Australian wildlife | aussiebirder

A Rainbow Lorikeet guarding its nest in a hollow of an Angophora costata tree.

This week I will do a character study on one of Australia’s most colorful and popular birds, which people who visit Australia love to lay eyes on, the Rainbow Lorikeet. As my camera lens was wounded due to a fall, it is to receive medical attention, so I apologize for the lack of clarity with some of these photos. This bird is one of our most excited and numerous of the Parrot family often found alongside the larger and raucous Sulphur-crested Cockatoo.

Sulphur-crested Cockatoo warding off a stranger (me) as it guards its nest

Both birds are found down the east coast of Australia’s mainland and are often heard before seen. Both birds share the same kind of nesting tree, the Angophora costata (Sydney Redgum) found in large numbers along the coast.

Angophora costata (Sydney Redgum)

These birds bite out pieces of the dead wood where the tree branch has broken away, leaving a hole, to make a nest. The Angothora tree is a beautiful unique work of art, often called an artists delight due to its unusual branch structure and beautiful orange/pink coloration. It was also is known as the widow maker in days past, as it drops branches silently and without warning causing many casualties. This time of year they shed their bark and remain lighter colored till they regrow a new exterior.

watching from the nesting hole

warding off potential threat

The Rainbow, as we call it, we hear every morning chattering and calling with its high pitched noisy communication as they feed from our Bottlebrush flowers. They’re favorite foods pollen are nectar from native flowers, as well as insects, fruits as well as their bird candy lerps and psyllids, which most of our small passerines also enjoy.

Have a careful look at this footage and notice how the Lorikeet uses its tongue to extract food from the nectar rich Endeavour Bottlebrush

As many of you will already know from reading my book ‘What Birds Teach Us’, Rainbows mate for life, and if you see them they will almost always be in pairs, excitedly flying at great speed together, calling to each other, and maneuvering with themselves in amazing accuracy. If a partner dies there is a grieving process similar to our own, and most sad to watch. They will go and fly with a flock.

Similar to the Cockatoo, these birds despite their size, are respected by all other birds, even the ultra aggressive Noisy Miner, as the Rainbows can inflict a serious injury if they are messed with due to their very strong sharp beak. Their vulnerability to raptors and their nestlings to Kookaburras and Currawong are their major points of concern. Nesting close to Cockatoos can be an advantage due to the group evasive action of the Cockies when danger approaches. The Cockatoo crest is a physical indication of the bird’s emotional state at the time. When the bird becomes excited or alarmed it will raise it and when it is resting or sick will flatten it.

Gaurding the nest after the alarm is sounded

Listen to the noisy chatter of a small flock feeding. They have dominance wherever they go when in flock.

There are two distinct subspecies or races [some call the Red-collared Lorikeet (race rubritorquis) a separate species rather than subspecies]. The Red-collared subspecies is only found far north in the states of WA and NT, having a distinct red collar, unlike the green of the east coast Rainbow (race moluccanus). We always love looking for the Red-collared when in Broome, WA.

Rainbow Lorikeet

Red-collared Lorikeet

The juvenile Lorikeet looks much the same as the adult except that it has a dark beak, dark eye and less red on its chest, as seen below with its adult parent.

juvenile with adult

The immature still has slight traces of its juvenile features as it approaches breeding maturity and the bright red beak.

immature lorikeet

One of the things i love about this bird, as with other Parrot species, in particular the Little Corella, is the affection and companionship exhibited between the devoted pair.

This is one bird, like the Cockatoo, that has survived the fires, due to their widespread location and their abundance, however many may have been lost due to the many who would have been caught nesting, as Spring and Summer are the nesting times. The sad thing is that many birds born this season may have been lost due to fires marking a considerable short fall in new bird numbers this year. Watch and hear some live footage of these birds happily feeding.

Here are a few flight shots I managed to capture at high speed.

Rainbow Lorikeet in flight

If you would like to check out my new book releases for this year click here.

If this is your first visit to my blog, check out the rest of my birding website from my Home Page. I post a weekly blog which you can follow (see Follow button at top of page). Also check out my coming book releases. You can still purchase the book referred to in this post, there are a few left for purchase on this website only.

Lastly, consider these shots of the parent guarding its nest which is deep inside the dead portion of an Angophora tree, trying to ascertain my purpose in observing it. We were just about ten feet away enjoying our Australia Day breakfast with church friends, no one else appeared to notice this colourful head emerging and then disappearing into the hole in the nearby tree.

Notice the head tilt which is common with birds of monocular vision allowing them to observe food or in this case possible raptor overhead with one eye positioned. Birds also have a very acute hearing which allows some species to hear grubs and bugs moving below the surface of the soil, which is useful when they are on the ground dining. We saw this recently with our Magpie.

The Rainbow Lorikeet keeps watch over its young, sharing the role with its lifetime partner (not pictured here). This is why these birds survive and breed so well, they are a team and they work together to achieve their goal. The male will be responsible to train and protect the fledgling when it emerges. As a family they will fly together in constant communication as they excitedly feed and chatter to one another. In a good functional family environment, good communication is most important, It is through the words and actions of the parents that children learn how to live, feel safe, loved and cared for. It is how we learn the skills of life and understand who we are. It is important to add that it is not the words alone but the attitude with which they are transmitted that has the greatest affect on the positive growth and maturity of the hearer.

‘Let love and faithfulness never leave you; bind them around your neck, write them on the tablet of your heart.’ – Proverbs 3:3

Have an enjoyable week and stay safe!

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.

As the fires continue to devastate and consume our forests and townships we are all so thankful that countries and people the world over are coming to assist, or raising money to help the thousands left destitute with loss of homes, property and livestock. Millions of wildlife and trees gone, with many wildlife injured and being assisted as our country pulls together in the Aussie way. A nation founded on difficult circumstances, which coined the term ‘Aussie Battler’. The last two days have been much milder as a cold front comes through in the middle of Summer, with small falls of rain. This is giving some of the firies a chance for a short break and a chance for others to contain the threatening fires nearby. These fires have shown how truly vulnerable we humans are, despite all our modern inventions and plans. My wife and I are thankful that we have been spared so far, and only the daily unpleasant thick smoke is our main problem.

It has not been wise for us to travel far out of our city, so this weeks post highlights the importance of our local parks and reserves that we frequent on a regular basis. It is these parks that provide the normalization of our emotional and physical self. A 30 minute or more walk in a nature park has been shown scientifically to have very positive health benefits. These include lowering blood pressure, lowering stress levels and revitalizing ones mind and emotions, assisting to reduce depression. It allows us to become mindful in the moment and transfer our overcrowded mind to relax and enjoy the peaceful surroundings using our five senses. Our most frequented park as some of you know is Oatley Park Reserve which is only a 14 minute drive from home.

I love the beautiful eucalypt trees especially the angophora costata known as Sydney Redgum, which have a very interesting and pleasing scent to me which I love to inhale. This is the tree of choice for nesting Cockatoos and Lorikeets due to the holes it leaves when the branches drop off. This tree, due to its pinkish colour and unusual branching, is known as an artists delight. Thankfully, this park has so far been spared from the fires.

As I walk the same tracks and pathways week after week, hoping to see something different something new, I sometimes wonder what the local territorial birds, animals and reptiles, that have come to know me, are thinking. So here is some suggestions…

One bird I can always count on being in the same area every visit is this male Magpie. He knows me and identifies me with his intelligent ability to remember and describe each person with perfect facial recognition. Thankfully he sees me as his friend and allows me very close contact, unlike other passersby. One interesting skill these birds have learnt and mastered is that of being able to remove the stinger from insects before eating them, by holding it down with their foot and pulling it out with their beak.

Occasionally I see one of his fledglings which is almost mature in its second-third year of training. Look carefully and you will still see small patches of brown plumage and the dirty neck can mean its is a female, as usually the male neck is white by this stage, but may still be changing.

A main feature of this park is the Ponds where waterbirds breed, feed and rest. These also provide water to other birds. This water is maintained from storm water off the streets nearby. With the recent drought, as I showed in last weeks post, the ponds are drying up and becoming foul for the water fowl. This family of Chestnut Teal rest together by the pond, these birds do not seem to worry about the problem.

The drought has caused much stress to the trees in the park as many shed their leaves and some even have died and are falling down. But occasionally wild flowers are seen such as this Flannel Flower and this tiny native orchid. Look how beautiful the flowers are when you enlarge them, what a marvelous piece of artwork from a marvelous Creator.

While it is now Summer the forest is much quieter than usual for this time of year due to the drought and extreme temperatures so bird sounds are few, but one bird always brings joy and delight to my spirit when I hear his excited laughter like call and that is the Grey Butcherbird of which there are several families in the park.

On this visit it was unusual to see a Little Wattlebird, though they do come in from time to time. It is called Little but not for the wattle which is not there, but the bird being the smallest of the three wattlebird species. It sports a very unusual and interesting breast plumage.

