wetlands

When Rare becomes Everywhere – Birding Away from Home

Posted by aussiebirder on August 23, 2019
Posted in: Australia, Australian Birds, Australian wildlife, Bird watching, Birding, Birds, Birdwatching, Cairns, Far North Queensland, Fauna, Holidays, National Parks, Nature, Nature reserve, Outings, Uncategorized, wetlands, wildlife. Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , . 12 Comments

One of the exciting delights about holidaying in other states of Australia, or any other country in the world, is the different bird and animal wildlife one encounters. This week we highlight some of the birds common to Far North Queensland but not found, or very rarely found here in Sydney NSW. Above one of our favorite birds we love to see up there is the Comb Crested Jacana or Jesus Bird as some know it, because it appears to walk on water, but actually lily pads in reality. This tiny bird is easily missed unless the rained eye is looking for them, though the red comb gives them away at times. 

There long toes and light weight enable them to transverse water lilies with little effort, with short flights across distant pads.  These birds are rarely seen in southern Australia, but were common many years ago in northern NSW but increasing population and habitat destruction has kept them up north. These birds do not like being near noisy people. Watch this short movie clip of a Jacana foraging on the water lilies for insects.

If you are up in the Cairns area, the Cattana Wetlands is a great place to see these birds, and is a local council success story to form sustainable wetlands areas, which many Australian local councils have cottoned onto as a great tourist drawing and local recreation area. 

The other very shy and rarely seen bird found with the Jacana, is the Green Pygmy-Goose. Here is the male and female and a small family, not pleased with our presence. The bird appearing to be a female is most likely an immature male tagging behind its dad, doing what typically hungry young birds do, repetitively calling and bobbing their heads up and down, but dad attempts to escape. As you know the immature males look similar to the female until they gain their mature plumage which gives them their breeding licence.

Green Pygmy-Goose male
Green Pygmy-Goose female/immature male
Green Pygmy-Goose male followed by ? youngster
taking off

Another bird which was more common here years ago but is seldom seen is the Magpie Goose, which is not technically a goose at all, but has its own peculiar classification. Many were killed for food, but thankfully they are protected and breed well in the wet tropics.

Magpie Goose
Magpie Goose
Magpie Goose

Walking along the Cairns Everglades boardwalk, which every birds in Cairns knows to do, just two hours before high tide, we saw this dark morph Eastern Reef Egret, a bird we never see in Sydney. We also saw what appeared to be the light morph nearby, though it could be an Intermediate as its legs appear more slender.

Back at Palm Cove where we did our daily bird walks through the local rainforest and well kept parks we saw several very commonly seen honeyeaters. The most common being the beautiful tiny Olive-backed Sunbird which is Australia’s closest version of Hummingbird. The mail has a brilliant metallic blue throat, and both have bright yellow under parts.

male Sunbird
male Sunbird
male Sunbird
male Sunbird
female Sunbird eating nectar

We watched this female Sunbird collect spider’s web to make her nest. They make a pocket or sock  nest that is entirely held together with spider’s web.

The other two honeyeaters not so commonly seen were the Dusky and the Yellow which describes them by colour. As you can see above the flowering Mistletoe provides good nectar for most birds during this winter period, as it does down south. Notice the long curved beak of the honeyeaters for accessing deep into the tubular flowers such as the mistletoe.

Dusky Honeyeater
Dusky Honeyeater
Yellow Honeyeater
Yellow Honeyeater

Of course with the flowering Mistletoe comes the Mistletoebird which are also found in large numbers in the tropics. The brilliant red of the male stands out in the green tree. The female was quite shy and only one shot of her, she lacks the red on upper body. The last of this photo set is a favourite of mine with the male next to a red leaf.

male
male
male
female
my favorite

The male and female Varied Triller is another bird not seen in out area. The male has the white chest and the female the striped., which is the case in the NE race leucomela.

A bird often heard calling from the canopy of fig trees was the Helmeted Friarbird which was just as noisy as its cousin the Noisy Friarbird, which we see from time to time down south. Notice the lovely almost low pile carpet light cap. We were blessed to see them out in the sunlight drinking from the gutter of a home near the park. They appeared to be a small family flock.

The Spangled Drongo would often join them feeding in the fig trees. These birds look brilliant in the sunlight with their blue sheen plumage, red eye ans classic tail shape which instantly identifies them.

There is always a special bird corridor spot on any birdwalk where you always want to go to and look and stand and wait for something to come along and the footbridge crossing the creek which led through the rainforest into the housing estate was our special spot. Along the creek my wife caught sight of the Orange-footed Scrubfowl which is endemic to northern Australia. We saw the bird in several other places also, scratching and foraging similar to the Lyrebird which is not found this far north. You know they are around as dawn and sunset they make their loud raucous blood curdling call.

But our most wonderful find here on the footbridge one morning and a wonderful gift to us, especially my wife, was this young Little Kingfisher. These birds are shy at the best of times but also very difficult to film as they usually are seen in rainforest only along rivers, such as the Daintree River where I got my first photos years ago, from a boat. This little fellow sat preening and just resting as we quietly observed. We were so delighted. I did not include the preening footage, but this shows its body bouncing as it moves its head.

This is Australia’s smallest Kingfisher, smaller than even the tiny Azure and again is endemic to northern Australia. 

This footbridge across the creek through the rainforest each day gave us different and interesting birds, so it drew us back each day of our time in Palm Cove to be part of each walk. It crossed us over from the resort part of town to the residential area, a clear and noticeable change. 

We cross many bridges in life’s journey, transitioning us from one season to another. The notable point being that we are transitioned to change. This occurs most frequently in times of grief and loss as well as in times of  blessing and new beginnings (inheritance, job, partner, baby etc). Our acceptance and understanding of the  transition will affect how we adjust to the change. As my wife and I discovered new revelations on this footbridge each day, so we have been blessed also with me being jobless at the same time as I discovered my heart problem and transitioned to a new season of lifestyle. During this time wrote a book, as I did on a previous transition some years ago, and many of you have purchased my book. The second deals more deeply with life using the birds to make it less confronting and more delightful to digest. However, I must patiently wait, which is difficult for me, and allow the editing and medical processes to take place, accepting it all as part of what must take place to bring us into our next season. King David of old recounts the blessedness of trusting and resting in God to take him over the many positive and negative life bridges he experienced in his very colorful and turbulent  life journey.

