tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11542014011394557932024-03-13T22:02:04.336-07:00The Birds I've SeenRodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10962789743908134314noreply@blogger.comBlogger12125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1154201401139455793.post-64880648194045370872022-10-02T17:12:00.007-07:002022-11-09T18:17:02.384-08:00Spotted Pardalote - Best Nest Building<p>At the side of my garden lawn is a low brick wall with small gaps at the second lowest course (the lowest course now being below ground level). Behind the wall is my vegetable garden. This morning I saw two little birds flying in and out of the hole. I looked up my Slatters Bird Guide and noted them to be a pair of Spotted Pardalotes, the female being the red-rumped form. They would fly with a beak full of fibrous material to an acacia which has only recently stopped flowering. They'd then take turns in flying into the hole and presumably creating their nest.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxZ0fKK91UJRLreQodL901_T1__QW0tR6FhPXSbR1iHfQU-jjHzTnpzRZi84jGanP9Kw0WsRxaDeUhpj_dkU7afSGWsmRDZqHLLcSuB13Xa410rQHLiqrZc8lyAAErOb1Oz4BoCgQpdKxzMGCtgnChZAmZfJNPYvc5ezs2Z9-IgGk2P-cll4ODrpJr/s4032/IMG_0995.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Male spotted Pardalote" border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxZ0fKK91UJRLreQodL901_T1__QW0tR6FhPXSbR1iHfQU-jjHzTnpzRZi84jGanP9Kw0WsRxaDeUhpj_dkU7afSGWsmRDZqHLLcSuB13Xa410rQHLiqrZc8lyAAErOb1Oz4BoCgQpdKxzMGCtgnChZAmZfJNPYvc5ezs2Z9-IgGk2P-cll4ODrpJr/w400-h300/IMG_0995.jpg" title="Male spotted Pardalote" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The male Spotted Pardalote</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgT43RRtqvyOasNe-HbonSfVGwxvCzWfTh5xghAgeVRKa7UFIMG9HmZSGMQVvYtqKzkOwslKp2PqgmcMl_ZRUNrftd_yHi6AjVpBPQkeOiSXmduyCqJZJ_QLe1EhLtX2WaQRzyfpnxLb9Y06DtjB_J2blgt_htuECAkbqV3zMw7Dxilx1qI6h7LzEi6/s4032/IMG_0999.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgT43RRtqvyOasNe-HbonSfVGwxvCzWfTh5xghAgeVRKa7UFIMG9HmZSGMQVvYtqKzkOwslKp2PqgmcMl_ZRUNrftd_yHi6AjVpBPQkeOiSXmduyCqJZJ_QLe1EhLtX2WaQRzyfpnxLb9Y06DtjB_J2blgt_htuECAkbqV3zMw7Dxilx1qI6h7LzEi6/w400-h300/IMG_0999.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Well-hidden nesting site</td></tr></tbody></table>Slatters guide says that the Pardalote can occur in sclerophyl forest and woodland and typically makes its nest in earth banks.<div>It will be interesting to watch over the coming months how the family goes.</div>Rodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10962789743908134314noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1154201401139455793.post-58155010365456945972015-01-31T02:35:00.000-08:002015-01-31T02:35:47.963-08:00Australian DarterWhile working near Emigrant Creek Dam I espied this Darter spreading its wings. At first I thought it was a cormorant but a quick check of the coloured stripe on the face showed it to be otherwise. Much work has been carried out by the local water authority to improve the native vegetation around the edge of Emigrant Creek Dam but in the dam the most common fish is the Coy Carp. I suppose that this darter enjoys the Carp as much as it enjoys any native fish.<br />
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<br />Rodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10962789743908134314noreply@blogger.com0Tintenbar NSW 2478, Australia-28.769916201286392 153.51788520812988-28.776875701286393 153.50780020812988 -28.762956701286392 153.52797020812989tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1154201401139455793.post-68487711856318805122014-06-19T03:38:00.000-07:002015-01-12T03:41:06.856-08:00Not exactly a birdGoing for little walk by the river at South Lismore my wife espied this lovely echidna wandering out of the weedy bush at the rivers bank. It was a nice sunny winters day.<br />
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Rodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10962789743908134314noreply@blogger.com0Nesbitt Park, South Lismore NSW 2480, Australia-28.8040892432419 153.26099503046862-28.8045242432419 153.26036453046862 -28.8036542432419 153.26162553046862tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1154201401139455793.post-20628371627847247582013-11-30T03:20:00.000-08:002015-01-12T03:29:01.114-08:00Superb Fairy Wren in the GrassThe wonderful thing about our garden is the number of birds and the variety. They are lovely things but usually so hard to photograph. I managed to get a good picture of this Superb Fairy Wren on the grass he had his girl with him. I'll have to upload a picture of the lady later. The little fellow was exploring after having a drink and a wash. Coming into a dry period now and getting a little hotter as summer is on the way.<br />