There does not appear to be any nesting at the moment as most have finished but the Royal Spoonbill will be nesting in private away from here. This termite nest has been used by the local Kookaburra family for generations as a nesting place. Kookas bite a hole in the nest and take it over as a ready to go nursery. But it is very quiet at present as they have already fledged.

Last of all, this Echidna (Short-nosed Spiny-anteater) was sighted on the side of the track. This is the first time we had seen it here in the park. Others had told us it was there, and now we saw it. They are very shy and quickly move away when sighted.

A solitary seat ideal for being still in the Blue Mountains National Park, Katoomba NSW

We each need time out to be quiet and still, to wait, think and to listen. What better place than in your local birding park. Sit on a park seat, or just walk alone along the track, admiring the beautiful trees and birds, how each is uniquely different and individual, listening to the birds, feeling the breeze on your face, inhaling the sweet scents of the trees and flowers of the forest. Consider it all with a grateful heart of thankfulness for the beautiful surroundings you have had the privilege to enjoy. Consider all the many insects, birds, reptiles and animals moving about you in search of food, each knowing what it must do, without us even being aware. Consider your amazing body and its brilliant chemistry and physiology, working harmoniously with millions of processes per second perfectly timed and ordered, without any knowledge or effort from you. All taken care of by One who is intimately concerned with your well being. Unload your cares and worries there and let yourself be carried away in the peaceful stress-less moment. Be refreshed and re energized.

“I meditate on all your works and consider what your hands have done.” – Psalm 143:5

Have a great week and STAY SAFE!

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 Unwelcome Summer Migrant – The Channel-billed Cuckoo

Posted by aussiebirder on December 16, 2019

Posted in: Australia, Australian Birds, Australian wildlife, Birds, Birdwatching, Fauna, National Parks, Nature, Nature reserve, Sydney, Uncategorized, wildlife. Tagged: Channel-billed Cuckoo, Noisy Miner, Pied Currawong.

Channel-billed Cuckoo pair

This my last post for the year as we approach Christmas and the New Year, and it all occurred recently one afternoon and was filmed from my front yard up into a huge eucalypt tree several hundred meters down the street. Every Spring the Channel-billed Cuckoo arrive here to lay their eggs and plant them in the nests of unsuspecting native Australian birds to be raised by surrogate parents. The Eastern Koel is another cuckoo which does likewise. They usually target our larger black birds such as the Currawong, Magpie and Raven but they have been known to even do it to a tiny Fairy-wren. Below is a photo of a Pied Currawong raising a juvenile Channel-billed Cuckoo. Currawongs are the cuckoos easiest choice, as they are more likely to leave their next unattended and tend to be more loners, as their social structure is not as complex and community minded as that of the more intelligent Magpie and Raven. This juvenile is ready to fly away with its father which has come to collect it, and is waiting in a tree nearby, watching.

Pied Currawong caring for a juvenile Channel-billed Cuckoo

This is what a young juvenile looks like as it awaits feeding. Notice it has brown and rufous plumage and does not yet have the bright red eye.

Here is a flight shot of a mature adult.

We know Christmas is coming when we hear the raucous call of these birds each day as they are chased by all manner of birds, especially Magpies and Noisy Miners, which are wise to their game. The former to prevent them approaching the nest to drop its egg in, and the latter who see them as a threat to their babies safety, as they will eat baby birds, though native fruit is their main food. These birds have the nickname The Rainbird as it marks the beginning of the wet season when you hear their call. In early Autumn they make their way back northward to New Guinea and Indonesia with their young in tow, to enjoy the warmer winter.

Now back to my photo series which I shot as a coalition of Noisy Miners attacked this adult pair of Channel-billed Cuckoo that have made our local area their territory, having tried many times to plant their eggs. See how the Miners continue attacking, till they eventually fly off to another area. It was very windy and smoky and white skied when these were taken, thus impairing quality.

Channel-billed Cuckoo pair in eucalypt tree2

Noisy Miner attacking a pair of Channel-billed Cuckoo

Channel-billed Cuckoo pair in eucalypt tree3

Channel-billed Cuckoo pair in eucalypt tree

Chanel-billed Cuckoo attacked by Noisy Miner

That is all I have this week as I have just been called today to go into hospital tomorrow for a cardiac ablation, which was unexpected, and suddenly slotted into tomorrow. I will be out of action for a few days, and wont know any details till afterwards. Please pray my dear friends for a good outcome, and for the surgeon. I trust the Lord will be with me throughout the event, and his angels will watch over me.

Praying you all have a wonderful, enjoyable Christmas and New Year! Remember that Jesus is the reason for the season, and that it was God’s great love for us that caused him to come to earth as a man.

“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” – John 3:16

The Son of God became the Son of Man so that the Son’s of Men might become Son’s of God.

“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

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.

Not my usual feature photo for my posts, but this next two weeks marks the end forever of the 1st Edition of my book “What Birds Teach Us” after the last of the book shops that sell my book, stock up for the holiday season. The 2nd Edition as well as my second book we are looking to publish early in the new year. I will let you know when I know more. Here is the promo for the last time…

Following on from my last post we continue to showcase the birds from the bushfire devastated Mid-North Coast of NSW, where we visited 2 weeks ago. These were some of the survivors we saw. Refer to my previous post if you missed it, before reading this one, to understand more. Bushfires continue to blaze all over the state as thousands of hectares of prime forest have been destroyed, 83 fires continue to burn today in NSW and 20 not yet contained, 6 humans dead, 720 homes lost and many thousands of animals and birds incinerated (including over 1000 Koalas which many people are trying to rescue), as there is no relenting from the severe drought and the frequent strong, hot dry winds, constantly fanning the flames. You remember last week I shared how the raptors are having a field day catching wildlife as it runs frantically out of the forest to escape the flames.

Black Kites swooping on a fire they have probably lit. Credit: Bob Gosford for Cosmos Magazine.

The Black Kite in far north Australia have been observed carrying burning sticks from farm fires to grasslands and forests nearby to set them alight so as to flush out prey.

Sydney air quality 10 times over danger limit. Credit: The Australian,

Sydney, like much of the east coast has been blanketed in thick toxic smoke for weeks now, where it has been said healthwise it is like smoking 10 to 40 cigarettes a day, there are many very sick people as a result. In fact the smoke is now classified in cities according to cigarettes. We had a 20 cigarette day Tuesday, and today after the Southerly cold change we have had a small reprieve. These conditions are worse ever recorded, and the effect on our bird and animal wildlife are catastrophic. Thank you for your patience and prayers, as many have been asking for an update. Now to continue…

Each morning as we sat on the balcony of our resort villa, sipping our coffee. We were at eye level with the Rainbow Lorikeets as they fed on these red flowers.

It was a great spot which many birds would come and spend time at, some to feed, some to rest and some to check us out for food, which previous occupants had done, a practice which is not good for wild Australian birds, unlike in other countries. Water is the important thing we can assist with.

adult Pied Butcherbird

waiting for a hand out

Juvenile Pied Butcherbird

This Pied Butcherbird and its juvenile appeared at regular intervals to check us out. This is one of my favorite song birds, we never see them as far south as Sydney. Of course ‘Pied’ meaning having 2 or more colors. Note that many juvenile birds are brown initially to blend into trees for safety from predators, and gradually gain mature plumage. Some species of male birds take up to 6 years. Adult plumage is usually associated with ability and permission to breed. From our balcony across the valley we had a good view of the adult male Butcherbird’s main observation point where the butcher shop operated from. See him honing his blade for the next kill.

We would frequently hear the constant tweeting of a juvenile Noisy Miner being fed by the Miner family members (Miners have one of the best organised social structures among birds). Occasionally the Kookaburra would come and sit the tree, mainly to watch us for food, but the Miners saw it as a threat to the youngster and gave him curry till he left.

Kookaburra watching us

Noisy Miner adult

Noisy Miner juvenile being very noisy

Noisy Miner adult

Kookaburra before Miner attack

Juvenile Noisy Miner out in the open

Yes, Spring means parents are continually busy feeding their offspring, as with another Noisy MIner family.

Which brings us my most interesting observation, a small family of Australian Black-backed magpie. The fact that there is only one juvenile and that the female is present can signify that these birds have been displaced possibly from a bushfire ravaged area, as these birds are territorial, and rely, like the MIners on a very complex and well orchestrated social family network which contributes to them being one of the most successful native Australian birds. In normal circumstances the female would not be present when the male trains the youngster. Training can take up to 4 years, as Magpies are one of the most intelligent birds, up there with the Ravens. Notice how the female refuses to feed the youngster, when it beds from her, as it is the males role, and he obliges.

Magpie family: mum, dad and the kid.