“The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing.  He makes me lie down in green pastures,
He leads me beside quiet waters, He refreshes my soul.
He guides me along the right paths for his name’s sake.
Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I will fear no evil, for you are with me;
Your rod and your staff, they comfort me.”   – Psalm 23: 1-4 (NIV)

Have a wonderful restful and satisfying weekend enjoying the birds and getting out and about in the fresh air!

If this is your first visit to my blog please explore my Website Homepage menu for more birding tips and info. Check out my book “What Birds Teach Us”, a great easy to read gift idea, which continues to get good reviews where people share how it has helped them and how it is a unique book. If you are concerned, it has been carefully  written for all cultures and beliefs and does not preach or recommend any particular belief system, but is a counselling tool that encourages good life skills by using the birds and beautiful photos of them to relate to us. People from other cultures and beliefs different to my own, have shared how they love the book. You can purchase your copy here

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.

 

Unexpected Finds – The Varied Sittella.

Posted by aussiebirder on June 13, 2019
Posted in: Australia, Australian Birds, Australian wildlife, Bird watching, Birding, Birds, Fauna, National Parks, Nature, Nature reserve, Sydney, wetlands, wildlife. Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , , .

Varied Sittella (male)

Last Monday on the public holiday, my wife and I had a birding date revisiting Bushell’s Lagoon in search of the Bittern again and to film Pink-eared Ducks vortexing for food. Surprisingly, both were not present, but got to chat to some birders where we exchanged tips and sightings. Click on photos to enlarge.

Birders focused at Bushells Lagoon wetlands

more of the extensive wetland where the Bittern usually is found.

The Blue-green algae blooms are gradually overtaking the wetland due to the drought and warmer than usual winter weather, which is limiting the area usable by the water birds.

On arrival, my best shots were taken unexpectedly from my car window before alighting, as a couple of Golden-headed Cisticola, non-breeding, came to check me out on perched on the rusty barbed-wire fence next to my car. Such little cuties!

The usual Great and Intermediate Egrets were present as was the White-faced Heron, in addition the unexpected flock of Cattle Egrets resting across the lake.

Greater Egret
Intermediate Egret
Cattle Egret flock
White-faced Heron
Cattle Egrets in flight

It was lovely to see this family of Australasian Swamphen caring for their one and only surviving baby, which is unusual as they normally have a clutch of about 3-8 eggs. 

Swamphen family on the move
Feeding Australasian Swamphen chick

Another sad story was to see this pair of Australian Black Swan who had recently, last week,  had 4 cygnets and appears to be grieving their loss, as they are gone from the nest.

feeling their loss together
Having a wash

The main reason for these losses is the large number of raptors constantly screening this area for an easy feed. While we were there this Whistling Kite made a pass over.

Followed by an juvenile (1yo) White-bellied Sea-Eagle.

Followed by this Black-shouldered Kite which is often seen nearby. These raptors spend much of their time resting on the top of dead and live trees. The film clip shows this peculiar up and down tail action or ‘tail flip’ which is thought to warn other Kites that this their territory, and go look elsewhere, but there is no other raptor of the same species, but several of different species. The other interesting observation was to watch it hover over its prey, gradually dropping to a different level, with feet extended, till finally dropping on it, in the same way as the Nankeen Kestrel.

A birding acquaintance Edwin, pictured in above photo at Bushell’s Lagoon, tipped us off as to where the flock of Pink-eared Duck could be located on a dam nearby, so off we went. We found them but they were too far away for great shots and they were resting not feeding, as I had hoped.

After lunch at Windsor we made our way to Wianamatta Nature Reserve in search of the Red-capped Robin again. However, it also was not seen on this occasion. However, we did see several small birds hopping about on one particular tree foraging, and at first looked very much like a White-throated Treecreeper, as they do look alike, but the beak was not curved. We were delighted to unexpectedly, as is one of the highlights of birding, to happen upon a bird rarely seen in our region, the Varied Sittella. 

gotcha!
chasing the insect

The Varied Sittella is only found in the south eastern states of NSW and Victoria and occasionally eastern SA. They are insectivorous and feed mainly, like the lookalike Treecreeper, on the trunks and branches of trees. However, they do not necessarily ascend the tree to the top and fly to the next tree, when they forage in similar fashion as the Treecreeper, nor do they make the loud repetitive single note call of the Treecreeper, but forage more quietly with their sharp twittering calls. We saw these two Sittella huddled high and hidden in the tree. One appeared to be a juvenile and the other an adult female.

Together in another part of the tree this pair of Sittellas sat preened and rested.

Again we saw the beautiful tiny but bright Yellow Thornbill and the handsome Silvereye.

We followed this Grey Shrike-thrush along the track for some time as he stopped to check us out.

Grey Shrike-thrush

Lastly, the White-eared Honeyeater were also present, though we were starting to loose light so I had few good shots to show after this.

While we walked at Wianamatta this beautiful cloud formation appeared, looking very much plumed like a feather, as my wife suggested. Which reminded us that our loving Heavenly Father is enjoying this experience with us. He enjoys us enjoying and appreciating his Creation and thanking him for it. So he put this this reminder in the sky for us to remember that he is always there for us and travelling with us on our journey. This also was an unexpected sign. Birding is full of exciting unexpected experiences, like Forrest Gump’s box of chocolates, “you never know what you are going to get”.

See how King David sees himself as a young bird shielded by God his Father bird, what a beautiful image for a Birder, of God’s care and protection of us.

