tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-162437972024-03-14T07:02:40.700+10:30Trevor's Twitchings of Australian BirdsI live in Murray Bridge South Australia. Murray Bridge is about 80km south east of Adelaide. This blog contains interesting and random sightings of birds around my home. It will also document sightings of birds in various places around Australia.Trevorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17189009332648317147noreply@blogger.comBlogger180125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16243797.post-75914412024110821982018-06-26T16:44:00.001+09:302018-06-26T16:47:49.619+09:30Impromptu Bird Bath<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Eastern Rosella (L) and Mallee Ringneck (R)<br />
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<span style="font-size: 12.8px;">This year in South Australia we have had well below average rain in many areas. This includes <b>Murray Bridge</b> where I live. A few weeks ago we did have some rain but we are still well below average to this time of the year. Many of the local farmers are desperately in need of a good soaking rain so that they can get on with sowing their cereal crops for this year.</span></div>
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After any substantial amount of rain, several puddles of water form in my driveway. I have intended to fill these hollows with some extra gravel, but now I am not so sure that this is a wise thing to do. Many different species of birds like to have a quick dip in these ephemeral waterholes. </div>
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After the recent rain, the two birds shown in the photo took full advantage of the extra birdbath in my garden. They decided on an impromptu bath and they appeared to really enjoy the extra bathing facilities. They lingered long enough for me to get the camera and take a few photos out through the kitchen window.</div>
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The bird on the right is an <b>Australian Ringneck</b> parrot, sub-species <b>Mallee Ringneck</b>. It is a common species in this area and I regard it as a resident bird in my garden. I see - or hear - the five of six resident birds every day. This species has also nested in a hollow of a tree just a few metres from my office where I am writing this. I can hear the birds chattering away as I type.</div>
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The bird on the left has a stranger background. This <b>Eastern Rosella</b> is a ring-in. Although it has kept company with the Mallee Ringneck in my garden for the last two years, it is not native to this area. Although it is relatively common in the Adelaide region about 70 kilometres to the west of here, the species there is an introduced one. Their natural range is throughout the eastern states of Australia and through to the south-east of South Australia. I have concluded that, although they may be extending their range, I suspect that this individual has either escaped from someone's aviary, or it was released by someone locally.</div>
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Whatever the reason, I love seeing this beautiful bird in my garden.</div>
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For more stories about and photos of Australian birds go to <b><a href="https://www.trevorsbirding.com/" target="_blank">Trevor's Birding here</a>.</b></div>
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Trevorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17189009332648317147noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16243797.post-64725332752749368092018-06-05T15:43:00.000+09:302018-06-05T15:43:52.169+09:30World Environment Day<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-size: 12.8px;"><b><span style="color: #38761d;">2018 World Environment Day</span></b></span></div>
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I haven't posted here in quite some time due to <a href="https://www.trevorsbirding.com/vale-corinne-hampel/" target="_blank">family reasons</a>. Now that life is settling down again for me, I intend posting more often and hopefully more regularly than in times past.<br />
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Today is <b>World Environment Day</b>. I can't recall ever posting anything special on this day, so this could be a first for me. I really enjoy the Australian environment where I live. My home is on the edge of a large country town in South Australia. A significant part of my property is covered in natural scrubland, so I am aware of the birdlife in particular on a daily basis. I always have my camera at the ready.<br />
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Last week while I was washing the dishes, I looked out the window to where I have placed several bird baths. In the warmer months of the year, there is a steady progression of birds coming for a drink or a bath. Over the years, this proximity to the bird life of my garden has been a source of much pleasure. It has also allowed me to get a good collection of wonderful photos.<br />
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Even in the cooler months, there is an occasional visit to the bird baths. The <b>Eastern Rosella</b> shown above and below was one such individual last week. It took its time having a drink so I was able to fetch my camera and get several lovely photos.<br />
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Eastern Rosellas are not native to this part of South Australia. It is a common species in the eastern states of Australia and they do occur naturally in the south-east of our state. They have been introduced to the Adelaide region which is about 80 kilometres west of my home. Either they are extending their range, or this individual has escaped from someone's aviary. I have seen it almost daily for the last few years, so it must consider my garden as its home.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Eastern Rosella, Murray Bridge, South Australia</td></tr>
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Trevorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17189009332648317147noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16243797.post-27743821422874782902017-06-15T00:30:00.000+09:302017-06-15T00:30:02.243+09:30Another visit to Ku Ring Gai Wildflowers Gardens<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Whenever we travel to <b>Sydney</b> to visit family there, my wife and I try to get to the <b>Ku Ring Gai Wildflower Gardens</b> in the northern suburbs. It is about a 25-minute drive from my son's home. </div>
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We enjoy visiting these gardens for three reasons:</div>
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<li>Some of the gardens have been planted and this area interests my wife.</li>
<li>Much of the rest of this large property is near to how the original forest and scrubland would have looked.</li>
<li>The whole area is a haven for the local birdlife - and that interests me.</li>
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Run by the local council, entrance to the extensive gardens is free. There is a very informative <b>Visitor Centre</b> with a small bookshop and plant nursery, and the staff are very helpful. Guided tours are available to visiting groups. There are many walking and cycling trails throughout the gardens.</div>
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On our last visit a few weeks ago, we spent about three hours exploring several areas and walking trails. Although I made a good list of birds seen during our visit, and many of them were calling frequently, I was disappointed that most of the birds were shy about coming out into the open. My camera did not get much a workout. </div>
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The only reasonable photo of a bird is the one above of a <b>Striated Thornbill</b> - and it's not a particularly good photo at that. So instead of trying to spend all day chasing birds hiding in the foliage, I aimed my camera at some of the wildflowers out in bloom. You can see some of those photos below.</div>
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And I have added a photo of a <b>butterfly</b> as a bonus.</div>
