Impromptu Bird Bath

Eastern Rosella (L) and Mallee Ringneck (R)

This year in South Australia we have had well below average rain in many areas. This includes Murray Bridge 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.

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. 

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.

The bird on the right is an Australian Ringneck parrot, sub-species Mallee Ringneck. 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.

The bird on the left has a stranger background. This Eastern Rosella 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.

Whatever the reason, I love seeing this beautiful bird in my garden.

For more stories about and photos of Australian birds go to Trevor's Birding here.

World Environment Day

Eastern Rosella

2018 World Environment Day

I haven't posted here in quite some time due to family reasons. Now that life is settling down again for me, I intend posting more often and hopefully more regularly than in times past.

Today is World Environment Day. 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.

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.

Even in the cooler months, there is an occasional visit to the bird baths. The Eastern Rosella 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.

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.

Eastern Rosella, Murray Bridge, South Australia

Eastern Rosella, Murray Bridge, South Australia

Birding on the move

Musk Lorikeet

After a long absence here - I am now back. Sorry about that. Life happens.

Earlier in the year my wife and I travelled to Sydney 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?

On our way to returning home to Murray Bridge, we called on our daughter in Clare 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).

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 (Trevor's Birding). The photo of  Musk Lorikeet (above) was taken during one brief break from packing and cleaning. 

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.

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 Rose's Travel Jottings here. She is planning on updating her travel site regularly. 

And I hope to update this site every week too. 

A little birding in Peterborough

Western Grey Kangaroo

Last year we spent a few days visiting relatives in Peterborough, a small town in the mid north of South Australia. 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.

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.

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 Australian Ringnecks (see below) and one of a Western Grey Kangaroo (see above), which are common in this area.

The Australian Ringnecks (race Mallee Ringneck) are common in the area too. Other parrot species I would expect to see include:

• Red-rumped Parrot (common) 
• Mulga Parrot (common)
• Budgerigar (occasional visitor)
• Galah (very common in large numbers)
• Bourke's Parrot (uncommon)
• Scarlet-chested Parrot (uncommon)
• Blue Bonnet (uncommon)
• Cockatiel (uncommon)
• Purple-crowned Lorikeet 
• Little Corella (localised)
• Major Mitchell's Cockatoo (uncommon)

Please note that in the Peterborough district I have not seen all of these species listed.

Click on the links in colour to read about those species.

Australian Ringneck parrot (Mallee Ringneck)

Australian Ringneck parrot (Mallee Ringneck)

Australian Ringneck parrots (Mallee Ringnecks)

Mallee Ringneck parrots come to our bird bath

Mallee Ringneck parrots

I live on a five acre property on the outskirts of Murray Bridge in South Australia. Over the years I have recorded over 110 different species in or near our garden. Some of these are occasional visitors but many of them are resident species, that is, they are here all the time. Many of these species are actually resident breeding species, meaning that they also have been recorded breeding on our property.

One of our favourite bird species would have to be the colourful Mallee Ringnecks, a race of the Australian Ringneck parrot found over large parts of the drier parts of the Australian continent. They are a resident breeding species in our garden. They are also one of the noisiest birds in our garden.

To be truthful, we have a love-hate relationship with these birds. We love having them around every day and their cheerful calls and brilliant colours brighten up our day. On the other hand we don't like it when they get into our many fruit trees, especially our delicious pears. I try to keep them out using netting over the trees, but far too often they beat me to it.

You can read more posts I have written about these birds on Trevor's Birding. 

Mallee Ringneck parrots

Happy New Year

Mallee Ringneck parrots

HAPPY NEW YEAR to my readers.

Yes -  I realise that I am over two weeks late in posting such greetings, but I have been rather busy of late. We have had family visiting over the Christmas - New Year break, and we have also been visiting other family members. On top of all that I have been without a computer for some of that period. My son has been busy transferring all of my files to a new computer.

Today's photo of two Mallee Ringneck parrots was taken during one of the very hot days we have been experiencing here in South Australia so far this summer. The ringnecks are present every day in our garden and we love seeing them. However, they are not our favourite birds when the chew our ripening pears. 