Female deliberately turns away from juveniles requests

I have recently taken to study the Magpie, as some of you know, especially in the light of my new books and the gleaning of social and life skills we can apply from a family counseling perspective. Surprisingly my daughter bought me another useful and interesting book for my birthday recently written by Australia’s authority on Magpies, Gisela Kaplan. My loving daughter seems to know what book her dad needs next, as she did with last years very timely book.

If you have half an hour to sit and listen to a very interesting radio interview with Gasela Kaplan, here is the link:

Of course! as write this, I hear my little bird friend the Grey Butcherbird, ‘The Little Fella’ as I call him, singing to me as he approaches the birdbath for a drink. So I better not forget that his relatives were also present in the same area as the Pied. Again the male has the responsibility to feed and train the youngster.

Grey Butcherbird

juvenile begging

Grey Butcherbird adult with juvenile following

Early in the morning, on a couple of mornings I would walk outside and hear this strange call from high up on top of a dead tree. It was a lone Dollarbird, a Summer migrant to our state, looking beautiful in the morning sunlight. These birds are insectivorous and hunt on the fly, but with a most unique and intriguing flight path of any bird, zooming up very high and fast and then down as it flies off. You will see that it gets its name from the white markings in the wing in flight. Someone thought it looked like a Dollar coin, but I think they have a vivid imagination.

Another beautiful bird we observed over coffee on the balcony was this beautiful pair of Eastern Rosella. These are a naturally very shy bird but we did manage to see both male and female sitting on the roof top of an adjacent villa.

While we were checking one of the fire ravaged areas where I had previously built the family home in the country north west of where we were staying, I was pleased to see it had been saved from the fires, and on our way back we noticed this rare sight of a lone Yellow-billed Spoonbill sharing a small dam with other ducks and Cattle Egret changing to breeding plumage. Because of the thick smoke and the distance from the road the photos are not great. But this is the second kind of Spoonbill in Australia to the more common Royal Spoonbill we see nearer the coast.

On my brothers suggestion we took a drive to Seal Rocks and the Sugarloaf Point Lighthouse, where we passed a large blow hole type cave. During the walk through the unburnt forest we found some interesting birds including the Variegated Fairy-wren, male in full breeding plumage and the female as we descended the steep steps from the lighthouse, as they popped in and out of the small shrubs along the path. This is usually not an easy bird to capture. This is my wife’s favorite.

Along the shaded track we heard and then saw the Scarlet Honeyeater family, always a wonderful find, and this time they were not high in the canopy feeding, but down low feeding and maintaining their young, somewhere.

Scarlet Honeyeater male

As we came close to our car we heard this beautiful melody but could not place it. I had heard it before but not recently and I started guessing what it might be, and my wife finally found it yes! a Black-faced Monarch, another Summer migrant always welcome to our forests.

The Little Wattlebird is the most common wattlebird on the northern coast and lacks wattles on its neck, so it is very very little, like not there:-) Notice the interesting breast plumage.

Meanwhile back at the resort, there is Australia’s most opportunistic bird, having a similar ploy to that of the Australian Brush Turkey I posted last week. The Pied Currawong is known to steal the food of other birds, including their eggs and young, as well as human food, as he sits hopeful on the balcony railing. Their big yellow eye will watch you from a distance and wait for opportunity. In Lord Howe Island they are notorious at stealing the eggs of the beautiful White Tern, which nests in the Norfolk Pine tree, but lays its eggs on the branch. It does not build a nest. Though they do have many interesting and melodic calls which I love to hear, as they change at various times of the day. This bird is most prone to the tricks of the Cuckoos, planting their eggs in the Currawong nest while unattended. They lack the tight social structure of the Magpie, and are more selfish and private in their social structure.

I could not finish without including this very strange White-necked Heron who sat on this powerline/ aerial every day in the same spot. Strange for a wader, and always looking outward in the same direction, but never with any apparent purpose. Maybe the smell of smoke was alarming it.

These Scaly-breasted Lorikeets were feeding early morning on a native Colistamine bush nearby, the light was poor, and they were very difficult to get into full view. They kept one eye on us and each time we moved they moved. They get their name from the yellow lines on their breast.

One of the most affectionate birds I have seen is the Little Corella. Most times the faithful pair are sharing affection, mating, showing off or just sitting quietly together. This pair caught my eye.

If you have reached this far, thank you for your interest and patience, it is a long post, as many of mine are. Last of all the Golden Whistler male turned up while on a walk with my grandchildren to the beach, always a favorite of mine as you know.

My post pondering today comes from this snake skin which my son-in-law showed us on our walk to their beach. The question is: How did it get in the tree, did it shed the skin there or did some human hang it there?

This remains a mystery, as we were not there when it was shed. We could study the scene and speculate or postulate or ruminate or subjugate those who pontificate over the observable fact, which is: there is a snake skin hanging in a tree. So what?!

Like many scientists, as myself, I could spend time examining, testing, thinking, postulating and concluding, but I could miss the blatantly obvious observation: How interesting and how beautiful is the skin, how remarkable that it sheds its new skin in this way, and there it is hanging in a tree.

Oh, and by the way what snake did this? Oh, no! that sets them thinking again! Hey! why can’t we just smell the roses and appreciate the snake skin and admire the wonder and beauty of the thing for what it is. We don’t know a lot about fire and electricity but we admire and use it. We drive cars we know little about, and have bodies that function perfectly and with simultaneous harmony and complexity without us even being consciously aware. Sometimes we overthink things and for the secret sake of pride want to know how or why, and not just appreciate with humble acceptance the One who made the tree and the snake. This leads not to the giving us accolades for seeming to be clever, but to praise and appreciation for the awesome intelligent design of a truly wonderful and amazing Creator, God.

“Many, Lord my God, are the wonders you have done, the things you planned for us. None can compare with you; were I to speak and tell of your deeds, they would be too many to declare.” – Psalm 40:5 (NIV)

Have a wonderful week and stay safe. Please pray for rain and cessation of these many destructive fires. As it surely lives up to the poets description in My Country: “I love a sunburnt country. A land of sweeping plains, Of ragged mountain ranges, Of droughts and flooding rains.”

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.

Male and Female Rainbow Bee-eaters.

As many of you know my wife and I have been able to take more regular birding dates. This means our usual birding adventure includes a meal together. It allows us to explore new areas around Sydney and its outskirts and take time out for each other doing something we both enjoy, especially since I am currently a full time author, and my wife is working part time. This is an important aspect couples need to consider when their nest is empty – re establishing relationship around common interests.

I had a tip off that Rainbow Bee-eaters, an inland migratory species, are breeding here in our Summer months, and have appeared in the trees near Camden Community Farm and Walkway. We had never explored this area before so it became an adventure for us. It was lovely watching members of the community tending harmoniously together the little farm they had established on the outskirts of their town south west of Sydney. I did showcase the Bee-eaters earlier this year when we followed them to their Winter playground in Far North Queensland. Click here to review my post. It was a walkway through a cattle property which led down to the Napean River, though the river was not negotiable. As we walked we wondered how we would find them as there were not many trees and the wind was starting to increase as clouds came over. Some distance away toward the river, I sighted a pair of Rainbow Bee-eaters, and so the story begins as we stood and watched what transpired before our eyes in the next 30 minutes. It was a very uniquely special gift or opportunity granted to us both. Sadly, due to clouds and distance from the birds the quality wavered somewhat, so please excuse the quality or lack thereof. We start with the happy couple sitting alone together. Sometimes just being quiet and sharing each other’s company is enough to declare loving devotion. It certainly means more than a partner or parent that says “I love you”, but is never present or never takes/makes time to be interested in spending time with you.

If you look very carefully above (or to top of page) you will notice that the male bird on the right has more blue features and has a long pair of streamers extending from its tail. As with the Tropicbird tail streamers, these may assist the bird in areal maneuver, as they impress their mate or dive for their prey. They are very fast flying birds able to think and act with lightning speed, hence their ability to see and catch flying insects from their perch. The female on the left has less blue but has only a very short streamer which is sometimes barely visible. The courting process begins with just quietly sitting with the one you love for some time. Sometimes flying off to catch a flying insect on the fly but always returning to the same branch or very close by their prospective partner.

We know they are on a date courting because these birds are normally found roosting and moving in large flocks. The male eventually starts making eyes toward the female, showing her interest. This is the prelude to the following courtship. She remains uninterested as is the accepted protocol for an upright female.

He realizes that he has to win her over, just as us human males know. Now this has a set protocol also for many species. For Terns and Gulls they must present a fish, and slap it in their face. If the female eats it, its on (or at least he is) and they mate. For the Catbird it is native fruits. For the Bee-eater it is bees or other flying insects. So off he flies to make his first catch for her. She watches as he leaves knowing what may follow.

He hasn’t gone long and he catches his first gift for his sweetheart, and returns to her branch.

In this next sequence he waits with the insect and when she faces him, presents it to her. She shows her appreciation and receives the gift and eats it, while he watches.

She now tests his intent by flying away from him to another branch to see what follows.