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To read more about <b>Australian birds</b>, visit my other site <b><a href="https://www.trevorsbirding.com/" target="_blank">Trevor's Birding</a></b>.</div>
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Trevorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17189009332648317147noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16243797.post-1879640598165408482017-06-08T00:30:00.000+09:302017-06-08T00:30:31.342+09:30A hungry Pied Currawong<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pied Currawong<br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;">
Over the last few posts here I have written about some of the birds I saw and photographed while in Sydney earlier this year. My wife and I were visiting our son and his family. During our four-week stay, we took every opportunity to get out and about visiting some of the nearby parks.</div>
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On one family picnic at <b>Lane Cove National Park</b>, our five-year-old grand-daughter was exploring a walking track with Nanna. They were looking for flowers on the native plants. Suddenly, a <b>Pied Currawong</b> landed in the tree only a few metres from the path. It began eating something it was clutching in its claws.</div>
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Next thing, I see my grand-daughter running back up the path towards me. She explained that they had seen a currawong and that I should come quickly to have a look. I walked as quickly as my old legs could carry me, camera at the ready. The currawong was quite unconcerned about me taking photos just four or five metres away.</div>
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I couldn't see exactly what it had in its claws, but it kind of looked like a piece of bread. About 50 metres away in another picnic area down the hill, I could see several families also having barbeque picnics. Obviously, they had thrown a piece of bread to feed the currawong - or maybe it had snatched a piece from their picnic table. Only a little while earlier a kookaburra had snatched a sausage from the very hot barbeque plate we were using (you can read about it <a href="http://trevorstwitchings.blogspot.com.au/2017/05/laughing-kookaburras.html" target="_blank">here</a>). </div>
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My Australian readers should be advised that it is dangerous to the birds and animals to feed them human food. It is not good for them. Visitors to Lane Cove National Park are warned about this via plaques on every picnic table. Unfortunately, many of the birds have learned to be sneaky and easily snatch human food - as we found out with that cheeky kookaburra.</div>
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You can read more about Australian birds, and see many more photos of them on my other site, <b><a href="https://www.trevorsbirding.com/" target="_blank">Trevor's Birding</a></b>. </div>
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Trevorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17189009332648317147noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16243797.post-11355497248492843452017-06-01T00:30:00.000+09:302017-06-01T00:30:12.913+09:30Grey Butcherbird<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Family picnic at Lane Cove National Park, Sydney<br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;">
Earlier this year my wife and I spent a few weeks in <b>Sydney</b> looking after our two grandchildren. This was during the recent school holidays there. We had a ball with our 8-year-old grandson and 5-year-ol grand-daughter. They are great fun and so full of life. They are also taking an interest in our native birds - I wonder how that interest has developed?</div>
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On the second last day of our stay, we went on a family picnic. We drove a short distance to one of our favourite places - <b>Lane Cove National Park</b>, about a ten-minute drive from home. We cooked some sausages on the barbeque (see photo above) and had the misadventure of having some of our lunch stolen by the local<b><a href="http://trevorstwitchings.blogspot.com.au/2017/05/laughing-kookaburras.html" target="_blank"> kookaburras</a></b>. </div>
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After lunch, I managed to indulge in a little bird photography. One of the local <b>Grey Butcherbirds</b> came to investigate what we were up to, and it posed nicely for me in the afternoon sun. While this is a widespread species in South Australia where we live, I can't really call it a resident species in our garden. It is more of an occasional visitor. </div>
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In Sydney, however, I see or hear it nearly every day when staying with my family. I have also recorded it as present in many places we have visited in the Sydney region over the years. </div>
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Unlike the Laughing Kookaburras, this butcherbird was not interested in snatching our lunch. It kept a keen eye on the ground for possible tasty pickings - such as small skinks, butterflies, bugs, beetles and other insects.</div>
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You can read more about Australian birds on my other site <b><a href="https://www.trevorsbirding.com/" target="_blank">Trevor's Birding</a></b>.</div>
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Trevorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17189009332648317147noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16243797.post-88318126271785567812017-05-26T11:11:00.000+09:302017-05-26T11:11:16.018+09:30Laughing Kookaburras<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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The Australian<b> Laughing Kookaburra</b> is probably one our most easily recognised birds. This large member of the kingfisher family is found in many parts of Australia and is easily identified by its rollicking, joyous call. The photos I have included in today's post were all taken on a recent holiday in Sydney.</div>
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My wife and I spent the whole of the April school holidays with our son and family. We were there to help look after our two grandchildren when they weren't at school. It's a tough gig - but we enjoyed it. Thankfully, they love going on picnics with Nanna and Grandad. Several times we drove the short distance to <b>Lane Cove National Park</b>. It was on these visits that I managed to take this series of photos.</div>
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Like many in the kingfisher family, these birds are often found near water courses. They are, however, also found far from water and we occasionally have them visit our garden at home which is about 4 km from a river. I was just checking my records a few days ago and it has been many years since a kookaburra visited our garden. </div>
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There are many Laughing Kookaburras in the park where I took these photos. While they will take food provided by humans, this is strongly discouraged; there are signs on all the picnic tables stating this. This did not stop one of the <a href="https://www.trevorsbirding.com/lunch-snatching-kookaburra/" target="_blank">kookaburras snatching our lunch</a>. It took a sausage right off a hot barbeque plate! Cheeky bird.</div>
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Many Australians do not realise that we have two species of kookaburras. The other one is the Blue-winged Kookaburra of northern Australia. As yet I do not have a photo of that species. (Don't be confused by the blue on the wing of today's photos - the Blue-winged Kookaburra has a lot more blue on the wing.)</div>
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Trevorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17189009332648317147noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16243797.post-7161270080451757882017-05-19T22:32:00.001+09:302017-05-19T22:32:34.707+09:30Noisy Miners<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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My wife and I recently spent a few weeks in <b>Sydney</b>. We travel the 1300 kilometres to Sydney several times a year. These visits usually now often coincide with the school holidays. We go to look after our two grandchildren. It is a trip we always enjoy undertaking, not just because of spending time with the children, but also so we can explore the country along the way, and on the return trip.<div>