“He will cover you with his feathers. He will shelter you with his wings. His faithful promises are your armor and protection.” – Psalm 91:4 (NLT)

“Take delight in the Lord, and he will give you your heart’s desires.” – Psalm 37:4

“Now all glory to God, who is able, through his mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think.” – Ephesians 3:20

This week I created a private song page for the encouragement of my wife’s niece Nikki, a young mother of 3, who has been in hospital now for nine months with a debilitating illness. Her faith and joy in the Lord is remarkable and an amazing inspiration to all who know her. If you would like access to this page to listen to the selection of my songs recorded way back in my earlier Christian years, drop me a line and I will send the link and the password, and please pray for her as she may be returning home soon, but with disabilities. We continue to pray for complete healing.

Have a wonderful week and stay warm! I am working well writing my next book as the inspiration flows during my time away from my previous work. I am privileged to have this time to devote myself to the task.

If this is your first time to my blog, please check out the pages on my website HomePage on birding and counseling tips.

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.

 

A Lifer Becomes the Star of the Party – Southern Star Finch

Posted by aussiebirder on June 5, 2019
Posted in: Australia, Australian Birds, Australian wildlife, Bird watching, Birding, Birds, Fauna, National Parks, Nature, Nature reserve, Outings, Sydney, wetlands, wildlife. Tagged: , , , , , .

Southern Star Finch with yellow mutation.

It is difficult to believe, but true, when last Saturday afternoon, while celebrating the birthday of my step-daughter, a single small bird flew into a deciduous leafless tree in the backyard near where we were eating. My wife noted it in the afternoon sun and called me over. To our surprise and delight this Southern Star Finch turned out to be the fourth lifer in four weeks, and it came to us! My wife quickly got her camera clicking, as mine was home and these were some better of the few shots we took. The bird sat in the tree quite unperturbed by our presence and I was told that it returned the next day. What a gift! and we did not have to go on a birding expedition. It came to us!

 To top it off, this is also the yellow/mango mutation of the southern race which normally has a red face, and is very rare. This mutation is also known as a Budda Star Finch. There is also a grey and cinnamon faced mutation that occurs in the Star Finches.  Sadly, I received an email today from Birdlife Australia informing me that these birds are now classified as probably extinct due to loss of habitat from cattle overgrazing, restricting the grasses from seeding, as well as limiting the native varieties. The Southern race was only found on the east coast of Queensland and northern NSW, but now mostly restricted to a smaller region in Queensland. The Northern race is classified as Threatened and is found along the top end of Far northern Australia. Finches survive mainly on native grass seed and insects. 

On a day through the week I took my wife out on a birding date back to see the Australasian Bittern, which she was keen to see. There were already about five other birders looking for the bird and reported that one had flushed and flown a distance across the lake to their disappointment. These birds hide in the reeds and move so stealthily that they can be right next to you and you would never know till they take flight, as they are extremely shy of humans.  They are very difficult to detect due to their ability to move through the reeds and tall grass without even moving the surrounding reeds. See if you can find it in the third photo below?

The wonderful opportunity that afforded us on this occasion was that we actually got flight shots of the birds as they moved from one area of the wetlands to the other and back to the original area again, with us birders in hot pursuit. Click on photos to enlarge.

It is not hard to see why these birds are so difficult to locate in among the reeds. They are known for standing their necks upright as they survey their surrounds, appearing like part of the reeds. The vertical neck is all you would have seen in the previous photo if you succeeded in spotting the Bittern, as it is seen closer in the last photo below.

While we were watching the many other waterbirds including Egrets, Ibis and Heron, we also saw this cute Little Grassbird which we had not seen for a long while.

Of course if there are reeds present, and there are, the Australian Reed-Warbler will most likely be present with its loud call, and it was.

This Swamp Harrier is seen each day continually scanning the entire wetlands. There are several different raptor species seen frequently at Bushell’s Lagoon including Nankeen Kestrel and Black-shouldered Kite. The white marking at the top of the tail is a helpful  identification marker for this bird, as it was some distance away.

It has been an interesting journey for me the last month, at home writing my second book. My wife and I have enjoyed more quality time together and she has enjoyed having a home husband to look after the things at home she does not enjoy doing. We are a team and it is always helpful for us to remember that in a marriage there are three entities not two. The Husband, the Wife and the Marriage Relationship. This is what we share and bring to the table when we discuss our relationship, which we have an agreement today every 3rd of each month, which is our anniversary date for our wedding. It is good for us, even in our mature years to ask each other ” How are going in our marriage? What do we change or do better?

“Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves.” – Romans 12:10

 “Be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise but as wise,16 making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil.”  – Ephesians 5:15

Have a wonderful week and stay warm, Winter has hit the eats coast with its mighty force yesterday, and the birds have run for cover, though the warble of the worshiping magpies in the torrential rain and wind continues regardless from the TV antenna outside my window as I write. What a blessing!

If this is your first time to my blog, please check out the pages on my website HomePage on birding and counseling tips.

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.

 

Elusive Birds Many Seldom See – Freshwater Birding

Posted by aussiebirder on November 2, 2018
Posted in: Australia, Australian Birds, Australian wildlife, Bird watching, Birding, Birds, Birdwatching, Holidays, National Parks, Nature, Nature reserve, Outings, Sydney, Uncategorized, water birds, wetlands, wildlife. Tagged: , , , , , , .
Pink-eared Duck

This week as my wife and I were accessing difficult birding areas, I realised just how elusive and fearful of humans our fresh water birds are, and because of this how many non-birders would probably never laid eyes on some of the most beautiful and unique birds in our country of Australia. One such duck, the Pink Eared Duck (above) is a good example. These unusual ducks filter water for micro marine organisms and insects using their purpose built spatulated broad bill.

The Pink-eared Duck gets its name from a pink marking on the side of its head which is smaller or absent in females and absent in juveniles. They are mostly found in inland fresh water lakes throughout the Australian continent and is endemic to Australia. It is often found in large flocks of hundreds as we observed last weekend…

Pink-eared Duck
Pink-eared Duck
Pink-eared Duck
Pink-eared Duck

We were doubly blessed to see two juvenile Pink-eared Ducks for the first time ever. Click on photos to enlarge them.