She moves about and finally lands on different branch as he follows her. He realizes once is not enough and so off he goes again to get the second gift, which should do the trick to assure his bell that he is her man.

he waits with her in the new position

he leaves and returns with gift

he positions himself to give it, but she looks away.

he sits waiting for her attention/approval.

she approves by looking at him.

she receives his gift and eats it as he watches.

This confirms their relationship, they have just had their wedding ceremony, and now without to much to do the next phase begins. You will see later that the male parties after the consummation. The male moves behind the female. Now at this stage if she is uncertain at all about his advances she has an opportunity to move away. This would mean she is playing hard to get and he will have to go and find better food gifts for her, or do some clever flight acts, but in this case she sits and allows him to quietly sit behind her for several minutes. He waits patiently till she looks up at him with loving acceptance and…

The mating process begins with much earnest and wing movement by the male. His tail feathers and streamers moving/rotating about as he mounts her and proceeds placing his beak over hers.

After what seemed like several minutes the male rises high above the female, who watches as he begins his celebratory routine of areal acrobatics, he is one happy boy!

Beautiful flight movements of which I could only capture two.

After ten seconds he comes back to sit with her again, knowing that neither of them will be alone any more but will share together in digging the nesting tunnel, incubating her eggs and raising their young.

So there it is, what a wonderful adventure it was to follow this couple’s relationship development, and what a gracious gift from our Heavenly Father. I need say no more. Oh! If you are interested here is a small slideshow summary of the above with one of my 7 love songs for my wife as the backing. I hope it inspires you in your relationships and gives insight into our gracious God who always keeps the best till last.

Have a wonderful week, stay safe and love the one you’r with. Thank you for your valued prayers and well wishes as we have been smothered in smoke and 60 out of control bushfires ravage our state, consuming not only dry forests but for the first time, ancient irreplaceable rainforests. Thousands of birds and animals have already been incinerated, over 200 houses lost and 4 dead as this drought, high temperatures and strong winds fan fire storms. God is trying to get our attention but many refuse to acknowledge his existence. A big thanks to our Volunteer Fire Fighters and their intrepid bravery which is a mark of the Aussie spirit. Also a big thanks to those helpers from other states, New Zealand and the US that are assisting. We were meant to holiday in one of these areas next week, but possibly not. The terrifying thing that the Fire Commissioner reminds us is that it is the forests yet unburnt near our heavily inhabited cities that is the biggest worry, as Summer has three months to come with hotter stormier weather. Dry Thunderstorms are our greatest threat, starting fires in very remote areas of forest. It is the first time in our history that no one is safe from the fires, as they can start anywhere. Saddest of all, several young children have already been caught and some charged for starting the fires around Sydney and up north, causing much damage.

You can purchase your copy of my book for immediate delivery by post in time for Christmas on my BirdBook page.

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.

Feeding time for the Dusky Woodswallow fledgling

In my last post I shared the wonderful birding date my wife and I had on the Great River Walk where we saw many bird babies. The Dusky Woodswallows and White-plumed Honeyeaters were not yet fledged. Last weekend we drove away from the furious bushfires inland to the city of Wagga Wagga for my B’day or more accurately what became a Birday weekend. We visited my wife’s family there, staying with her sister who was recently widowed. Her sister’s home overlooks Lake Albert. As I mentioned last week, the presence of an abundant source of food near fresh water is an excellent location for nesting. I awoke early to the melodious call of the Grey Shrike-thrush family communicating to one another. At first I thought there may be a nest nearby the house, but later saw the juvenile waiting for food, as the parent went across the road to the trees by the lake to catch insects to feed its youngster.

The fledgling was calling to its own reflection in the window next door, which would occupy it for some time, till the parents told it to get back in the backyard where it was safe.

Grey-Shrike-thrush juvenile shadow singing

Grey-Shrike-thrush juvenile

One adult stood watch while the other hunted for food, but they maintained their call constantly throughout the day, as they communicated their whereabouts.

There was often commotion in the tree by our bedroom window which turned out to be an aggressive little adult White-plumed Honeyeater which was trying to drive the Shrike-thrush family away from hunting near its young chicks, as these could easily become part of its current diet. Notice the size of the white plume on the juveniles compared to the adult feeding them.

two juvenile White-plumed Honeyeater

I love rising early when I stay there, while it is still very cold, to do an early morning bird walk around part of the lake where many birds nest and live. Here the Woodswallows are in their next stage of being fledged, but still keeping close to the nest area and being fed by parents.

Both parents are coming and going as they feed their youngsters with insects quickly acquired as they glide from tree to tree. The youngsters are able to fly quite well from tree to tree, but staying in the view of the parent.

On the lake a small flock of what appeared to be Common Tern at the time, (but later confirmed to be Whiskered Tern) were fishing the lake, with their usual diving technique. These birds were not diving in the same manner as the Crested Tern we are use to on the coast. They fly closer to the surface and dive with less speed.

This Royal Spoonbill was busily scanning the shoreline also.

This pair of Black-winged Stilt were nearby, one wading and the other sleeping.

As I walked around the wetland reserve portion of the lake I spotted this lone Hoary-headed Grebe cruising peacefully.

As I looked along the reeds on the shoreline, excitement rose as I saw a bird which some distance away, appeared to be a unfamiliar shorebird. I quickly took photos. It was a parent Black-tailed Native-hen, a bird we seldom ever see, if ever on the coast, and never before here. A parent with two juveniles, a wonderful find, though one of the juveniles hid for most of the time.

It was great to see some of the inland birds we seldom see. The Great Dividing Range which runs from top to bottom of Australia separates many of the bird species from being coastal or inland species. Another inland specie I saw was a pair of Little Friarbirds which were in the process of nest building.

Red-rumped Parrots feeding on the grass seed by the lake is a common find here. The male has the bright red rump and the female a green rump, and is basically greenish.

But one exciting and beautiful find inland in this particular region (inland south eastern Australia) was the Yellow Rosella, which for some strange reason was recently sub classed under the Crimson Rosella species. It looked radiant in the early morning sunlight.

Walking past this old tree stump by the lake I noticed an interesting friendship between a lone Eastern Rosella with mutation and a Yellow Rosella, two different species flying and exploring as if they were a pair. Plumage colour mutations are common in the Parrot families, showing much diversity. When these birds finally flew off because of my presence they flew off and landed together.

The Magpie-lark (known also as Pee Wee, Piper, or Mudlark depending on which state you live in) family were also present nearby. This female Pee Wee had two juveniles it was coaching. These birds are easy to distinguish sex and maturity by their black facial lines and their eye colour.

Father Pee Wee

Mother coaching fledglings

This Crested Pigeon was displaying some beautiful colours. One would think were hand painted.

One of the highlights of our time away was this small flock of Superb Parrots, another mainly inland bird, we happened upon on the side of the road. The male has a bright with yellow face and the female dull green. Again superbly brilliant in the sunlight when in flight.

While there are always numerous pairs and flocks of Galahs, this one and its mate seemed to be digging deeply with their beak possibly for edible roots, with its eyes closed.

Another inland bird is the Rufous Whistler. It looks and sounds similar to its cousin the Golden Whistler which is more predominant along the coastal forests, having a rufous brown body instead of the bright yellow of the Golden species. These birds are always a challenge to photograph as they love to elude your gaze. This male was singing continuously in my wife’s niece’s garden.

Listen to its call. Like other Whistlers they are heard continuously throughout the breeding season of Spring and Summer, going much quieter during Winter months.

Also jumping about in the garden is this beautiful male Superb Fairy-wren, yes another superb bird! Oh, sorry this little guy was actually in the reeds by the lake, I did not include the garden ones.

This juvenile Australian Eastern Magpie was being cared for by a young relative, possibly a sbling from a previous year clutch. This illustrates the complex and well organised social family structure of the Magpie species, where by all close and extended family members assist in raising the young. Magpies are one of Australia’s most predominant and resilient birds, partly due to this reason as well as their very high level of intelligence.