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While in Sydney we often go out to nearby parks or national parks. It is fun exploring such places with the children. They are so eager to observe and learn about the natural environment. Naturally, they take an interest in plants and flowers which are my wife's main interest. I am also pleased that they are quite knowledgeable about our native birds. I wonder where that comes from?</div>
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On one of these visits to the natural environment near to their home, I took the above photo of a <b>Noisy Miner</b>. This is one of our many species of <b>honeyeaters</b> here in Australia. Their name is truly apt, especially if there is a bird of prey nearby. They certainly know how to create a noisy response to any danger.</div>
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Some Australian bird lovers do not really like this species. In some places, they are very common and bossy. Their belligerent attitude often forces smaller species out of gardens and parks. Species such as fairywrens, finches, pardalotes and thornbills move on to other areas, much to some people's annoyance.</div>
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For more photos and stories about Australian birds, please visit my other site <b><a href="https://www.trevorsbirding.com/" target="_blank">Trevor's Birding</a></b>.<br /><br /></div>
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Trevorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17189009332648317147noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16243797.post-2045648594823343252017-03-04T01:00:00.000+10:302017-03-04T01:00:18.326+10:30The Australian Galah<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Australian parrot known as the Galah</td></tr>
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We have many beautiful <b><a href="https://www.trevorsbirding.com/?s=parrots" target="_blank">parrots</a></b> here in Australia. Most people living here would have noticed several species of parrot in their everyday lives, even if they are not birders (bird watchers). One of the most easily recognised of Australian parrots would have to be the <b>Galah</b>. It was once called a <b>Rose-breasted Cockatoo</b>, a much more poetic name than Galah, in my opinion.<div>
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Over recent weeks, the Galahs around our home and garden here in <b>Murray Bridge</b>, South Australia, have been going stir crazy. We usually have small flocks of 5 to 50 Galahs fly over our house every hour or so. Sometimes the flocks can range up to 500 or more birds together. That is a spectacular sight. And noisy, too.</div>
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Frequently they will land in one or more of the trees near our house, creating quite a noisy racket. In the last few weeks, they have been behaving in an erratic way, flying around and around, squawking loudly and wheeling around in the air above our property. I am not sure what has got into them. In the past, this behaviour is common during rainy days, but we haven't had one of those in a while. Strange.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Australian parrot known<span style="font-size: 12.8px;"> as the Galah</span></td></tr>
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The photos I am showing today are from another time. These shots were taken from our cabin in one of the caravan parks in <b>Mudgee, </b>New South Wales. We were on our way home and it was a balmy evening. My wife and I sat on the deck of the cabin enjoying a late afternoon cuppa, just before we had our dinner. I noticed a Galah in a nearby tree, lit up beautifully by the setting sun. a few moments later, the female popped her head out of a hollow in the eucalypt tree. I figured that they were nesting and the were probably preparing the hollow for their eggs.</div>
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You can read more about <b><a href="https://www.trevorsbirding.com/?s=galahs" target="_blank">Galahs here</a></b>, and read more about Australian birds on my other site, <b><a href="https://www.trevorsbirding.com/" target="_blank">Trevor's Birding</a></b>.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Australian parrot known<span style="font-size: 12.8px;"> as the Galah</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Australian parrot known<span style="font-size: 12.8px;"> as the Galah</span></td></tr>
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Trevorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17189009332648317147noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16243797.post-64692639202450092452017-02-27T01:00:00.000+10:302017-02-27T01:00:06.932+10:30Rainbow Bee-eaters come visiting<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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One of my favourite Australian birds would have to be the <b>Rainbow Bee-eater</b>. This colourful bird with the rainbow colours is widespread through much of mainland Australia. We occasionally have them in our garden in <b>Murray Bridge</b> as visitors. They rarely stay more than a few minutes. I have heard and seen them on a few occasions over recent weeks.<br />
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This has not always been the case. Many years ago - probably about 20 or so years ago - they could be counted as a breeding species on our five-acre block of land. On several occasions, they made their small nest at the end of a 30-40cm burrow in the sand. These nests were made in the banks on the side of the road running down the western edge of our land. In more recent years, they have just been occasional visitors.<br />
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Rainbow Bee-eaters arrive in southern Australia in the spring months around September and October. During our spring and summer months, they dig their nests, often in the sides of roads, culverts or in the banks of creeks and wash-outs. They raise their young and then migrate back to northern Australia and Papua-New Guinea in the late summer or early autumn, usually around March or April.<br />
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Despite their name, Rainbow Bee-eaters eat more than just bees. They will catch a wide variety of insects on the wing. When they do catch a bee, they will alight on a branch of a nearby tree and proceed to remove the stinger of the bee by banging it on the branch. I guess that they just don't want their lunch to bite them.<br />
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You can read more about Australian birds on my other site called <b><a href="https://www.trevorsbirding.com/" target="_blank">Trevor's Birding</a></b>.<br />
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Trevorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17189009332648317147noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16243797.post-6532049042946507792017-02-21T20:31:00.000+10:302017-02-21T20:31:23.079+10:30Diamond Firetail Finches, Capertee Valley<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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On our visit last year to Sydney, we came home a different way. Instead of travelling straight home to Murray Bridge, we detoured via Lithgow, Mudgee, Dunedoo, Cobar and Broken Hill. From Lithgow to Mudgee we detoured through the <b><a href="http://trevorstwitchings.blogspot.com.au/2017/02/birding-in-capertee-valley-in-new-south.html" target="_blank">Capertee Valley</a></b>, one of the birding hotspots in Australia. This was my first visit to the valley. I was disappointed during our brief visit. I didn't see some of the rarer birds known to inhabit this amazing landscape of towering sandstone cliffs.<br />