You can read more about Australian birds on another of my sites called Trevor's Birding. 

Sulphur-crested Cockatoo

Sulphur-crested Cockatoo

Some months ago my wife and I visited the Dubbo Zoo, an open-range zoo in the mid-west of New South Wales. This zoo is run by Taronga Zoo in Sydney and is an easy day's drive from Sydney. We had just spent a few weeks with our son and our grandchildren in Sydney and we were having an extended holiday in various parts of the state.

On the first day of our visit to the Dubbo Zoo - tickets are valid for two days as there is so much to see - we sat in the evening calm watching the monkeys in a nearby enclosure near the Visitor Centre. A solitary Sulphur-crested Cockatoo flew in and perched just above where the monkeys were having a feed. This was not a captive bird and like so many of the local birds it wasn't slow about inviting itself to feed on the leftovers from the zoo animals.

Cockatoos, Corellas and Galahs, as well as Lorikeets and many other parrot species are very common throughout Australia. In fact, some years ago I saw a wonderful video about our parrot species and it was titled "Land of Parrots". An apt description of Australia.

You can read more about our Australian birds on my other site called Trevor's Birding here.

Cosy Galahs in the morning sun

Galahs in the early morning sun

I took the photo above one very cold, frosty morning at the Laratinga Wetlands in Mt Barker, South Australia. The two parrots - presumably a breeding pair - were taking advantage of the early morning sunshine to warm up. They certainly look a cosy pair.

Earlier on I had seen them - I assume it was the same two - at a nearby hollow in the same tree. I wrote about that sighting and showed two other photos here.

The Australian parrot we know as the Galah is sometimes known as the Rose-breasted Cockatoo. It's commonly called a "cocky" and is often kept as a much loved pet, frequently living in people's homes and learning to mimic a range of human words, especially greetings. "Hello, Cocky" greets visitors to such a home, for example.

This species is also a frequent visitor to our home garden here in Murray Bridge.  On occasions we have seen flocks numbering in the many hundreds flying overhead. With their raucous screeching it is hard to miss them.

Why not take a look over at Trevor's Birding, my other site about Australian birds?

Yellow-tailed Black-cockatoo

Art work depicting a Yellow-tailed Black-cockatoo

One of the interesting aspects of a visit to the Laratinga Wetlands in Mt Barker, South Australia is the new art installation in the picnic area. On my recent visit I saw these art works - four of them - for the first time. The one below depicts an Aboriginal Elder, reflecting the importance of these lands to the traditional owners.

The art work shown above depicts one of the significant bird species of this area, the large and noisy Yellow-tailed Black-cockatoo. These birds are frequently seen flying overhead in this part of the Adelaide Hills, often in small groups up to a half dozen, and occasionally in larger flocks from a dozen or so through to a hundred of more. Elsewhere, in the south east of the state, I once saw a flock I estimated to be over 300; the noise they made was deafening as they flew overhead.

I invite readers to check out my other site about Australian birds - Trevor's Birding.

Art work depicting an Aboriginal Elder

Happy 10th Birthday to this bird site

Australian Ringneck Parrot

This bird site is ten years old today.

Happy 10th birthday to Trevor's Twitching of Australian Birds!

Or should that read: "Happy Bird-day"?

The very first article I published here all those years ago was really just testing the water, but once done I was hooked. I continued over the years, sometimes sporadically here and more often on my other sites which I wrote about here.

In all I have written over 4000 articles on these sites covering birds, animals, travel in various countries, writing, poetry, stories and much more. Many thousands of readers have also made comments on the various sites, and they have a combined tally of over a million pageviews over those ten years. Readers have come from over 200 countries and territories.

So - how did I celebrate this sites significant milestone? In hospital having minor surgery. I hope that this surgery will deal with my back problems and enable me to get out and take more bird photos to share here, and on my other sites, so stay tuned for the next ten years!

In the meantime, please stop by and leave a comment; I'd be mighty pleased.

As a special treat today I am sharing a set of favourite photos, instead of just the usual one or two. For more reading and photos about Australian birds go to Trevor's Birding.

Happy birding.