As we drove home from this wonderful weekend away, a four and a half hour drive, my wife spotted a Wedge-tailed Eagle being attacked by a Magpie. This is a common sight during breeding season, where many smaller birds attack raptors. Two weeks ago I showed a Blacked-winged Stilt doing the same. There constant attack and back biting eventually drives the raptor to another area. If you have ever been attacked by an Australian Magpie, as I have, you will know they are a formidable force, and this is why survive so well, having very few predators. The missile like speed and force of their flight is remarkable, they know no fear, even the very aggressive Noisy Miner show them great respect.

coming in for the strike

after strike

realigning

fleeing

preparing for another shot

Silhouette of the wedge tail

We can see that the breeding season creates many concerns for caring parents, especially when predator species which may threaten the safety of their young are also living in the vicinity. This tension is mostly only realised during the breeding season. There is constant tension, as you witnessed above. These last few days have seen horrific catastrophic bushfires burn hundreds of kilometers of prime forests, destroying over 200 human homes and now 4 lives. A thousand kilometer fire front with over 60 fires burn in our state alone, and that’s not including the fires in Queensland and now WA which is having a catastrophic day today. These fires have worsened and are spreading in many areas. These fires are of unprecedented extent and ferocity for this time of year never before experienced in Spring. The long drought, tinder dry forests with much dead or dying undergrowth, high Spring temperatures with very strong winds and fire bugs have placed our eastern states in a state of emergency. What is sooo sad is that most birds and animals are nesting or feeding their very young at this time. These fires normally occur at the end of Summer, when most can escape. The fires show no mercy as many thousands of birds and animals, over four hundred of our endangered Koalas are incinerated. If we do not get good rain soon, Sydney and other large cities may run our of water, and also be unable to stop the encroaching fires effectively. Many country towns have no water. Please pray for our country that the drought would relent and good rains would be sent to replenish and cool our land. Firefighters have come from New Zealand and other states to assist, to join with our volunteer fire brigade heroes to hold back the blazes. I have never seen my local birds have such long drinks at my bird baths as I have seen today. Funny enough our friends in Victoria and Tasmania are suffering under icy cold cyclonic winds, rain and snow. This is why our stay in Wagga felt so cool and wintery. Our state is due for another catastrophic period in the next few days, which may only worsen in the coming weeks and months as the greater heat of Summer encroaches..

Enjoy your week wherever you are and keep your bird baths topped up daily with fresh water. The more they see you caring for them, the more trusting they will become. Some of my birds are beginning to allow me within their buffer zone, as they trust me more. You may experience the same. How wonderful it would be if the fear of mankind which was given creatures after man’s rebellion to God, could be reversed to a loving caring trusting kind relationship. It was for their safety it had to be, as man’s selfish and hurtful nature can not be trusted at all times.

Though the Noisy Miner is disliked by many Australians for its noisy aggressive behaviour, it surprises many of them to discover that it is one of native birds endemic to our country. I have a friendly relationship with my visitors as you can see above, and they will bathe and drink, as will other birds, while I sit and watch them only a few feet away. I have found that having the smaller and larger bird baths next to each other under the large Bottlebrush tree with many low landing points around them is a perfect scene for the many birds to enjoy a quiet drink, a shaded wash and rest in the tree. When the larger Magpie or Currawong come they know to use the largest bath and the Miners move to the smaller. The Rainbow Lorikeets strangely enough also enlist great respect from the Noisy Miner, and they use the larger bath also. I am amazed that the Miners never attack the Rainbows. I have read that the Rainbow bite is ferocious as are their claws, so the Miners have learnt to live along side them.

“Blessed is the one whom God corrects;
    so do not despise the discipline of the Almighty.
For he wounds, but he also binds up;
    he injures, but his hands also heal.
From six calamities he will rescue you;
    in seven no harm will touch you.
In famine he will deliver you from death,
    and in battle from the stroke of the sword.
You will be protected from the lash of the tongue,
    and need not fear when destruction comes.
You will laugh at destruction and famine,
    and need not fear the wild animals.
For you will have a covenant with the stones of the field,
    and the wild animals will be at peace with you.” – Job 5:17-23 (NIV)

You can purchase your copy of my book for immediate delivery by post in time for Christmas on my BirdBook page.

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.

Dusky Woodswallow babies

One of the great advantages of my wife having more days off during the week is that we can have more frequent birding dates together and explore new regions around Sydney. I was tipped off that the rarely seen Painted Honeyeater had been spotted around the Penrith Weir along the Great River Walk track. So early one morning we set off with camp chairs, thermos and packed lunch to check out this unexplored birding area at the foot of the Blue Mountains along the banks of the Napean River. Of course, in western Sydney there is always the possibility of seeing snakes sunning.

Amazing as it was, we spent the first 30 minutes having only walked less than 30 meters along the path, as we a multiplicity of birds appeared, and could be identified by their calls. The scissor sound and continual displaying of the Restless Flycatcher.

The chatter of the brilliant Red-rumped Parrot in the sun as he fed on grass seed

The abrupt scraping sound of the Red Wattlebird call.

However, the loudest, continuous and most noticeable bird call was that of the Bell Miner community which had taken possession of the trees in this small area. They had young ones they were feeding and caring for also. The Bell Miner, commonly known as the Bellbird, has a very complex and organised social structure and will usually aggressively remove any other Lerps and nectar eaters from the trees. They are usually: loudly heard but seldom seen, as their colour is leaf green.

This would explain why we found in their midst two Dusky Woodswallow nests in trees only a few feet apart. The parent Woodswallows were busily watching the nest from nearby, and fetching food. Last week I showcased the less common White-browed Woodswallow, this is one of the more common cousins to our area. Both nests had three nestlings, as you can see with my feature photo, and these. Enjoy! New life was a feature in this small neck of the woods.

Dusky Woodswallow parent

Parent guarding babies

Returning to nest

in the first nest

a rear view

In the second nest

feeding time but too much to swallow

Woodswallows are mostly insectivorous and have no trouble finding food as they glide around us in classic Woodswallow fashion. As with new human mothers, some of feeding is trial and error, and this was the case when a large winged insect was brought in, but none of the babies could swallow it, eventually the mother ate it. You will hear the Bellbirds in the background.

A little further along the path we found this male Dusky Woodswallow displaying for the nearby female, who’s attention he could not capture. There was a lot of butt shaking, which must be a real turn on for the female. However, after putting on a good show for us, within seconds jumped on the back of the unsuspecting female and mated with her. Bird mating in many species happens very quickly in seconds, and he is gone! Most male birds do not possess a penis, so it is amazing how such brief contact with both their openings does the job. Sometimes this may occur many times a day during breeding season until she feels the urge to nest. This is why it is difficult to determine the sex of young birds when they all look alike. I have a couple of funny stories about my children’s Guinea Pigs and Budgerigars when they were young. How I was always told by the Pet Shop owner that they were all female, I will let you work the rest out, and why I needed to build larger enclosures.

Dusky Woodswallow displaying just before mating

Dusky Woodswallow displaying before mating

There was one Honeyeater which continually eluded the Bell Miners due to its speed and size and that was the White-plumed Honeyeater, which had built a well hidden and secret nest in the midst of the blossom of the eucalypt tree in a very clever format. It would dash back and forth to elude the Miners.

Honeyeater concealed nest

White-plumed Honeyeater

watching nest

Another White-plumed Honeyeater had its nest hidden deep in a small bush, making it difficult to get good pictures of it feeding its nestlings.

watching the nest

feeding time

While we kept seeing new life of Spring all around us, and the exuberant calls of joyful males celebrating and warding off intruders, one threat hovered above for a short time in this Nankeen Kestrel, which has a diet of bird babies and insects.

Yes, the signs of new life are all around us and we are in bird baby heaven. We look up into a tall Casuarina Tree and there is one juvenile Australian Raven waiting for its parent to return with food. It decides to spread its wings and perhaps at this stage wonder what they are used for.

Juveile Aust Raven

Testing wing spread

Further along by the river we saw this male Superb Fairy-wren in full breeding plumage followed by one juvenile baby. Notice it has no tail as yet. It was quite cute as it followed the father all over the place. The father had to ward off another breeding male which came briefly on the scene.

adult male in breeding plumage

adult Superb Fairy-wren

following dad

warding off an intruder

following dad

juvenile Fairy-wren

Nearby a female was secretly tending its nest, which was very inconspicuous and had a hidden opening. This morphing male was watching nearby, and was still changing into his breeding colours from his eclypse state. He is most likely the father to be.

female Fairy-wren nest builder

the nest visited

the nest visited again

morphing father to be

As we came near to weir of the Napean River, we were looking for the Painted Honeyeater, but saw this male Satin Bowerbird watching us from high in a tree.

By the river our Australian native Hibiscus was blooming.

A lone Little Black Cormorant sat on the weir watching the water flow over the weir. Special provision has been made for native fish and Trout to move up and down the river through the weir.

Woman’s Rowing Team were practicing on the river also.

This little group of Australian Wood Duck made for the water on our approach. These birds pair for life, so these are three pair with the male having the darker head with light grey body.

We finally crossed over this remarkable walking bridge in search of coffee on the other side. This special bridge is the third build across the river, the previous two were washed away by floods in the last two centuries. There was a seamless stream of ‘westies’ walking back and forth across this bridge, enjoying this very special river vista.

guess who’s on the bridge?

We finally found a coffee shop at the art gallery where I was almost swooped by an adult magpie which was caring for one hungry juvenile, which I failed to photograph. Yes the signs were there, not to mention this Eastern Water Dragon sunning himself by the river…

My wife had a sudden moment of excitement when she spotted this beautiful Chestnut-breasted Mannikin brilliant in the sunlight. Interesting that the crest is also chestnut rather than classic than grey, possibly a hybrid?