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When we stopped for afternoon tea at the small village of <b><a href="https://www.trevorsbirding.com/glen-alice-primary-school-and-birds/" target="_blank">Glen Alice</a></b>, I was pleased to see a solitary <b><a href="https://www.trevorsbirding.com/diamond-firetail-finches/" target="_blank">Diamond Firetail Finch</a></b>, the one shown in today's photos. This beautiful member of the finch family is good to see anywhere and we even have this species as an occasional visitor to <b><a href="https://www.trevorsbirding.com/diamond-firetail-finch/" target="_blank">our garden</a></b>. This was the only occasion I saw this finch on this particular five week holiday in New South Wales. It was a fitting addition to my bird list for the trip, and one of the highlights of the day.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Diamond Firetail</td></tr>
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Trevorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17189009332648317147noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16243797.post-43637441162652978792017-02-12T01:00:00.000+10:302017-02-12T01:00:02.063+10:30Birding in the Capertee Valley in New South Wales<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Capertee Valley, New South Wales, Australia</td></tr>
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On our way back from visiting family in <b>Sydney</b> last year, we decided to take a different route. We love travelling in Australia and we especially love exploring new routes and new places. One such place I had longed to visit was the<b> Capertee Valley</b>, just north of Lithgow and only a few hours' drive north-west of Sydney.<br />
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We left our son's home after breakfast and travelled up through the <b>Blue Mountains</b> and past Katoomba. This is a lovely part of Australia and there are many wonderful places to stop along the way. We only stopped briefly for morning tea because I wanted to make the most of the birding opportunities in the Capertee Valley. This has been a magnet for many birders over many years. The scenery is also quite spectacular, as you can see in today's photos.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Capertee Valley, Australia</td></tr>
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I actually misjudged the distances and time needed to fully explore this area. To make a full exploration of the region, and to actually get to see many of the wonderful birds resident in this area, birders need to spend at least a full day here, preferably several days to a full week. There is so much to see.<br />
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We stopped a short distance east of the village of Capertee for a picnic lunch. It was just after midday - not the best time of the day to be birding in Australia on a warm day. While we ate our lunch, I saw zero birds and only heard one in the distance - possibly one of the treecreeper species found in this area. We were off to a bad start. Driving slowly down the road the countryside opened up from forest to farmland. We started seeing a few <b>Australian Ravens, Australian Magpies, White-winged Choughs</b> and occasionally a few <b>Galahs</b> and <b>Magpie Larks</b>. I managed zero photos of these birds; they were too far away.<br />
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Eventually, I decided to stop to get a few photos of the magnificent sandstone cliffs bordering the valley. They were spectacular in the afternoon sun. As I was taking these shots - those shown above and below - a solitary bird flew from the grass and landed on a fence post about 50 metres from me. With the good zoom lens on my camera, I managed a photo, but it is far from good, even for identification purposes. I think it is an <b>Australasian Pipit</b> which is found in the area.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Australasian Pipit?</td></tr>
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Over the next few hours, we explored some parts of this beautiful valley. Some of the photos I took are shown below. I will write again next week about some other birds I saw that afternoon.<br />
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For more stories about my sightings of Australian birds, and for more photos of them go to my other site<b><a href="https://www.trevorsbirding.com/" target="_blank"> Trevor's Birding</a></b>.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Capertee Valley, Australia</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Capertee Valley, Australia</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Capertee Valley, Australia</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Capertee Valley, Australia</td></tr>
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Trevorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17189009332648317147noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16243797.post-6861074428503260522017-02-09T23:59:00.001+10:302017-02-09T23:59:21.856+10:30A day at the beach<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Silver Gull, Pt Elliott, South Australia</td></tr>
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Recently my wife and I celebrated another milestone in our lives together. To mark the occasion we went driving down south from our home to the lovely South Coast of South Australia. This is just over an hour's drive from our home in Murray Bridge.<br />
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Our first stop was at the Milang Bakery to buy some lunch. We enjoyed eating our lunch on the lawn overlooking the nearby <b>Lake Alexandrina</b>. The mighty <b>Murray River</b> - Australia's largest river system - runs into this lake before moving out into the Southern Ocean.<br />
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After lunch, we explored <b>Hindmarsh Island</b>. This inland island is near Goolwa, and we stopped at a picnic spot on the island overlooking the Murray Mouth. There were plenty of pelicans, cormorants, a few ducks and several species of ibis as well as a few <b>Cape Barren Geese</b>, one of our rarer bird species.<br />
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For afternoon tea we had a cup of tea accompanied by some homemade biscuits. I choose a lovely spot overlooking <b>Horseshoe Bay</b> at <b>Pt Elliott</b>. This is a popular holiday destination for many people, and also with day-trippers like ourselves. While we were having our cuppa and enjoying the view, a <b>Silver Gull</b> posed nicely on a nearby interpretive sign. It stayed long enough for a series of photos, almost as if it was posing especially for me.<br />
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For dinner that night we went to one of our favourite restaurants in <b>Victor Harbor</b>. It was a fitting end to a relaxing day.<br />
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You can read more about Australian birds and see more photos of them on my other site, <b><a href="https://www.trevorsbirding.com/" target="_blank">Trevor's Birding</a></b>.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Silver Gull</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Horseshoe Bay, Pt Elliott, South Australia</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Horseshoe Bay, Pt Elliott, South Australia</td></tr>
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Trevorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17189009332648317147noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16243797.post-72733872494894870372017-01-26T23:14:00.001+10:302017-01-26T23:14:25.769+10:30Australia Day<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Today is a special day here in Australia. It is <b>Australia Day</b>, our national holiday which commemorates the arrival of the First Fleet at Sydney on this day in 1788. The fleet of ships carried many British convicts and soldiers. These people made up the bulk of the first settlers in Australia. Over the coming years, many more shiploads of both convicts and free settlers came from England and other parts to settle in this new land.<br />
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Over the years since then, there have been many waves of both emigrants and free settlers from the British Isles, Ireland and many other parts of Europe. This includes my own ancestors who fled religious persecution in the 1830s and 1840s. Many of these settled in other parts of Australia, including here in South Australia.<br />