Another rarely noticed fresh water duck which keeps its distance from humans (on the other side of the lake) is the Australasian Shoveler, also endemic and sports a very similar spatulated bill to our previous duck. The male is the more colourful and the female mainly brown. Note how it sweeps the water filtering it for its food, allowing the water to pass out. These are usually seen in small family groups.

Australasian Shoveler male
Australasian Shoveler male
Australasian Shoveler female
Australian Shoveler pair

One of the most popular freshwater ducks which are found in very large flocks in northern Australia and in some of our lakes and dams here in our state also, is the Plumed Whistling Duck. These are migratory as they return to the top end in the wet season of summer to breed.

Plumed Whistling Duck male
Plumed Whistling Duck
Plumed Whistling Duck
Plumed Whistling Duck

You may remember seeing this video clip from a previous post, highlighting the cacophony of sound the whistling of thousands of ducks can produce. 

The most elusive and human sensitive duck we have encountered and laboured to see is of course the Blue-billed Duck. The bill of the males during breeding glows bright blue. The male is distinctly different to female, the female being very similar to the female and juvenile of the Musk Duck, another fresh water elusive duck, and can be often difficult from a distance to tell them apart. Both the Blue-billed and Musc Ducks share very similar characteristics which I will share later.

Males in foreground females in background
Hardhead male and Blue-billed Duck male

The Musk Duck gets its name from the musk like scent the male liberates from a gland on its rump, it sports an unusual leathery lobe, and because of its greasy grey appearance is always difficult to photograph from a distance. 

The Blue-billed and Musc Ducks are often found together in family groups well away from human approach. These birds spend almost all of their life on the water, they sleep afloat (see Blue-billed photo above). Both birds are identified by the fact they float low in the water, they have large splaying tails which the males use to attract females, they both have long involved courtship displays and are endemic to Australia. I managed to get some pics (from a distance) of a male doing a courtship display with his followers looking on as he kicked, turned, rolled onto his back and splayed his tail in the water.

Courtship display by a male Musk Duck
Courtship display by a male Musk Duck
Courtship display by a male Musk Duck

The Australian Shelduck is a duck often only seen in family groups and not commonly seen on the coast being more of an inland bird to the southern part of Australia. We often only find the occasional bird at a wetland or lake but not in  any number though their numbers are always increasing and are of little concern. In this case the white surrounding the eye is the female.

One duck most people here in NSW would not have seen because it only lives in the far north of Australia is the Radjah Shelduck which we have posted here in our far north travels earlier this year.

Two other birds only found in Far North Queensland that I also featured in previous posts are the Cotton Pygmy Goose and the Green Pygmy Goose which are extremely elusive, but are called geese rather than ducks, but are elusive, fresh water and seldom seen, so included them.

Green Pygmy-Goose pair
Cotton Pygmy-Goose and Wandering Whistling Ducks

The Wandering Whistling Duck, which lives up to its name, as it is not endemic to Australia, but is found in south-east Asia and moves about in northern Australia, occasionally seen as a vagrant here. It is found in large flocks similar to its Plumed cousin.

Wandering Whistling Duck
Wandering Whistling Duck

The Hardhead is an Australia’s most common diving duck (endemic to Australia) similar to the Blue-billed Duck (also a diving duck) but more common. It is not as shy as the above but can be. The male is identified by the white eye and the female by the brown eye. These birds do not swim as low in the water as Blue-bills but are often found with them and look similar from the distance. The Blue-bills keep their tail low in the water unlike the Hardhead.

Hardheads landing near Cotton Pygmy-Goose

The other ducks such as Australian Wood Duck, Chestnut Teal, Grey Teal and Pacific Black Duck are very common and not listed as elusive or rarely seen. The Grey Teal is apparently our most abundant duck. However, our most endangered and rare Duck is the Freckled Duck. Posted as vulnerable in our state, but is most endangered of all our ducks as it inhabits swamps and lakes inland, and when these dry up it moves towards the coast. It is only found in the southern part of our continent but not Tasmania.

All of the above ducks have had to photographed from a distance in a fresh water lake, swamp or lagoon, the Hardheads being the not so shy and more frequently seen. Many in the general public think ducks eat small fish and only small marine creatures, however, ducks are mostly omnivorous and feed on insects, seeds, grains, grass, water weeds, mollusks and what ever they can find. They do not normally feed on fish. As we saw above, those ducks that have been given purpose built bills such as the Pink-eared and Shoveler extract most of their nutrient directly from filtering the water, for crustaceans, molluscs, fresh water plankton and insects. Last weekend we saw many different species resting together in the middle of the lake all on friendly terms, as each kept its distance from the other.

There is safety in numbers and this was well demonstrated as we approached the lake. The first warnings alerted those who were sleeping and not facing our way. This caused some to give an alarm call and fly off, while others (the Pink-eared flock) took off and circled the lake several times, as they would for a raptor’s appearance and finally resettle in another lake nearby. Others would just swim further to the other side of the lake, keeping an eye on us. The flock is a safety structure for many reasons, especially in the harsh country of Australia. This is one reason why many of our birds can learn multiplicity of bird languages and can also be taught to speak words (Parrots, Budgies and Cockatoos) as they combine with other flocks and learn their local lingo. By pooling their resources they are able to stay safe and find food, water, companionship and mates especially in drought times. We do the same when we pool our resources as a family or community, whatever that may look like. Sharing our knowledge and experiences helps our family flock do life better. It is for this reason I exhort fathers in particular to share their life with their children while they are young, it is so important, and the children hunger for it. My book is just another way of helping dads do this well as it is full of Godly advice without being religious

“And now a word to you parents. Don’t keep on scolding and nagging your children, making them angry and resentful. Rather, bring them up with the loving discipline the Lord himself approves, with suggestions and godly advice.” – Ephesians 6:4 (Living Bible)

“A wise teacher makes learning a joy;” – Proverbs 15:2

“Teach a child to choose the right path, and when he is older, he will remain upon it.” – Proverbs 22:6

Have a wonderful and restful weekend. We are facing a heatwave today with total fire ban which is not good for the many birds nesting after recent rains. Breeding numbers here remain down this year also.