That’s all for this post, Oh, yes before we left, we returned to our starting point where we sat under the shade of a small eucalypt sitting in our camp chairs and ate our turkeyncranny sangers and had our cuppa from the thermos. It was a hot day and the birds came close as we sat in our open air theater watching them do life. We were so thankful for a most enjoyable day!

Pulling Together

A Family, a sports team, a work place, a community all need to work together to move forward. The more effort each employs, and the more each maintains purpose, timing, effort and direction the better and faster their achievement towards their goal. The key is focused, willing co operation. It is like rowing or sculling together in a water craft. If some decides to do it differently it throws the whole purpose and goal into confusion and trouble. We all need to pull together if we want to achieve a good outcome in life. When we are all on the same page it makes life so much more enjoyable.

“…So then, you must clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. Be tolerant with one another and forgive one another whenever any of you has a complaint against someone else… And to all these qualities add love, which binds all things together in perfect unity.” – Colossians 3:12 -14 (GNT)

Have a wonderful week! if this is your first visit to my blog, why not check out my Home Page to discover more birding information and previous posts.

We are getting closer to publishing my two new books, possibly early next year, as proof reading continues. I am now writing a much more demanding work “An Introduction to Birdwatching for Young People.” which will complete the set. This will hopefully aim again at the Pre-teen and teen ages groups and be an easy reading book which will be packed with useful information for beginning a hobby or pastime in birding at any age. It will contain two sections, One: for identification of more commonly seen birds in each state and Two: containing information on the how, when, where and why of birding, the nuts and bolts. It is another exciting project the Lord dropped into my mind last week.

Since the 2nd Edition will not be published this year, why not purchase a copy of the first edition as a Christmas gift, it will change the life of the young reader in a positive way. This is the testimony of many who review my book. My wife said to me yesterday that each time she reads it it uplifts her spirits. Counselors Doctors and Teachers have shared with me how this book helped change depressed and disadvantaged young people, and older people also, encouraging them to have a positive and healthier outlook for their lives. You can purchase it here online through secure PayPal so that it arrives for Christmas. Many of my blog followers have already purchased it for their children and grandchildren and shared how it blessed them. If you are concerned, there are no religious connotations or suggestions apart from my one verse in the Introduction as to why I wrote it. It has been embraced by people of several different belief systems and various cultures, as the principles described apply to all peoples. It will also give you a better understanding of our Australian birds.

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.

The Rufous Songlark displaying with his spring song

By carefully observing the above photo one can see that it is Spring at Bushell’s Lagoon. The budding fruit tree with a springtime bird, the Rufous Songlark displaying. When a male bird displays, it is signalling to prospective females of its willingness to mate. This courtship performance involves much song and a little dance. My wife and I sighted this Rufous Songlark in full song. This is a bird we hardly ever see, so it was like seeing a lifer for us. Listen and watch as he performs.

Rufous Songlark waiting for a female response

There is usually a pleasant surprise find at Bushell’s Lagoon, which makes it one of the most frequented birding locations in the Sydney region, tucked away among the market gardens and turf farms on the rich alluvial soils of the Hawkesbury valley river flats. As some of you know, we like to enjoy a birding date where we start in the morning at Bushell’s, have fishnchip lunch at Windsor and then finish at Wianamatta Nature Reserve. We were pleasantly surprised to find a pair of Glossy Ibis resting with the other shorebirds at the edge of the lake. They were some distance away so the pics are not wonderful, but the sheen of their plumage is noticeable.

As we watched a White-bellied Sea-Eagle came over and sent many of the birds, including the Ibis into a frightened frenzy. Note that the Australian White Ibis and the Glossy Ibis (which is not endemic to Australia) are flying together. This is a feature of Ibis, they tend to find safety together, both roosting and nesting.

The bold little Black-winged Stilt (possible nesting nearby) came to the rescue and singlehandedly attacked and chased off this large raptor, while the others flew off in fear.

Hear is a brief half speed view of one attack strategy.

One feature of this ruckus was to view a Great Eastern Egret in the same tree as a Little Egret.

As we passed the cattle in the nearby paddocks, the Cattle Egret were beginning to show their orange breeding plumage, which begins from the top of the head, and makes its way down to the whole body eventually.

This was a Great capture of one particularly Great Egret, especially with its elegant breeding plumage.

There was amazing activity in the trees lining the lane into the lagoon, as dozens of White-browed Woodswallow were displaying and mating and generally having a noisy game of chasings. It was a delightful sight watching them glide about overhead in classic Woodswallow fashion.

This Red-whiskered Bulbul is another migrant back to enjoy our warmer weather. It sat for some time with a moth in its mouth waiting for us to leave so it could take it to its nest. Many birds do this so they do not disclose the location of their nest to danger.

This place hosts many families of Superb Fairy-wren beside the lake in the thicket like scrub.

We found this juvenile Magpie-lark by the side of the road, it appeared somewhat lame, and was concerned at our presence, so we only briefly viewed it as its parents were nearby trying to distract us away.

As we were leaving Bushell’s Lagoon for lunch, we noticed this Black-shouldered Kite sitting quietly, and unafraid of us in a low lying tree. It allowed us come close, and then we noticed its right eye was not functioning, and had some injury.

After our most enjoyable fishnchips lunch we headed off to Wianamatta Nature Reserve, which is under the NSW National Parks care. There before our eyes on a bare branch as per its classic pose was the first Dollarbird we had seen this season, and it looked so colorful in the sunlight. These birds migrate from up north each Spring, returning in Autumn.

There was a notable absence of Finches, with most the usual birds not present, including the Red-capped Robin. So we walked to the creek, as there was still some water from the recent brief rain, and of course that was where the birds were keeping company, as were heard the sound of several species moving through the canopy of nearby trees. The Rufous Whistler was very vocal, but insisted on eluding me. I managed to catch a few shots of the Scarlet Honeyeater and Spotted Pardolote. As you can see the Pardolote body is the shape and size of a eucalypt leaf, making it hard to detect under a dark canopy.

We finally returned home after another lovely birding date together.

Here is a famous quote of Martin Luther in reference to dealing with temptation, something we all encounter from time to time.

It is true that we all experience tempting thoughts or suggestions from time to time to do wrong or cheat or try to get away with being dishonest. While these suggestions planted in our minds by watching others or by a devilish source, may come quite randomly and sometimes surprise us unexpectedly. We each have the power and ability to reject any thought or suggestion that we deem wrong or in conflict with our integrity and moral code, refuting it when it occurs. The better we identify and turn away these temptations, the less they will occur and be a possible threat to us. One of the feelings or sensations we need to be on guard for is that of the excitement or rush that comes from trying to commit crime or cheat the system. This sometimes euphoric sensation can arouse us to step out in a moment of weakness. To be a true role model living out a character of integrity, it is wise that we be like Luther, aware that temptations will come, fly around our heads, but we can reject them from taking roost or nesting in our minds to cause us to do things we will later regret. For when we act against our conscience it has a negative effect on our health, especially our immune system as well as our inner joy and peace.

William Shakespeare. In Act 1, Scene III of the famous play, Hamlet, Polonius says: “To thine own self be true.”

“Be alert, be on watch! Your enemy, the Devil, roams around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour.” – 1 Peter 5:8

Enjoy your week and Spring and Autumn birds, depending on where you live. If this is your first visit to my blog, why not check out my website for more birding tips and info.

And YES there are still more copies of “What Birds Teach Us” if you want to get one or more for that special Christmas gift. It is very popular each year for Christmas, as it is a gift that keeps on giving.

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.

Sacred Kingfisher

Now here we are well into Spring, where we hear the father whistlers sing, announcing to the world they bring, their joy for a new and marvelous thing… new life ready to begin.

Spring is a beautiful time of year to go out birding. There is so much activity and song in the bush as new families are established. For some it is their first season, and others they have lost count, having brought possibly a hundred new lives into the world. This activity is centered around nesting, providing for the nest, protecting the nest and training the new nestlings/fledglings. In this post I will share some of these activities I noticed this week,

1. Nesting: Eggs are laid by female bird and then incubated as she keeps them warm and covers them with her body to protect them. Sometimes the male may help, depending on the specie. In many cases, such as with the Black-winged Stilt which are nesting in Olympic Park, Sydney, the male will keep watch to ward off intruders. The nest is a simple hollow on dry grass next to the lake.

Thankfully, special artificial islands were created for nesting well away from nosy birders, which have proven to be a great success. Yes blue-green algae has been a problem after a hot winter drought.

2. Protecting Nest, Nestlings and Fledglings: There is a lot of aggressive activity at the moment between species that usually co inhabit territories. We saw a few weeks ago the merciless aggression of the Magpie placing a 100 meter no go perimeter around its nest. Here I watched a Silver Gull continuously chase a Blacked-winged Stilt at the edge of the lake. The Gull was protecting its immature youngster but the Stilt was protecting its nest with his mate sitting on it by the lake. Both these birds are bold and can be aggressive. However, in the end the Gull moved its youngster away from the nest and peace prevailed.