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In more recent times, we have seen many refugees come to our land. These have come from many parts of Asia as well as Africa. I count among my friends some wonderful people who have fled terrible conditions in their homelands, including war, to make Australia their new home. On Australia Day, many of these people new to Australia take on Australian citizenship.<br />
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I hope that these new people to our great land appreciate our beautiful land, our wonderful wide open spaces, our huge areas of grasslands and rolling blue mountains, as well as our amazing array of birds native to our country.<br />
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Today I will show only a small selection of this beauty to be found here in Australia.<br />
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You can see more photos of our beautiful birds, and read more about them on my other site, <b><a href="https://www.trevorsbirding.com/" target="_blank">Trevor's Birding</a></b>.<br />
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Trevorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17189009332648317147noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16243797.post-4246188700101294202017-01-14T00:30:00.000+10:302017-01-14T00:30:18.129+10:30Nice pose Silver Gull<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Silver Gull, Pt Elliot, South Australia</td></tr>
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Earlier this week my wife and I celebrated another anniversary. We usually try to do something special on this day and this year we decided to go for an all-day outing. After an early morning phone call from our grandchildren, we set off on a drive via Milang, less than an hour from home. Milang is on the northern shore of <b>Lake Alexandrina</b> here in <b>South Australia</b>. The longest river system in Australia, the <b>Murray River</b>, flows into this lake before heading out to the Southern Ocean.<br />
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At Milang we visited the local bakery to buy some Cornish pasties and a lamington for our lunch. We took our lunch down to the lawned area between the lake and the caravan park. While we ate and had a cuppa, we enjoyed watching a few children and dogs playing nearby. The birdlife was not particularly abundant, except for a large, noisy flock of <b>Little Corella</b> parrots in the nearby trees.<br />
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Later in the afternoon, we parked on top of a lookout hill above Horseshoe Bay in <b>Pt Elliot</b>. While we were having another cuppa and a few homemade biscuits, a <b>Silver Gull</b> landed on an interpretive sign just in front of our car. It obligingly posed for me while I took some photos. Silver Gulls are the most common species of gull in Australia. They can be found all around the coastline and along most major waterways, near lakes and swamps, even far inland. Even though many people just call them "Sea" gulls, they are frequently encountered far from the sea, but never far from water.<br />
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You can read more about Australian birds, and see many more photos of them on my other site <b><a href="https://www.trevorsbirding.com/" target="_blank">Trevor's Birding here</a></b>.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Silver Gull, Pt Elliot, South Australia</td></tr>
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Trevorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17189009332648317147noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16243797.post-958319571085114042017-01-07T00:30:00.000+10:302017-01-07T00:30:07.927+10:30Ku Ring Gai Wildflowers Gardens in Sydney<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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My wife and I travel to <b>Sydney</b> several times a year to help look after our grandchildren, ages 8 and 5. Although they are very energetic and tire us out, we love being with them and getting to know them. On a visit last year, we took time out to go on a family picnic. One of our favourite places to visit would have to be the <b>Ku Ring Gai Wildflower Gardens</b> in the suburb of St Ives.<br />
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These gardens consist of two main parts: a planted garden of Australian native plants, with the rest being natural scrubland. The scrubland section is the largest part and gives the visitor a good impression of what this part of Sydney was like in its natural state, before settlement by Europeans.<br />
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The whole area is covered by walking trails which are easy to negotiate. In springtime, many of the plants are flowering. Even at other times of the year, you can find something flowering. Where there are native flowers the observant visitor will also find plenty of native birds, many of them feeding on the nectar of the flowers.<br />
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I have seen a good range of honeyeaters in these gardens, including <b>Eastern Spinebill, Scarlet Honeyeater, Crescent Honeyeater, Yellow-faced Honeyeater, Lewin's Honeyeater</b> and both <b>Red </b>and<b> Little Wattlebirds</b>. One can also see a range of parrots, including <b>Galahs</b>, several species of cockatoos and lorikeets, finches, doves and pigeons, pardalotes, thornbills, robins, swallows, fantails and scrubwrens. <b>Australian Brush Turkeys</b> are often seen in the picnic areas, but seeing a <b>Superb Lyrebird</b> is a little bit harder, but they have been seen in these gardens from time to time.<br />
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You can read more about Australian birds, and see more photos of them on my site called <b><a href="https://www.trevorsbirding.com/" target="_blank">Trevor's Birding</a></b>.<br />
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Trevorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17189009332648317147noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16243797.post-31582495468116856002016-12-31T07:00:00.000+10:302016-12-31T07:00:00.161+10:30Lunch snatching Kookaburras<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Laughing Kookaburra Lane Cove National Park Sydney</td></tr>
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Earlier this week I wrote about one of our visits to <b>Sydney</b> earlier this year. During one of our breaks from looking after our grandchildren, ages 8 and 5, we drove across town to the <b>Lane Cove National Park</b>. This lovely park is only a quick ten-minute drive from my son's home. The main feature of this park is the <b>Lane Cove River</b> flowing through it. Houses and commercial areas crowd in on the park on all sides, but the remnant bushland still maintains a good variety of native Australian plants, birds and other wildlife such as reptiles, insects, and turtles. Delightful picnic areas have been provided by the park's staff.<br />
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Speaking of turtles, on this particular visit we set up our folding chairs, opened up our picnic lunch boxes and were about to eat lunch. My attention was drawn to several <b>Long-necked Turtles</b> sitting on a log near the water's edge. I handed my binoculars to my wife so that she could have a closer look at them sunning themselves on the log.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Long-necked Turtles on a log, Lane Cove River</td></tr>
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As soon as she had taken the binoculars, a <b>Laughing Kookaburra</b> swooped out of a nearby gum tree. It flew down to her chair and snatched a part of her sandwich sitting on the table on the side of her chair. It flew off a few metres with its booty, settling on the grass nearby to eat my wife's lunch (see photos). It was immediately joined by another kookaburra who claimed its share of the food.<br />