If this is your first visit to my blog, please take a minute to check out my website Homepage menu and helpful birding and counselling info. Check out  my unique book which can be purchased through secure PayPal here online 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

 

What Spring Brings – The Wader’s Return.

Posted by aussiebirder on October 4, 2018
Posted in: Australia, Australian Birds, Birding, Birds, Birdwatching, Fauna, Holidays, migratory waders, National Parks, Nature, Nature reserve, Outings, shorebirds, Sydney, Uncategorized, waders, water birds, wetlands, wildlife. Tagged: .

Bar-tailed Godwit

With the return of Spring comes the return of our wonderful migratory waders, in particular my favourite, the Bar-tailed Godwit, featured in my book as the most endurant bird. This bird has been tracked travelling 16,000 km (9,942 miles) non-stop for 6 to 8 days directly across the Pacific Ocean from Alaska to Australia and New Zealand. At the end of Summer it will journey all the way back, via the Asian coast to breed, that’s an amazing 32,000 km in one year. In a bird’s lifetime, it is estimated, they travel to the moon and back 2.5 times. You can see the orange breeding plumage they gained before they left in Autumn still blotchy as it disappears for their non-breeding Summer in Australia. Click on photo to enlarge it.

Breeding plumage disappearing on rump of Godwit
Bar-tailed Godwit

To get an idea of size and how small they are, see how tall they are beside this Silver Gull. Again you can note remnants of breeding plumage on the male.

Comparison of size with Silver Gull

The female is slightly larger in size with a longer beak than the non-breeding male, as seen below.

Non-breeding male next to a female Godwit

The beach where we see these birds is protected (apparently) for these birds, however, I had to remind one family to leash their dog as they encouraged it harass these  birds as they fed on the tidal mud flats. The dogs are actually banned from this beach, which makes one quite angry at the selfish disregard and arrogance that many people display for our wildlife safety. 

Flying to safety

Nearby in a creek flowing onto the beach we found this lone Royal Spoonbill decked out in full breeding plumage attempting to sleep in the wind. As you will see in the footage below his afro hairdo  as a humorous dimension to the bird. Spring brings with it the breeding plumage in many resident waterbirds.

These birds breed well away from humans, often with other non-migratory waterbirds, in fact they are known to permanently desert their nest should a human approach or disturb them off it. It was strange to find this bird sleeping as the tide was going out, so I think it was quite happy to stay by the fresh running water of the creek.

Also grazing the mud flats were a small flock of Australian White Ibis (nesting mates to the above Spoonbill).

Australian White Ibis flock

Another sign of Spring was this pair of Australian Pied Oystercatcher. These birds pair for life and are often seen in breeding pairs, especially now as this is the season. These birds are now listed as Endangered in NSW due to their nests being disturbed and destroyed on beaches by humans being permitted to drive 4×4 WD vehicles on NSW  National Park beaches without a concern for the delicate habitat of these very shy birds. It amazes me that they be allowed to do this, particularly on a beach protecting wildlife. The fencing off of breeding areas has worked for other bird species.

Aust. Pied Oystercatcher
Aust. Pied Oystercatcher
Aust. Pied Oystercatcher
Aust. Pied Oystercatcher

It was an enjoyable walk along the beach just before sunset, as my wife and I look forward to exploring more of the wader feeding areas in future weeks.

On closing, I share these photos of a nesting pair of Sulfur-crested Cockatoo we saw in the Royal National Park recently, protecting their nest from impending intruders. The action of sacrificial, unconditional love seen in bird parents is an inspiration to us of true parenting which when carried on as the family develops, in a love shown between spouses, is modelled for the fledgelings. As parents we always need to be aware it is our actions that speak loudest to our children, not our words. Words are given validity by the quality of the love we live and demonstrate firstly to our spouse and then to our children. Children learn most about what love is from watching how mum and dad love each other.

“Dear children, let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth.” – 1 John 3:18

Have a wonderful week!

If this is your first visit to my blog please check out the rest of my website through my Homepage and menu.

I was greatly blessed today to receive a very extensive review of my new book “What Birds Teach Us” in a post by Jen an American blogger who purchased my book here online recently:  “Birds, Blooms and all things Beautiful”

You might like read it (click on link above) and also read more reviews and information and purchase your copy through the security of PayPal on my BirdBook page. 

The book is also sold in One of these Places.

 

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

 

The Black-winged Stilt – Wader of the South

Posted by aussiebirder on September 20, 2018
Posted in: Australia, Australian Birds, Bird watching, Birding, Birds, Birdwatching, Fauna, migratory waders, National Parks, Nature, Nature reserve, Outings, shorebirds, Sydney, Uncategorized, wetlands, wildlife. Tagged: , , .

Black-winged Stilt reflecting

This week I want to honour a wader which is common to the shores of Australia, South America and South Africa, Indonesia, New Zealand and other countries south of the Equator. The Black-winged Stilt (Himantopus himantopus) is probably one of our most common waders, and one of the few that does not migrate to the north each year to breed. It breeds in Australia and as my book explains, has a friendly foraging relationship of comradery with the Red-necked Avocet a purely Australian wader which also breeds locally, but more inland.

The Black-winged Stilt is one of my most favourite birds to photograph because it is such a perfect bird for reflection photos, which I love to take., as you can see.

This is one of the few birds that I have photographs of that follow this bird from egg to its adult stages. The Black-winged Stilt feeds on aquatic insects and small molluscs and crustaceans. They feed in the shallows of freshwater lakes and wetlands including brackish marshes. They are a flock bird and can be quite noisy with their bird-bark-like-call which usually warns of alarm or encroachment of territory, as they are very protective of their space when nesting and raising young.

