and especially enjoy a fresh appreciation of  freedom, food, family and friends and our beautiful country as we begin to navigate a new normal as we hopefully come out of the Covid Crisis.

My Mission: To encourage all people to make good life choices, using birds to teach important life skills.

W. A. Hewson (Adv. Dip. Counselling & Family Therapy).

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.

An Early Morning Rainforest Walk – Social Distancing at its Best

Posted by aussiebirder on May 14, 2020
Posted in: Australian Birds, Australian wildlife, Bird Book, Bird watching, Birding, Birds, Birdwatching, Fauna, National Parks, Nature, Nature Reserves, Outings, Rainforests, Royal National park, Sydney, Australia, Uncategorized, wildlife. Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , . 11 Comments

Superb Fairy-wren male (non-breeding)

One day last week to set off early to miss the walkers and walk through Royal National Park and search for Lyrebird we knew was nesting near the track, as unlike most birds they nest in Autumn and Winter. We had only just stepped out of our car and we heard the Superb Fairy-wren family twittering right beside us. We always see them in this area, where I researched them for my book. A beautiful male in eclipse or female-like non-breeding plumage was happily twittering and drawing our attention away from his wife and children who were escaping behind him. He stayed as his curiosity gave me some lovely footage, but notice the speed of his every movement, which shows how much faster their thought processes and metabolism is to ours.

The lovely feature photo at the top of the page was my wife’s, as I continue to await my lens repair, which is meant to be concluded this week, however the part has not come in yet. Here is a photo in his breeding plumage last Spring:

Since the Covid crisis my wife and I have been taking longer walks deeper in to the rainforest areas of our National Park to get much needed exercise, to refresh our spirits and distance ourselves even further from the dramatic increase in walkers due to the virus restrictions and the need to exercise.  However, walking but no loitering or picnicking allowed. As you can see below the Cafe is closed and the picnic benches taped over, as the people-less grounds will soon be joined by a leafless introduced tree as it approaches the Covid winter of my life.

Royal NP Cafe outside empty
Picnic tables taped over under a changing introduced tree.

Walking amid the coastal rainforest of eastern Australia is one of the most beautiful and refreshing experiences, especially when one enters pockets of constant bird song, as mixed feeding flocks feed on nectar rich native flora which at this time of year is limited mainly to Banksia ericifolia, which helps carry them through to early Spring.

Our main mission which moved us further into the forest, this particular walk, was to search for the female Superb Lyrebird building her nest. You may recall in this recent previous post the male Lyrebirds have recently been performing to attract females to mate with, as is their custom this time of year. Now the pregnant female is gathering sticks, moss and soft foliage to build it’s unique dome nest. When looking  for Lyrebirds one looks for fresh track-side scratchings. These became more extensive the further we moved into the forest away from people.

Evidence of a recent Lyrebird foraging

Keeping my eyes ever looking ahead, I finally spotted a male foraging quite some distance ahead on the side of the track. This explains the poor quality of video.

The easiest way to discern the sex of a Lyrebird is by it’s tail. The male has the beautiful streaming tail with streamers and net like frills, and the female has a shorter, simple dull brown-grey feathered tail, as does the juvenile.

As we walked further we saw evidence of moss being gathered, and then to our surprise, as well as the female Lyrebird’s, we caught her carrying moss to her nest, though she made sure we did not find the nest.

You can learn more about this bird and the next bird mentioned, in my book “What Birds Teach Us”

We heard the sound of a male Eastern Whipbird calling as he made his morning rounds, but there was no female response. He could be a young male who may find a mate and breed early Spring. 

The female response always immediately follows the male whip call. It is only a second after his, how amazing is that. When she hears him she waits and calls precisely after his call. This is what it would sound like if she were there foraging nearby:

It was interesting to find this single male Yellow-tailed Cockatoo calling from a tree. This bird is always found in flocks and pairs, so this fellow either lost the flock or maybe lost the plot as he seemed disorientated. This time of year we see flocks of this bird on the coast exploring the cones from the many pines planted, especially Norfolk Pines planted along the coast.