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In an ironic twist to this tale, we saw plaques attached to all of the picnic tables in this park. The rangers had placed these notices for all visitors to read. "Please do not feed the birds and animals," they said - or words to that effect. perhaps they should add a notice for the wildlife: "Please do not snatch human food."<br />
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For more stories about and photos of Australian birds, visit my other site <a href="https://www.trevorsbirding.com/" target="_blank"><b>Trevor's Birding</b></a>.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Laughing Kookaburra Lane Cove National Park Sydney<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /></td></tr>
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Trevorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17189009332648317147noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16243797.post-48654415829797525142016-12-27T12:30:00.000+10:302016-12-27T12:30:16.308+10:30What a turkey<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Twice over the course of this year, my wife and I have travelled to <b>Sydney</b>. We go there to visit our son and to look after our wonderful, energetic grandchildren, ages 8 and 5. From our home in <b>Murray Bridge</b>, South Australia, it is a pleasant two-day journey. Along the way, we try to stop in places where I can observe a good range of birds.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Australian Brush Turkey</td></tr>
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While we are in Sydney, there are a few places we like to visit, places we have enjoyed during past visits. One of these favourite places would have to be the <b>Ku Ring Gai Wildflower Gardens</b> in the Sydney suburb of St. Ives. These gardens have a good range of native Australian plants which have been planted there. My wife always enjoys looking at these and taking photographs of anything flowering. I have included some of my photos of flowers below.<br />
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The gardens also include a large area of natural bushland. This area is a good representation of the natural habitat which existed before European occupation. While much of the surrounding area has been cleared for housing and industrial use, there are still many remnants of original bushland left. In these areas, the native birdlife can be very easy to see and photograph.<br />
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While we were having a cuppa one of the resident <b>Australian Brush Turkeys</b> came right up to where we were sitting on one of the garden seats in the picnic area. I am sure it was hoping to get a share of our biscuits. We disappointed it: we do not feed our native birds as human food is not suitable for them. So, in its frustration, it decided to get something for itself. It tried opening up my camera bag looking for some tasty morsel. Seeing that my camera bag was on the ground right next to where my son was sitting was no deterrent to this bird. Obviously, they are quite accustomed to people and are not at all frightened by our presence. Not having any luck with us, it wandered over to another spot where some other people were having a barbecue. They took pity on it and gave it something from their picnic food.<br />
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You can read more about Australian birds on my other site <b><a href="https://www.trevorsbirding.com/" target="_blank">Trevor's Birding</a></b>.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ku Ring Gai Wildflower Gardens Sydney</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ku Ring Gai Wildflower Gardens Sydney</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ku Ring Gai Wildflower Gardens Sydney</td></tr>
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Trevorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17189009332648317147noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16243797.post-15620433411972842112016-08-31T15:59:00.001+09:302016-08-31T15:59:21.477+09:30Birding on the move<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-size: 12.8px; text-align: center;">After a long absence here - I am now back. Sorry about that. Life happens.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: 12.8px; text-align: center;">Earlier in the year my wife and I travelled to <b>Sydney</b> to stay with our son and his family. While there we have the delight of looking after our two grandchildren during school holidays. Soon I will get around to showing a few of the photos taken on that trip. Mind you, a four-year-old and a seven-year-old are not easy to look after and the birding excursions were limited. I am so thankful that both of them are starting to take an interest in birds. I wonder where that came from?</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: 12.8px; text-align: center;">On our way to returning home to <b>Murray Bridge</b>, we called on our daughter in <b>Clare</b> in the mid-north of South Australia. Over the next two months, we had many trips to and from Clare. These trips were to help our daughter pack up all of her belongings ready for storage at our place. All of her furniture and most of her books and clothing and personal belongings are now in storage in a shipping container in our paddock (see photo below).</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: 12.8px; text-align: center;">During this busy time I had very few opportunities to go birding, or to take photos of birds, and certainly not much time or energy to be writing posts here on this site or on my other site (<b><a href="https://www.trevorsbirding.com/" target="_blank">Trevor's Birding</a></b>). The photo of <b>Musk Lorikeet</b> (above) was taken during one brief break from packing and cleaning. </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: 12.8px; text-align: center;">Every day we were staying with our daughter we heard dozens of Musk Lorikeets feeding in the eucalyptus tree overhanging her back garden. This species is a common parrot here in South Australia and they can be very noisy when feeding. This often happens with loose flocks of many dozens in the one tree. While it is hard to see the green feathers of the bird in the photo, blending in with the leaves, the red feathers on the forehead and crown show up brilliantly.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: 12.8px; text-align: center;">By the way, I case my readers are curious about it, my daughter's belongings are being stored here at our home while she teaches in Ethiopia for the next two years. Although she has not updated her site since her last visit there a few years ago, you can follow her adventures on <a href="https://www.rosehampel.com/" target="_blank"><b>Rose's Travel Jottings here</b></a>. She is planning on updating her travel site regularly. </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: 12.8px; text-align: center;">And I hope to update this site every week too. </span><br />
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Trevorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17189009332648317147noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16243797.post-14716751619916802442016-04-21T00:30:00.000+09:302016-04-21T00:30:00.279+09:30More and still more Peaceful Doves<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Peaceful Dove</td></tr>
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We have lived in our home now for over 30 years and during that entire time I have kept lists of birds seen. I have done this every month over that period of time. It certainly gives an interesting picture of the bird life in our garden, and on our five-acre block of land surrounding the house.<br />
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<b>Peaceful Doves</b> are quite common and widespread in the <b>Murray Bridge, South Australia</b> area where we live. Despite this, we rarely saw this species in our garden until about five years ago. Gradually, they have become more and more frequent visitors. Over the last year, they have become almost daily visitors. I could almost call them a resident bird in our garden, meaning that we see or hear them every day.<br />
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Late last year we saw two of them mating and we are sure that they nested somewhere nearby, though we never found the nest. Over recent weeks, we have been seeing up six birds at a time, often near or at our bird baths. I would like to think that this is one family of birds resulting from last year's breeding season.<br />