Let’s start with the eggs. The Black-winged Stilt has a clutch of 3 to 4 eggs and like many bird eggs they are dappled as you can see below. The female has a simple shallow hollow with some soft grass as the nest. Note below how she bends her very long legs, her knees fold backwards, the opposite to our human knees. This allows her to tuck her large feet comfortably under her body. 

When the chicks are finally born after 22 to 24 days incubation. Most birds would be starting to nest by now or be about to as Spring arrives. The chicks begin walking about and fending for themselves soon after. You can hear the parent warning off potential trouble as we walk by.

As the juveniles start maturing and begin looking like the adult they lack the black neck but sport a black eye marking for their first years. As they mature their brown plumage becomes black, the eye marking lessons and disappears and the black neck stripe forms.

In this very rare and unique image one can see four different stages of maturity for the Black-winged Stilt. See if you can work out the stages of maturity.

Four different stages of development in one photo

When these birds fly they tuck their long lanky legs behind and fly quite majestically.

Finally the bird matures to an adult and at low tide and around the lake edges it pokes its long sharp beak into the water seeking out marine insects and small crustaceans. You can hear its monotonous call as it forages.

As I have shared earlier the Black-winged Stilt though not endemic to Australia has formed a friendly alliance with Australia’s Red-necked Avocet, where both birds are often found forading beside each other and their flocks mixed. Here is a candid moment which is seldom experienced where the larger Avocet runs into the Stilt and moves it on.

So there we have it, a beautiful bird with beautiful reflective properties for photographers, in the still shallows. If you are in Sydney and you would like to see both these birds together, visit Sydney Olympic Park and walk to the large lake with the bird hide, past the mangrove walks. What we learn from these two birds is that you can be quite different in appearance and culture yet live and feed in the same areas and have peaceful and caring relationships. This is God’s best for us all in this multi-cultural age, an example set by these birds.

“Live in harmony with one another. Do not be proud, but be willing to associate with people of low position. Do not be conceited.” – Romans 12:16

 

During the last decade, Sydney has become one of the most multicultural cities in the world (Australia the 2nd most multicultural nation) and with that many of us Anglo-Saxon Aussies from country areas, such as myself, found it a challenge to adjust to this change. As I currently work with people  from all over the world, warm caring family people,  I have learned to appreciate them in a much more understanding and loving manner, enjoying many warm friendships. Sometimes we need to reflect on  our attitude to those who are different from us.

Have a wonderful week birding!

As I approach my final weeks of full-time work in Immuno Haematology, negotiations are continuing as managers discuss the possibility of continuing my employment part-time. My wife and I seek God’s best for my future, and wait for him to open or close the door. The future always remains in the reliable hands of the One who ‘knows the end from the beginning’ of all things, and always works everything in life for our good. The proposed bird guide work and 2nd book writing are both on hold till this is resolved, your prayers are valued.

“And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.” – Romans 8:28

If this is your first visit to my blog, why not check out my birding website pages from my Homepage. 

Also check out my book you can purchase here online with secure PayPal or at any of these places. Check out the promo below.

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

 

Taking Birding to the Next Level – Races and Subspecies.

Posted by aussiebirder on September 8, 2018
Posted in: Australia, Australian Birds, Australian wildlife, Bird watching, Birding, Birds, Birdwatching, Fauna, National Parks, Nature, Nature reserve, Outings, Sydney, waders, water birds, wetlands, wildlife. Tagged: , .

In our early years of bird watching, becoming birders, my wife and I would excitedly seek out new species which birders term lifers (having been sighted in the wild for the first time). I like to distinguish for my own sake  a true lifer from a species I might view for the first time in a zoo or avery. This was the case with the rare and elusive Regent Honeyeater pictured above, notice the leg band. Because many of the birds in the wild now are banded, being ex zoo release birds, it is difficult for you to know if I shot this in the wild, but no, this was shot at Taronga Park Zoo, Sydney. Click on photo to enlarge.

Regent Honeyeater feeding on Grevillea flower at Zoo.
Regent Honeyeater feeding on Grevillea flower at Zoo.

I had photographed this bird many times at Taronga Park Zoo in Sydney, where the birds are bred as a conservation effort in captivity, then banded, and released into the wild in their breeding areas. It was not till last year, that I photographed several non-banded birds in the wild that I was satisfied that I had a true lifer. See below…

As novices, my wife and I excitedly sought out holiday locations with the view of including birding as a vital part of our time-away. Many a committed birder knows the frustration of spending much time and money pursuing particular new or rare birds only to come home disappointed, this occurred many times with the above bird before I finally found it in the wild. Notice the more beautiful plumage and more classic bare skin around eye with the wild non zoo bred bird at the top of the page.

Our mission together was to passionately engage as many new species of our beautiful and varied Australian birds as possible, eventually covering most of our country and surrounding islands. One book initially assisted us in seeking good birding locations, a well written and easy to follow book a friend gave me as a gift one year: ‘Best 100 Birdwatching Sites in Australia.’ by Sue Taylor. This is a book we highly recommend to those, like us, pursuing birding as an enjoyable recreation.

Sue Taylor’s book cover

Interesting enough, and long before I received this book, the front cover depicts the location and bird that originally hooked me into birding as a hobby and recreation. Yes, the Red-tailed Tropicbird (my trading logo and avatar) on Lord Howe Island, where I travelled to see this ‘backward flying bird’ as I first called it. 