While we were walking, the flock eventually flew over but without this guy. Listen to their unique call. Birders get excited and run outside with their cameras when they here this sound, especially if a large flock is passing over, they are so loud, even at a high altitude.

The tiny constantly moving Brown Thornbill, an insectivorous local is always seen year round calling and moving through trees, often in MMFs (Mixed Feeding Flocks), delights us with his classic call.

The Sulfur-crested Cockatoo have usually finished breeding in the south, but because of the warm Autumn some are breeding here, as if they are far north. This guy is on nest-watch.

A companion breeder to the Cockie is the Rainbow Lorikeet who competes for tree holes since they often share the same trees at the same time. However, the Rainbow Lorikeet can breed all year round, producing 2 eggs each time, where as the Kookaburra breeds only in Spring. This pair may be checking out this white-ant nest, which has been traditionally the nest of the resident Kookaburras, and has previously caused controversy between the two over the years, which I did show on a previous post last year. Notice how one stands guard while the other looks inside. Not sure what is happening here, whether they are using it at present, before Spring arrives later in the year, or just doing a pre-auction inspection, as this is prime luxury real estate.

Later before leaving we heard the loud sound of many Rainbow Lorikeets in an Angophora tree. We focused our lenses high up in the tree to discover that these birds had discovered a small pool of water sitting in a bowl formation upright in the tree. This unusual tree, which I have shared about many times, is an important part of this bird’s habitat, due to its unique branch formation, and branch ejection system, leaving pockets and holes which birds use to nest in or in this occasion to drink from and bathe in after rain.

Rainbow Lorikeet flying in for a drink, scattering the others.

One bird we always look for along the river before we leave the park is the Azure Kingfisher. We usually spot him zipping in and out of the river. Though it would appear to a brief onlooker he is just resting, he is actually hard at work looking into the water for his next catch, which he will pluck out of the water with precise accuracy and speed, returning with it to the same perch.

The Kingfisher family (of which the Kookaburra is the largest member) have binocular vision, to enable accurate distance assessment using triangulation. In addition they also have the ability to correct for light refraction in water, which enables them to accurately target and catch their prey. It is interesting that what can appear to one person from the context of their own experience to be resting or non-active is actually quite the opposite. It is only when one studies, observes and investigates the facts fully, they can make an informed decision otherwise a false assessment can easily be made, by making a comparison with ones existing knowledge. The chapter on the Australian Raven in my book sheds light on this also. It is one thing to gain knowledge (to know what), and even greater to gain wisdom (to know how to use knowledge) but the greatest treasure one can procure  is understanding (to know why wisdom works). The wisest man King Solomon says:

“The beginning of wisdom is this: Get wisdom. Though it cost all you have, get understanding.” – Proverbs 4:7

“To God belong wisdom and power; counsel and understanding are his.” – Job 12:13

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding;” – Proverbs 3:5

If you have not done so already please take advantage of my Book Launch Special Offer discount. Find out more about my book and purchase safely online: here.

Thank you so much my dear Blog Following Friends who have already purchased my book, and some have purchased several copies. A school teacher who bought several of my books, exclaimed how much better it was to the first edition, which was very encouraging.

We have planned to have my official book launch at a special Primary School assembly Post-Covid. I did a presentation at this school a couple of years ago and they loved it and sold many books of which $5 from every book sold went to the school. The same school has already purchased 2 books for its library. Find out how your school or club can benefit also if you live in NSW here.

Please, if you have purchased, write a review on your website (as some of you did for my 1st edition and I was most appreciative) or in the Comments field at the foot of my BirdBook page or send it by email and I will publish it: ashley@aussiebirder.com

Enjoy your week and stay safe!

My Mission: To encourage young people to make good life choices, using birds to teach important life skills.

W. A. Hewson (Adv. Dip. Counselling & Family Therapy).

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.