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You can see more photos of Australian birds, and read more about them on another of my sites called <b><a href="http://trevorsbirding.com/" target="_blank">Trevor's Birding</a></b>.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 12.8px;">Peaceful Dove</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 12.8px;">Peaceful Dove</span></td></tr>
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Trevorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17189009332648317147noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16243797.post-81303245727530400072016-04-14T13:07:00.001+09:302016-04-14T13:07:59.478+09:30Topsy the Crested Pigeon<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Crested Pigeon with extra long feathers</td></tr>
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Over the last few months, my wife and I have been amused to see an unusual <b>Crested Pigeon</b> coming almost daily to the bird baths in our garden. We have many Crested Pigeons in our garden and on our five-acre block of land, but this one individual has caught our eye.<br />
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We can easily identify this individual due to its extra long feathers in its crest - see the photos to see what I mean. Some of the feathers are almost twice the normal length. I am not sure what has caused this, but we have called this bird "Topsy".<br />
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Many people here in South Australia wrongly call this species "Topknot" Pigeons. I grew up calling them this. Only in more recent years have I reverted to the correct and official common name of Crested Pigeon. There are Topknot Pigeons in Australia but this totally different species is confined to the eastern states.<br />
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You can read more about Australian birds and see more photos I have taken on my other site <a href="http://trevorsbirding.com/" target="_blank">Trevor's Birding</a>.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 12.8px;">Crested Pigeon with extra long feathers</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 12.8px;">Crested Pigeon with extra long feathers</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 12.8px;">Crested Pigeon with extra long feathers</span></td></tr>
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Trevorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17189009332648317147noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16243797.post-1111326702667192412016-04-06T00:30:00.000+09:302016-04-06T00:30:21.757+09:30Tree Martins at Pangarinda<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tree Martin, South Australia</td></tr>
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Earlier this year we went out to lunch with friends of ours. This was to celebrate my wife's birthday. After a delicious meal in one of our local hotels in Murray Bridge, we drove south for a half hour to the small town of <b>Wellington </b>on the lower reaches of the <b>River Murray</b>.<br />
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Just over the river - we had to wait for 20 minutes to cross on the local ferry - we drove the short distance to the <b>Pangarinda Botanic Gardens</b>. This 50-hectare site has been planted up with Australian native plants and my wife enjoys visiting these gardens due to her interest in growing our native plants.<br />
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As we were having a cuppa and some birthday cake, we were intrigued by the hundreds of <b>Tree Martins</b> swooping overhead. This is not all that unusual because this is a relatively common species here in South Australia. What puzzled us was the fact that these birds were coming to rest in large numbers in one of the eucalyptus trees near where we were sitting. Then they would all fly off en mass for a few minutes before settling once again in the same tree.<br />
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I am puzzled as to what they were actually doing. Perhaps they just wanted a rest for a few minutes. Perhaps there was an abundance of insects to eat on the wing and they didn't need to be constantly flying and swooping. Whatever the reason, it did give me a good chance to capture some photos of this species. Normally I only see them on the wing and it is frustrating trying to get good shots of tiny birds like this while they are flying so quickly, as they do.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tree Martin, Wellington, South Australia</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tree Martin, Wellington, South Australia</td></tr>
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Trevorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17189009332648317147noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16243797.post-32490454651011632962016-03-30T00:30:00.000+10:302016-03-30T00:30:00.710+10:30The beautiful Splendid Wren<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Male Splendid Wren, Pandappa, South Australia</td></tr>
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I have recently been looking back through photos of birds taken several years ago. This set of photos date from September 2014 on a trip to <b>Peterborough</b> in the mid north of South Australia. While staying with relatives I took a day out by myself to go birding, hoping to get a few photos to share here.<br />
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I travelled some 40 kilometres south east of Peterborough, through Terowie and further east to a locality known as Pandappa. This is primarily sheep grazing country though some cereals are also grown in good seasons. The farming in this area is marginal at best. On my drive I was aiming to visit <b>Pandappa Conservation Park</b>.<br />
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Today I am showing a series of photos of several male <b>Splendid Wrens </b>seen along the road as I travelled. I had to stop several times and wait patiently for these beautiful birds to pose out in the open. They can be frustrating to get good shots, sometimes secretive, always on the move. While these photos are not brilliant, they are amongst the best I have taken of this elusive species.<br />
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<b>Further reading (click to read):</b><br />
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<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li><b><a href="http://trevorsbirding.com/great-birding-moments-35-female-superb-fairy-wren/" target="_blank">Great birding moments #35</a></b></li>
<li><b><a href="http://trevorsbirding.com/great-birding-moments-34-superb-fairy-wren/" target="_blank">Great birding moments #34</a></b></li>
</ul>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 12.8px;">Male Splendid Wren, Pandappa, South Australia</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 12.8px;">Male Splendid Wren, Pandappa, South Australia</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 12.8px;">Male Splendid Wren, Pandappa, South Australia</span></td></tr>
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Trevorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17189009332648317147noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16243797.post-70113726682962909112016-03-23T00:30:00.000+10:302016-03-23T00:30:04.422+10:30Apostlebirds in Peterborough<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Apostlebird, Peterborough, South Australia</td></tr>
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<b>Apostlebirds</b> are usually seen in small family groups, numbering from four or five through to more than a dozen. They get their name from the thought long ago that they always lived together in groups of 12 - as in the Twelve Apostles of the Bible.<br />
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In the eastern parts of Australia, especially in New South Wales, I see them frequently as we drive along on our way to Sydney to visit family. Here in South Australia, however, they are far from common. I know of only about six or so locations where they can be seen. <b>Peterborough</b> in the mid north of the state is one of the more reliable places to observe this species in South Australia.<br />