On a holiday to Western Australia, after visiting my son in Perth, we ventured down to the Margaret River region on the bottom South West tip of the continent. It was here that we started to realise and consider something we had not noted previously. My wife, the spotter (binoculars),  would occasionally say to me, the shooter (camera), “Take this bird, I think it is different from ours!”. What she meant was the bird in question was also found in our local area, but it had some noticeably different characteristics to the trained eye, which she could observe better with binoculars. As you can see below it can be difficult to note any fine delineating characteristics between the south west WA race longirostris

and the eastern NSW, we see at home race novahollandiae

Back home, processing our birding treasures from the holiday, I discovered from consulting my field guides, my wife was correct.  We had opened another exciting door and challenge to our birding experience, taking it to the next level. We had entered the field of seeking the various subspecies or races of particular Australian bird species. A race (subspecies) as it is termed in the ornithology books, is a morphologically distinct group of birds that can interbreed within the same species. This is where the captured still image is vital so morphological details of each bird can be studied in detail at home on the computer allowing race distinctions to be detected allowing correct classification. 

New Holland Honeyeater Eastern race NSW
New Holland Honeyeater SW WA race.

These birds look very similar, sometimes identical, but there are differences in appearance, which are usually found groups geographically located by location. For example, I noted the race differences of the Masked Lapwing I featured from my recent Far North Queensland post comparing them to our local Sydney Masked Lapwing race. Primarily, the facial mask differed slightly in each of the two locations, northern Australia and southern Australia. 

Good field guides list the various names of the current races, the morphological differences and their geographical  location on the map of the country. Notice I used the word current, as ornithologists today are constantly reclassifying birds using more complex and scientific (genetic) means, than previously was the case. Older field guides will vary in the naming of some birds.  In Australia several species of bird, found also in neighbouring countries, have been reclassified into new specifically geographic subspecies beginning with the name Australian or Australasian… Two recent examples as Purple Swamphen if found in Australia, is now Australasian Swamphen and the Darter in Australia is now called the Australasian Darter. The  species Anhinga anhinga (specie name followed by subspecie/race name) has a subspecies (race) of Anhinga melanogester which is the Oriantal/Indian Darter BUT NOW Australia has its own subspecies Anhinga novaehollandiae. The Latin race name means New Holland (the Dutch name for Australia), since they were the first Europeans to discover it in 1606). 

Australasian Darter
Australasian Darter
Australasian Darter
Australasian Darter
Australasian Swamphen

 One of the first honeyeaters to be named (scientifically described) was the New Holland Honeyeater (discussed above) as it is one of the most prolific coastal honeyeaters in Sydney and all around the rugged Australian coastal scrublands of southern Australia. This species alone has 5 races within Australia in five geographical locations both on the continent and also Tasmania and its islands. This was the bird I wished I had photographed more when in SW WA, on my wife’s suggestion. Here are photos of three of the 5 races, see if you can see the distinguishing characteristics.

Tasmanian
Tasmanian
SW WA
SW WA
Eastern NSW
Eastern NSW

Australia has over 70 species of honeyeaters, more than anywhere else in the world, as well as the world’s largest in size. The great challenge at the next level is to track down and identify (using good observational skills) the various races within each of these species. Then of course, there are the many other bird species with subspecies. It must have been quite an exciting experience for the early European/English naturalists to find so many varieties of similar birds to their homeland birds which only have one species with no subspecies. Here are but a few…

Red-headed Honeyeater
Red-headed Honeyeater

Australia has 19 species of Robin of which these are but a few…

In some cases more than one race of a particular species may exist in the same location as another, making it all the more challenging. An example of this was in our recent trip to Far North Queensland where we saw two different subspecies (races) of Little Shrike-thrush in the same location. They looked quite different morphologically.

(race rufogaster)
(race parvula)

For example, when we were birding in Britain we saw A Robin, A Cormorant and An Oystercatcher just to name a few for example. In Australia we have several if not many different species of these birds with the same species classification, and some of these even have several subspecies. In the Cormorant family we share the the Great Cormorant (Black Cormorant) with Europe but in  addition have four others unique to Australia, the Little Black, the Little Pied, the Pied and the very rarely seen Black-faced Cormorant from the wild Southern ocean. 

Great Cormorant
Pied Cormorant
Black-faced Cormorant

To conclude, the scientific approach to birding is that nothing can be taken for granted (assumed) from a distance, only careful observation and attention to detail will reward the astute birder with exciting discoveries and findings at the next level. This observational skill, accompanied with the latest bird field guide will bring an added appreciation for the wonderful variety of creatures  even within a single species and how Intelligent Design could only be the origin of such an interdependent complex and beautiful system by a thoroughly awesome and amazing intelligent Creator. Here then is my source of knowledge, wisdom and understanding, as I seek His embrace and His best for my life.

“How many are your works, Lord! In wisdom you made them all; the earth is full of your creatures.” – Psalm 104:24

“For the Lord gives wisdom; from his mouth come knowledge and understanding.” – Proverbs 2:6

Have a wonderful week birding! We did not do any birding this week but we do  give thanks for the good rain that has blessed us this last few days and hopefully will bring our birds back to breed.

If this is your first visit to my blog, why not check out my birding website pages from my Homepage. 

Also check out my book you can purchase here online with secure PayPal or at any of these places. Check out the promo below.

 

 

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

 

 

I Know Its Spring When The Whistlers Sing

Posted by aussiebirder on August 26, 2018
Posted in: Australia, Australian Birds, Bird watching, Birding, Birds, Birdwatching, Eastern Spinebill, Fauna, Holidays, Magpie Goose, migratory waders, National Parks, Nature, Nature reserve, Oatley Park Reserve, Outings, Uncategorized, waders, water birds, wetlands, wildlife. Tagged: .

As we approach Spring in one weeks time after the hottest and driest winter and previous summer, we pray and wait for good rain to come, as the worst Winter bushfires continue to blaze. The Wattle has been flowering for weeks, but the bird that tells me it is Spring, the beautiful Golden Whistler, has been silent and elusive during the recent Winter months, as per usual. Last weekend for the first time I heard several singing their hearts out, though the female I saw was still very quietly moving about. Usually, one has to hear these birds singing before they are able to spot them, otherwise they silently go unnoticed. Click on photos to enlarge them.