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Rodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10962789743908134314noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1154201401139455793.post-47726379741322604212013-06-28T23:45:00.000-07:002013-06-28T23:45:29.215-07:00Superb Fairy WrenWinter is well and truly set in, June is almost over. The morning has an occasional frost and the birds seem to be braver when searching for food. I spied this Superb Fairy Wren in the garden. It was with its lady friends who lack the blue colour of the male. I've been trying to take a photo of this little fellow for quite some time but he is usually too quick to get a good picture. I just managed to get this snap of him while he was checking out the bird feeder. Previously he'd been hopping through the onions, celery and beans in the vegetable patch.<br />
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Rodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10962789743908134314noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1154201401139455793.post-16153106185059142522012-11-17T18:16:00.003-08:002012-11-17T18:16:53.095-08:00More birds in the gardenIt was a wet November day, but the King Parrots didn't seem to mind too much, in fact they seemed to be happy to be out in the weather. We've seen them occasionally fly by or land in a tree but this time they stayed for a munch on the old seeds. They are lovely looking birds. I'm so glad we had them around. Here is a photograph of the male, the female was nearby, the females have green heads.<br />
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<br />Rodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10962789743908134314noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1154201401139455793.post-62796635540249575542012-11-13T22:35:00.004-08:002012-11-21T17:03:51.645-08:00Our Trip to Southbank<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">On our recent trip to Southbank, </span><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Brisbane </span> in November, the weather was overcast and clearing to a hot sunny day, we saw some interesting birds and some common birds. The bird on the left is Buff-banded Rail. They like to live in well hidden grass in dense vegetation and are common in south-western, northern, eastern, south-eastern mainland Australia and Tasmania.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">One of my favorites when I go to Brisbane is the Australian Brush-turkey, they cause havoc in the garden, but I still like them. When disturbed they like to hide in trees and look like strange vultures. Interestly, the Australian Brush-turkey has a lilac wattle (the colour around their neck) when found in Cape York whereas the we found was yellow.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Not far from the Australian Brush-turkey I found the Australian White Ibis. This white Ibis with black naked head and neck and with black plumes and feathers near tail. Sometimes shows scarlet naked skill on under-wing in flight. </span><br />
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<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-D150oLvvmz0/UKMI0pmgnlI/AAAAAAAAAXY/KPKD7hkqM2o/s1600/IMGP5456.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-D150oLvvmz0/UKMI0pmgnlI/AAAAAAAAAXY/KPKD7hkqM2o/s1600/IMGP5456.JPG" height="212" width="320" /></a></div>
<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-vH-QYF6DlsU/UKMKob4oB-I/AAAAAAAAAXk/ZGWl3onVMCs/s1600/IMGP5478.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-vH-QYF6DlsU/UKMKob4oB-I/AAAAAAAAAXk/ZGWl3onVMCs/s1600/IMGP5478.JPG" height="212" width="320" /></a><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">The Pied Butcherbird is common in woodland, farms, roadside,towns, plains where there are enough trees for cover. Their voice is like a fluting piping and mimicry, loud 'zwit' of alarm. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Sourced The Slater Field Guide to Australian Birds, second edition.</span> </span><br />