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In and around the town, which has a population of about 1600, I have over recent years, seen small flocks in about six locations. These sightings have all been in the streets or parks of the town. All of these sightings are possibly of the same group, though I would not be surprised if there were several groups in the township and nearby. I know of two other small groups some 20 kilometres to the north east, near the former village of Dawson.<br />
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Over recent years there have been an increasing number of reports of this species in the mid north region of the state. It is thought that the species could well be thriving and growing in numbers in South Australia. Interestingly, I know of another population in the town of Taplan near Loxton, some 300km to the south east. This location is where I grew up in the 1950s. This species was not present on the farm when I grew up. Interesting.<br />
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<b>Further reading:</b><br />
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<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li><b><a href="http://trevorsbirding.com/apostlebirds-in-peterborough/" target="_blank">Apostlebirds in Peterborough</a></b></li>
<li><b><a href="http://trevorsbirding.com/apostlebirds/" target="_blank">Apostlebirds</a></b></li>
</ul>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/--c1hqUc-pLY/VrMei0l1q0I/AAAAAAAADJ4/rXHvgb-1qvE/s1600/IMG_9170%2B%25282%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/--c1hqUc-pLY/VrMei0l1q0I/AAAAAAAADJ4/rXHvgb-1qvE/s640/IMG_9170%2B%25282%2529.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 12.8px;">Apostlebird, Peterborough, South Australia</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 12.8px;">Apostlebird, Peterborough, South Australia</span></td></tr>
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Trevorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17189009332648317147noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16243797.post-43399842806808363562016-03-16T00:30:00.000+10:302016-03-16T00:30:29.909+10:30A little birding in Peterborough<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Western Grey Kangaroo</td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Last year we spent a few days visiting relatives in <b>Peterborough</b>, a small town in the mid north of <b>South Australia</b>. This is an interesting area for birding. Birders can see many of the bird species seen further south, but there will always be a few species better known from the drier inland regions of the state.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">During our visit it was extremely cold with heavy frosts every morning. Peterborough usually gets a light sprinkling of snow every few years. It is one of the coldest areas in the state. Consequently I did not get out all that often to do some birding. Okay - so I like the warmth of home.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">One one afternoon I did venture out for a few hours. This I mainly spent in the nature reserve just to the north of the town. The wildflowers were out in force and I managed quite a few good photos of them. The birding was a little slow, but I managed a few good shots of the <b>Australian Ringnecks</b> (see below) and one of a <b>Western Grey Kangaroo</b> (see above), which are common in this area.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">The Australian Ringnecks (race Mallee Ringneck) are common in the area too. Other parrot species I would expect to see include:</span></div>
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<li><span style="font-size: large;"><b><a href="http://trevorsbirding.com/red-rumped-parrots-euston-nsw/" target="_blank">Red-rumped Parrot</a></b> (common) </span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: large;">Mulga Parrot (common)</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: large;"><b><a href="http://trevorsbirding.com/great-birding-moments-19-budgerigars/" target="_blank">Budgerigar</a></b> (occasional visitor)</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://trevorsbirding.com/galahs-at-laratinga-wetlands/" target="_blank"><b>Galah</b></a> (very common in large numbers)</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: large;">Bourke's Parrot (uncommon)</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: large;">Scarlet-chested Parrot (uncommon)</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: large;"><b><a href="http://trevorsbirding.com/blue-bonnet-parrots-2/" target="_blank">Blue Bonnet</a></b> (uncommon)</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://trevorsbirding.com/cockatiel-parrots/" target="_blank"><b>Cockatiel</b></a> (uncommon)</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: large;"><b><a href="http://trevorsbirding.com/purple-crowned-lorikeets-at-browns-road-monarto/" target="_blank">Purple-crowned Lorikeet</a></b> </span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: large;"><b><a href="http://trevorsbirding.com/little-corellas-pay-a-visit/" target="_blank">Little Corella</a></b> (localised)</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: large;"><b><a href="http://trevorsbirding.com/wanted/" target="_blank">Major Mitchell's Cockatoo</a></b> (uncommon)</span></li>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Please note that in the Peterborough district I have not seen all of these species listed.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Click on the links in colour to read about those species.</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-nnHDSe9kMeg/VrLcBvXUo2I/AAAAAAAADJo/D6pau8p-6QA/s1600/IMG_9140.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-nnHDSe9kMeg/VrLcBvXUo2I/AAAAAAAADJo/D6pau8p-6QA/s640/IMG_9140.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 12.8px;">Australian Ringneck parrot (Mallee Ringneck)</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 12.8px;">Australian Ringneck parrot (Mallee Ringneck)</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Australian Ringneck parrots (Mallee Ringnecks)<br /><br /></td></tr>
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Trevorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17189009332648317147noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16243797.post-13938497913397214322016-03-09T00:30:00.000+10:302016-03-09T00:30:19.099+10:30It sure is hot<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">White-winged Choughs</td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Over some of my recent posts here I have written about the hot weather we have been having over the summer just gone. The summer in southern Australia set all kinds of records. During hot days, and especially during heat waves, our birds can suffer terribly. I like to help the birds in our garden by keeping our various bird baths topped up with fresh, clean water.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">This has a double purpose. The water attracts the birds and this gives me great opportunities to take more bird photos. Through a large picture window in the room we often use I can get good close-up photos of the birds having a drink, or cooling down in the water.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Today I feature a set of photos taken of a family of <b>White-winged Choughs</b>. These birds are often in our garden, or somewhere on our five acre property. They feed by scratching at the leaf litter under plants and trees looking for a tasty insect, beetle or spider. </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">You can see more photos on my other site <b><a href="http://trevorsbirding.com/" target="_blank">Trevor's Birding</a></b>. </span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 12.8px;">White-winged Chough</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 12.8px;">White-winged Chough</span></td></tr>
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Trevorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17189009332648317147noreply@blogger.com0