Golden Whistler male
Golden Whistler male
Golden Whistler male
Golden Whistler male
Golden Whistler male
Golden Whistler female
Golden Whistler female
Golden Whistler female

Why does the male start singing in Spring you ask? Three possible reasons which all have to do with breeding and nesting. He sings to attract a mate, and when he gets a mate, he sings to communicate. When she nests, his excitement rises, and as an expectant father, he rejoices all through the Summer months. I was so delighted to catch this following footage of this bird continually singing to his mate nearby.

This Spring, due to the dry unseasonable Winter, has resulted locally in a reduction in bird numbers and breeding numbers, however I will share more of those resident birds that are preparing to increase their number and form families. The Australian Black Swans at the Hunter Wetlands have already made a great start with this lovely brood of cygnets.

Watching over the brood
cygnet
learning from the parents
cygnet afloat
What is so interesting down there?

Other waterbirds preparing for nesting are these Grey Teal, getting acquainted as they have a quite paddle together.

While nearby another swan has only just started nesting having built its mound of reeds and grasses. Nesting mounds are not normally this large, but it needs to be high enough to escape rising water in the wetland..

Other wetland dwellers include this Australasian Swamphen with its one little chick, not long out of the egg.

There was a moment of alarm for them both as this white ibis flew over to land.

We also noticed one of the Emu at Blackbutt Reserve was nesting…

This Pied Currawong had already built and the high pitched chirps could be heard coming from high in the eucalypt tree, as the parent went to and fro bringing food.

sitting on the nest
checking me out
checking the babies
ready to fly off
going out again for food

Their cousins the North Eastern Australian (Black-backed) Magpie had couple of youngsters already quite brave enough to land quite close to my wife and I as we were walking Friday before sunset. Note the brown back plumage which has not fully changed, and the scallapping of chest plumage.

juvenile magpie
juvenile magpie

These birds are now thought to be the worlds most intelligent birds along with the Australian Raven. The Australian Magpie has not only the most complex and beautiful song but is able to play, learn, talk and do many other skills. This juvenile is learning from its father who is warbling in a tree behind as it stands boldly without fear an arms length from me.

The Australian Magpie is not shy of humans and attacks them quite viciously during nesting season if it deems them a threat. Yes, nesting season is approaching again. Ow! However if you are friend to them, they will not attack, as Ausiebirder has experienced in the past, the person standing with me being repeatedly attacked while I am ignored and left unscathed. This educational YouTube clip will enlighten you more. Cyclists and joggers pose the most threat to magpies and will attack repeatedly, sometimes causing a bleeding wound injury.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WRH0ZPPS0Z8

Listen and watch as this male ‘maggie’ sings, you will hear the female respond from nearby, and the sound of the Pied Currawong in the background making its sunset call. Please excuse the poor focus.

Another much smaller passerine undergoing preparation for the new breeding season is the Superb Fairy-wren. The males are in eclypse morphing to full breeding plumage, having spent the winter looking very much like the female, but for the blue tail. Notice the blue patchy colour starting to form. One male (pictured below) is almost finished morphing whereas the other has only recently begun. Notice the last pic where a breeding and non-breeding male are together in the one frame.

Walking further we found this beautiful White-faced Heron developing breeding plumage, looking for fast food from this stream flowing. He will be looking for a mate soon also.

White-faced Heron with breeding plumage
White-faced Heron

Lastly, a most interesting observation as the resident Laughing Kookaburra pair in Oatley Park Reserve have reinhabited the white ant nest again this year for their own nest. I have showed in previous years blogs how they have nested here, and they are doing it again. One checks the nest while the other guards from outside.

Quite surprisingly, this Rainbow Lorikeet was about to challenge the ‘Kooka’ for the nest. These birds can be aggressive, but strange that it would challenge the mighty Kooka, which could easily kill and eat it or its babies. Maybe it wanted the hole for a nest also. This was the result…

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After the trouble passed and the babies were safe the Kooka couple sat guarding together nearby the nest.

How lovely to see the romantic moment where this couple demonstrate  how relationship is bonded and strengthened as  a result of sharing children together.

During breeding one can distinguish, with difficulty, the male from the female, as the male has blue vertical back band at the top of its tail plumes. You can determine which is the male from my photo below…

And so we leave them …

Also in the coastal Angophora costata forests of the Sydney region both the Rainbow Lorikeet and the Sulfur-crested Cockatoo have already been occupying nesting holes. We also await the return of the migratory waders as well as migratory passerines spending the Winter in the warmer top end of our land, New Guinea and South-East Asia.  During the next few weeks the migratory waders will make their 16.000 km journey across the Pacific Ocean or via the Asian coast from Alaska and the Arctic Circle to our beaches, after breeding and feeding in the northern hemisphere during our Winter months. I  previously thought Godwits migrated in formation like geese and duck but they fly single file as below, possibly slipstreaming. When you travel non-stop for 8 days direct without stopping you need a little help from your friends.

Bar-tailed Godwits in flight

Life is in seasons – that is how God made it to be. My wife and I have been entering a new season of our lives together. It is a blessing to understand and accept that each different season we enter is a positive experience meant for our growth, preparation  and understanding of the next stage in life will bring. My wife continue to work part-time as my company want me to stay till October and assist training staff, and she wants to further reduce her hours. Seasons bring with them both blessings, and challenges which can also become blessings, if approached within the context of a God centred world view, knowing that a loving Heavenly Father has our best at heart.

“When times are good, be happy; but when times are bad, consider this: God has made the one as well as the other.” – Ecclesiastes 7:14

“Yet he has not left himself without testimony: He has shown kindness by giving you rain from heaven and crops in their seasons; he provides you with plenty of food and fills your hearts with joy.” – Acts 14:17

“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” – Jeremiah 29:11

Have a wonderful week, and enjoy the birds!

Thanks again for wonderful comments and reviews I continue to receive from those who have purchased my book here online and from the many stores that now stock it. If you have not yet bought your copy or even explored what it is about, then go to my Birdbook page. You can purchase it there or here in the sidebar. I have found several places I visited it was sold out and they had not realised they had even sold their display copy.

 

 

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