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<br />Rodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10962789743908134314noreply@blogger.com1East Lismore NSW 2480, Australia-28.822511502293505 153.2937490940094-28.823381002293505 153.29251509400939 -28.821642002293505 153.29498309400941tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1154201401139455793.post-17024199389900612482012-10-31T22:19:00.000-07:002012-11-10T15:01:58.948-08:00Eastern Rosellas feeding in LismoreThe end of a very warm late October day in Lismore and some Eastern Rosellas (<i>Platycercus eximius)</i> turn up at the bird feeder. They are very pretty birds but they have a very awkward and harsh sounding squawk especially in flight but then they land on the bird feeder they have a much nicer sound. They always seem to be around Lismore during spring and love eating large seeds. I've never seen them eating in the wild though I assume that grasses and small fruits would be their diet.<br />
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The last few weeks have been very dry with alternating periods of hot and cool weather. Since the dry has developed I have noticed that the Rosellas seem to be more frequent visitors at the bird feeder, maybe the weather has been affecting their food supply? Either way the birds were not very happy about my presence and although I kept a good distance they always kept an eye on what I was doing. These two look a little different, I understand that the one with a patchy appearance on the head is immature.<br />
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<br />Rodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10962789743908134314noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1154201401139455793.post-54235176867272533432012-10-30T00:18:00.000-07:002012-11-10T15:02:17.200-08:00The weekends Pied Cormorants in Lennox HeadI don't know what it is about Cormorants but they always feel like an imposing and respectable bird. The cool, windy, choppy and overcast day probably meant that the Pied Cormorants<i> Phalacrocorox varius</i> were having a bit of a rest from their diving. They seemed quite happy on the rocks.<br />
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<br />Rodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10962789743908134314noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1154201401139455793.post-22315055148169726502012-10-28T14:57:00.000-07:002012-11-10T15:02:34.005-08:00Crested Terns at Lennox HeadA cool windy and overcast October afternoon in 2012 at Lennox Head, I watched many Crested Terns <i>Thalasseus bergii </i>sitting around on the beach and on semi-submerged rocks. There was probably about 20-25 or so in total with several smaller, probably juvenile ones in that number (though having discussed this with a colleague, the smaller ones may actually be Little Terns, a different species). The size of the crest apparently indicates that it is breeding time and indeed some were seen 'dancing' and spreading their folded wings, I assume this is to impress their potential mate. What was a little humorous was that the terns were sitting around on rocks almost totally submerged by the tide, as the waves would come in they would often have to fly up and land again. I guess the security of the rock was worth the effort! Other than that the birds seemed happy with not much evidence of feeding. Maybe they'd already had their fill of something, or found it a little hard to find food in the windy and choppy conditions. Having said that I don't even know what their usual food is.<br />
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Rodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10962789743908134314noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1154201401139455793.post-35499948003102030742012-10-28T02:42:00.001-07:002012-10-28T03:33:42.300-07:00IntroductionI'm not very good at birds (I'm actually a geologist) so as I learn about them I will post them on this blog to remind me what they are, where I found them and when they were there. Though I won't double up on common birds unless I see them in slightly odd places or times.<br />
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I use the Slater Field Guide to Australian Birds 2nd Edition to identify them.<br />
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I live in the northern rivers of the New England region of New South Wales and my main blog is on the geology of our region, it can be found <a href="http://www.nrgeology.blogspot.com.au/">here</a>. Therefore many of the birds I get the best chance to photograph are from this region. You probably won't find too may rare birds here but mostly common ones since they are the ones I can photograph easily. Hopefully, this will interest other people too, though expert ornithologists probably might see this blog as a little too basic.<br />
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Posting might be intermittent but hopefully regular enough to keep people interested.Rodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10962789743908134314noreply@blogger.com0