After the ordeal, the Gull parents were confronted with a hungry junior, and try to avoid its cries. One of the joys of parenting no doubt! Note the classic bowing and bobbing of the youngsters head, seen in many species of water birds when begging.

The two most intelligent bird families clashed as this immature Australian Raven was attacked and turned away by this Australian Magpie male, obviously protecting its nest. Thankfully it did not see my wife and I as a threat.

3. Feeding the Nestlings/Fledglings: In many Australian species this is done primarily by the male and relatives, as is the training of the Fledgling, especially with the Magpie and Kingfisher. Here a Sacred Kingfisher catches a worm and waits for the juvenile to come to it and then passes it to the juvenile to eat.

Adult Sacred Kingfisher

Adult prepares to give worm to youngster

Juvenile Sacred Kingfisher

4. Training: It is usually the male who models feeding and behaviour, which shows to us humans the importance of fathers being present and being good role models to their children. Children get much of their self identity and self confidence from the dad. These two juvenile Magpies are out on an excursion with their dad. As he feeds them they learn. Note how only one takes the initiative to follow dad and follows in his shadow. It so reminds me of my eldest son during his early years.

juvenile Magpies waiting in the shade.

one goes to folloe dad.

note juvenile is brown and has a dark eye and dull beak.

following dad

learning from dad

Here we see the youngsters decision to follow dad pays off as he gets a treat from dad as a reward for his following. I love the fact that no coercion is used in their training, those who want to learn do, and those who don’t there is later on when they are better prepared.

The Australian Wood Duck family is a beautiful example of the perfect family, with both parents faithful for life, devoted to each other and to raising their family together. The father leads the family to safety and to good feeding grounds. This clutch produced 14 live babies, and was one of two that I saw in the Royal National Park this week. The family strayed onto the road so dad and mum led them back down onto the green flats by the river. Thankfully, in this peaceful family, these ducklings learn to forage very quickly and less parental training is required.

As you watch the Wood Ducks come into their grazing area listen and you will hear an immature Laughing Kookaburra practicing his laugh. Unfortunately he eluded me for some time.

As an aside, this flock of Yellow-tailed Black Cockatoo flew over at great height. It is always a treat to see this bird, and especially to hear its unique call. Listen as they fly over. You may see some touches of yellow on their ears and tail.

As I have shared in recent weeks some birds develop breeding plumage during their breeding season, and of course the Superb Fairy-wren is no exception, being in full colour which would lure any available female. His lady may already be sitting on the nest somewhere nearby as he hunts for food.

One of the delights of not having to work during the week is I get to see birds that may not normally be seen due to the high people presence in National Parks and Reserves during weekends. This pair of Wonga Pigeon are a good example of stumbling upon a great find. This rainforest pigeon is sometimes seen by the river banks at Wattle Flat in the late afternoon grazing, always the same pair. I love the arrow like markings on their under body. They are so quiet that you could easily miss them.

Wonga Pigeon

Wonga Pigeon pair

Finally, to conclude is this series of the very shy Kookaburra flying off:

The importance of good parenting and its ongoing effects well into the life of the child are emphasized in recent research. The child carries the experiences of their upbringing into the rest of their life having a considerable influence on their well-being. This includes physical, emotional, mental, sexual and social health, including longevity. This YouTube video from one of my studies sheds light on this, and the need to instruct our children and grandchildren with gentle kind love.

“Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord.” – Ephesians 6:4 (MEV)

“Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, lest they be discouraged..” – Colossians 3:21 (MEV)

“He must manage his own family well and see that his children obey him, and he must do so in a manner worthy of full respect.” – Timothy 3:4 (NIV)

Have a wonderful week! If this is your first time visiting my blog, why not visit my Home Page and check out my birding website for more birding information and encouraging stuff. Yes, there are still more books left for sale to make a positive influence in the life of your special young person and for that Special Christmas Gift. I have just about finished editing my second and third book, but it will be next year for printing.

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.

Australian Black-backed Magpie with several Caterpillar in beak

Last weekend we had the privilege of having my grandson Joel stay with us. One of the enjoyable experiences with him was taking out to explore our beautiful local birds. An even greater plus was that he said he actually enjoyed the outdoor experience or adventure as he called it, and was soon standing alongside my wife and myself with a pair of binoculars aimed at our friends the waders, down on the Georges River mudflats. A Budding Birder: Like Grandfather, Like Grandson, you might say!

Thankfully on the day most birds were on cue and appeared in their usual areas. Of course my little friends the Bar-tailed Godwit were patrolling the waters edge and made a great start for the session. Especially watching how when they find/extract a tiny mudcrab from the sand they run off with it, as they are aware the others around them are watching.

Bar-tailed Godwit with a crab

Bar-tailed Godwit

Bar-tailed Godwit with crabs

Their fast and sometimes humorous movement is highlighted in this short clip using Henri Mancini’s “Baby Elephant Walk” music from the 1962 movie Hatari which in Swahili means ‘Danger’.

As we approach slowly closer there is this sudden move to the water, as we begin to enter their safe buffer zone.

In some of the males a tiny remnant of their orange breeding colour could be seen on their under body.

Bar-tailed Godwit

The occasional submerged head technique is quite interesting, that’s a long way down into the sand, it must be a sure thing…

Also sharing the beach was this small flock of Australian White Ibis, actually feeding in their natural habitat. I say this because in recent years this bird has become a pest in Sydney, where it has become known as the ‘Bin Chicken’ because it has learnt to find food in garbage bins, making a mess everywhere.

Australian White Ibis

My grandson was also intrigued by the many Light-blue Soldier Crabs marching on the mudflats, and scuttling away from our approach.

Also on the beach the Pied Oystercatcher was also checking out the crabs.

We drove to our next viewing spot on the other side of the river, hoping to find the Eastern Curlew, and yes it was exactly where we expected to find it. My grandson was able to see out largest and most shy wader.

A recently improved walk along the river included these art form images of birds seen here…

Pied Oystercatcher

This Australian Black-backed Magpie was collecting several Caterpillar in its beak, possibly to take to its nest to feed its wife and/or young ones. Thankfully it saw me as a friend, as I frequently walk quite close to him, like 1 foot away.

Lastly, my wife thought there might be just the off chance that the tiny Red-capped Plover previously seen at Bonna Point Reserve, way over on the other side of Botany Bay at Kurnell, near where Cook first landed, might be walking the shoreline, and to our delight he and two others were doing just that. Of course we sat and had our ice-cream first, watching the jets coming and going from the airport, as they passed overhead. The Red-capped Plover is one of our smallest waders, and is found all over Australia and Tasmania, even in the hot inland, but usually near water. So Joel saw both the biggest and smallest waders all in one afternoon. The amazing thing about this little bird is that if you are not looking for it, you will probably not notice it, as like other plovers, it moves quickly and stops, moves quickly and stops, blending in with the weed and dross on the shoreline. Its like blink and you might miss it.

This the major problem we are experiencing with our wildlife in our state as the Government allows the big companies to come in and totally destroy our old forests, calling it selective clearing. As they are not interested in, or even looking for the wildlife, it does not exist to them. Koala habitat is disappearing at an alarming rate and there is a call to upgrade them to endangered or by 2050 they may be extinct. Read about it here.

Picture from ABC article link above

One of the responsibilities God handed man when he entrusted him with the privilege of having dominance over his other creatures was to care for his planet and its creatures. Greed and selfish ambition have become more the case as we see mankind move away from a recognition of God and his loving and caring agenda. We were intended to be his representatives on the earth, being made like him i.e. in his likeness

Then God said, “Let us make mankind in our image, in our likeness, so that they may rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky, over the livestock and all the wild animals,^[a] and over all the creatures that move along the ground.” Genesis 1:26

After the world flood which destroyed most of the earth as it was known in pre-history, and from which our fossils and many rock formations were formed, God reasserted Noah’s authority over the creation, handing him as mankind’s representative to be a responsible carer for his creation, however now there would be fear in the hearts of the creatures, as they may now become food for mankind. This is what we birders experience, as do many of us when approaching our wildlife creatures.

Then God blessed Noah and his sons, saying to them, “Be fruitful and increase in number and fill the earth. The fear and dread of you will fall on all the beasts of the earth, and on all the birds in the sky, on every creature that moves along the ground, and on all the fish in the sea; they are given into your hands.Everything that lives and moves about will be food for you. Just as I gave you the green plants, I now give you everything.

It is great when we can re establish a peaceful trust relationship with our birds and animals. Some of us have bird feeders to assist them through cold winters, and some like myself have bird baths to assist washing and watering the birds. The even greater experience comes now that the birds have come to know we care for them and mean them no harm, is that they will provide entertainment for my wife and I as we sit only a couple of feet away eating lunch as they dive, wash and shake. We have a smaller bath for small birds such as Noisy Miner and Grey Butcherbird and a large one next to it for larger birds such as Magpie and Currawong.

Have a wonderful week and enjoy the change of seasons. We remain in drought, and pray for rain, as many farm communities run out of water, and we head into possibly the worse bushfire season on record. This has a huge impact on our trees and wildlife, where for the first time in Australia our rainforests are actually burning.

If this is your first visit to my blog and your interested in birding as a recreational pursuit, why not check out the rest of my birding website, starting with my Homepage. You may be looking for the perfect Christmas gift for your grandchild or child or nephew or nice. Why not check out my book What Birds Teach Us and purchase it securely here online. Ideal for children 7 to 12 years of age, and it will continue to encourage them to make good life choices throughout their lives.

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.

Both birds are found down the east coast of Australia’s mainland and are often heard before seen. Both birds share the same kind of nesting tree, the Angophora costata (Sydney Redgum) found in large numbers along the coast.

Have a careful look at this footage and notice how the Lorikeet uses its tongue to extract food from the nectar rich Endeavour Bottlebrush

Listen to the noisy chatter of a small flock feeding. They have dominance wherever they go when in flock.

The juvenile Lorikeet looks much the same as the adult except that it has a dark beak, dark eye and less red on its chest, as seen below with its adult parent.

The immature still has slight traces of its juvenile features as it approaches breeding maturity and the bright red beak.

One of the things i love about this bird, as with other Parrot species, in particular the Little Corella, is the affection and companionship exhibited between the devoted pair.

Here are a few flight shots I managed to capture at high speed.

If you would like to check out my new book releases for this year click here.

‘Let love and faithfulness never leave you; bind them around your neck, write them on the tablet of your heart.’ – Proverbs 3:3

Have an enjoyable week and stay safe!

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As I walk the same tracks and pathways week after week, hoping to see something different something new, I sometimes wonder what the local territorial birds, animals and reptiles, that have come to know me, are thinking. So here is some suggestions…

Occasionally I see one of his fledglings which is almost mature in its second-third year of training. Look carefully and you will still see small patches of brown plumage and the dirty neck can mean its is a female, as usually the male neck is white by this stage, but may still be changing.

On this visit it was unusual to see a Little Wattlebird, though they do come in from time to time. It is called Little but not for the wattle which is not there, but the bird being the smallest of the three wattlebird species. It sports a very unusual and interesting breast plumage.

Last of all, this Echidna (Short-nosed Spiny-anteater) was sighted on the side of the track. This is the first time we had seen it here in the park. Others had told us it was there, and now we saw it. They are very shy and quickly move away when sighted.

“I meditate on all your works and consider what your hands have done.” – Psalm 143:5

Have a great week and STAY SAFE!

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This is what a young juvenile looks like as it awaits feeding. Notice it has brown and rufous plumage and does not yet have the bright red eye.

Here is a flight shot of a mature adult.

Praying you all have a wonderful, enjoyable Christmas and New Year! Remember that Jesus is the reason for the season, and that it was God’s great love for us that caused him to come to earth as a man.

“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” – John 3:16

The Son of God became the Son of Man so that the Son’s of Men might become Son’s of God.

“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

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The Black Kite in far north Australia have been observed carrying burning sticks from farm fires to grasslands and forests nearby to set them alight so as to flush out prey.

Each morning as we sat on the balcony of our resort villa, sipping our coffee. We were at eye level with the Rainbow Lorikeets as they fed on these red flowers.

It was a great spot which many birds would come and spend time at, some to feed, some to rest and some to check us out for food, which previous occupants had done, a practice which is not good for wild Australian birds, unlike in other countries. Water is the important thing we can assist with.

Yes, Spring means parents are continually busy feeding their offspring, as with another Noisy MIner family.

If you have half an hour to sit and listen to a very interesting radio interview with Gasela Kaplan, here is the link:

Another beautiful bird we observed over coffee on the balcony was this beautiful pair of Eastern Rosella. These are a naturally very shy bird but we did manage to see both male and female sitting on the roof top of an adjacent villa.

Along the shaded track we heard and then saw the Scarlet Honeyeater family, always a wonderful find, and this time they were not high in the canopy feeding, but down low feeding and maintaining their young, somewhere.

As we came close to our car we heard this beautiful melody but could not place it. I had heard it before but not recently and I started guessing what it might be, and my wife finally found it yes! a Black-faced Monarch, another Summer migrant always welcome to our forests.

The Little Wattlebird is the most common wattlebird on the northern coast and lacks wattles on its neck, so it is very very little, like not there:-) Notice the interesting breast plumage.

I could not finish without including this very strange White-necked Heron who sat on this powerline/ aerial every day in the same spot. Strange for a wader, and always looking outward in the same direction, but never with any apparent purpose. Maybe the smell of smoke was alarming it.

These Scaly-breasted Lorikeets were feeding early morning on a native Colistamine bush nearby, the light was poor, and they were very difficult to get into full view. They kept one eye on us and each time we moved they moved. They get their name from the yellow lines on their breast.

One of the most affectionate birds I have seen is the Little Corella. Most times the faithful pair are sharing affection, mating, showing off or just sitting quietly together. This pair caught my eye.

If you have reached this far, thank you for your interest and patience, it is a long post, as many of mine are. Last of all the Golden Whistler male turned up while on a walk with my grandchildren to the beach, always a favorite of mine as you know.

My post pondering today comes from this snake skin which my son-in-law showed us on our walk to their beach. The question is: How did it get in the tree, did it shed the skin there or did some human hang it there?

This remains a mystery, as we were not there when it was shed. We could study the scene and speculate or postulate or ruminate or subjugate those who pontificate over the observable fact, which is: there is a snake skin hanging in a tree. So what?!

Like many scientists, as myself, I could spend time examining, testing, thinking, postulating and concluding, but I could miss the blatantly obvious observation: How interesting and how beautiful is the skin, how remarkable that it sheds its new skin in this way, and there it is hanging in a tree.

“Many, Lord my God, are the wonders you have done, the things you planned for us. None can compare with you; were I to speak and tell of your deeds, they would be too many to declare.” – Psalm 40:5 (NIV)

Have a wonderful week and stay safe. Please pray for rain and cessation of these many destructive fires. As it surely lives up to the poets description in My Country: “I love a sunburnt country. A land of sweeping plains, Of ragged mountain ranges, Of droughts and flooding rains.”

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He hasn’t gone long and he catches his first gift for his sweetheart, and returns to her branch.

In this next sequence he waits with the insect and when she faces him, presents it to her. She shows her appreciation and receives the gift and eats it, while he watches.

She now tests his intent by flying away from him to another branch to see what follows.

She moves about and finally lands on different branch as he follows her. He realizes once is not enough and so off he goes again to get the second gift, which should do the trick to assure his bell that he is her man.

The mating process begins with much earnest and wing movement by the male. His tail feathers and streamers moving/rotating about as he mounts her and proceeds placing his beak over hers.

After what seemed like several minutes the male rises high above the female, who watches as he begins his celebratory routine of areal acrobatics, he is one happy boy!

Beautiful flight movements of which I could only capture two.

After ten seconds he comes back to sit with her again, knowing that neither of them will be alone any more but will share together in digging the nesting tunnel, incubating her eggs and raising their young.

You can purchase your copy of my book for immediate delivery by post in time for Christmas on my BirdBook page.

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The fledgling was calling to its own reflection in the window next door, which would occupy it for some time, till the parents told it to get back in the backyard where it was safe.

One adult stood watch while the other hunted for food, but they maintained their call constantly throughout the day, as they communicated their whereabouts.

I love rising early when I stay there, while it is still very cold, to do an early morning bird walk around part of the lake where many birds nest and live. Here the Woodswallows are in their next stage of being fledged, but still keeping close to the nest area and being fed by parents.

Both parents are coming and going as they feed their youngsters with insects quickly acquired as they glide from tree to tree. The youngsters are able to fly quite well from tree to tree, but staying in the view of the parent.

This Royal Spoonbill was busily scanning the shoreline also.

This pair of Black-winged Stilt were nearby, one wading and the other sleeping.

As I walked around the wetland reserve portion of the lake I spotted this lone Hoary-headed Grebe cruising peacefully.

Red-rumped Parrots feeding on the grass seed by the lake is a common find here. The male has the bright red rump and the female a green rump, and is basically greenish.

But one exciting and beautiful find inland in this particular region (inland south eastern Australia) was the Yellow Rosella, which for some strange reason was recently sub classed under the Crimson Rosella species. It looked radiant in the early morning sunlight.

The Magpie-lark (known also as Pee Wee, Piper, or Mudlark depending on which state you live in) family were also present nearby. This female Pee Wee had two juveniles it was coaching. These birds are easy to distinguish sex and maturity by their black facial lines and their eye colour.

This Crested Pigeon was displaying some beautiful colours. One would think were hand painted.