Trevor

Australian King Parrot

Diamond Firetail Finch

Collared Sparrowhawk

 

Red-capped Robin

Australian Galah sunning itself

Female Australian Galah sunning itself

The Australian parrot known as the Galah is one of many beautifully colourful birds we have in Australia. Also known as the Rose-breasted Cockatoo or just simply as a "cocky" this species is common throughout much of Australia and is easily recognisable by most Australians, even those who have little interest in birds. It is also a commonly kept pet bird and is able to be taught to say a few words.

This particular bird was sunning herself on the trunk of a large old gum tree (eucalypt tree) in the Laratinga Wetlands in Mt Barker, South Australia, a short drive from my home and about a half hour drive from the CBD of Adelaide. Below in another shot, complete with presumably the male cleaning out a hollow getting ready for nesting. I know the bird above is a female; they have red eyes while the males have brown or black eyes.

For more photos and stories about Australian birds go to my other site Trevor's Birding.

Female Galah parrot with the male in the hollow below

Trevor's Birding gift ideas

Over the last decade I have taken many photos of birds, both here in Australia and also on overseas holidays. I have often shared some of the best photos here on this site as well as on my other site called Trevor's Birding (click  here).

More recently I have made some of these photos available on various products such coffee mugs (see above for an example), T shirts, aprons, mouse mats, puzzles, clocks, cards and many more.

My site is part of Zazzle group and you can access TrevorsPhotos by clicking here.

Products from Trevor's Birding

Over the last decade I have taken many photos of birds, both here in Australia and also on overseas holidays. I have often shared some of the best photos here on this site as well as on my other site called Trevor's Birding (click here).

More recently I have made some of these photos available on various products such coffee mugs (see above for an example), T shirts, aprons, mouse mats, puzzles, clocks, cards and many more.

My site is part of Zazzle group and you can access TrevorsPhotos by clicking here.

Musk Lorikeet

Musk Lorikeet

Musk Lorikeets are beautiful little parrots found in many places throughout southern and eastern Australia. They can be noisy when feeding on the flowers of eucalyptus trees. The bird shown above, however, was having a good feed on the buds of an almond tree in my daughter's neighbour's garden.

You can read more about Australian birds, along with many photos of them on my other site, Trevor's Birding.

The Australian Galah

Galah

 

Many experts call Australia the Land of Parrots. There is even a DVD of the same name about our vast range of beautiful parrots. They are in abundance throughout all habitats in this country. Possibly the most recognisable of all our parrots is the Galah. They are common throughout Australia, often occurring in flocks numbering up to 1000s, especially in the cereal growing rural areas. They are also a popular pet and can be taught to say a dozen or more words.

You can see more photos of our beautiful parrots - and many other Australian birds on my other site Trevor's Birding here.

Australian Sulphur Crested Cockatoos

Sulphur Crested Cockatoos in Australia

Australia is rightly called the Land of Parrots. We have a huge range of parrots, nearly all of them very colourful and much sort after by bird lovers and aviculturalists around the world. One of these spectacular parrot species is the Sulphur Crested Cockatoo, a primarily white parrot with a stunning yellow crest. In a flock of many dozens these raucous birds can create an ear-splitting noise as they fly over. A flock of hundreds is something else again!

To see more photos of Australian birds go to my other site, Trevor's Birding here.

Sun Conure in Adelaide Zoo, South Australia

Sun Conure in Adelaide Zoo, South Australia

I don't normally feature non-Australian birds here on this site because its aim is to show photos of birds found in Australia. However, I couldn't resist showing this photo of a South American bird, the Sun Conure. I took the photo in the Adelaide Zoo in South Australia, an hour's drive from my home. I am a life member of the zoo so I visit often.

One of the most pleasing aspects of this photo is that I took it through the wire mesh of the aviary where this bird was kept.

You can read about Australian birds and see more of my bird photos on my other site called Trevor's Birding (click here).

The beautiful Eclectus Parrot of Australia

Male Eclectus Parrot of northern Australia

The Eclectus Parrots of northern Australia are one of our most colourful parrots. In fact, one of our most spectacular birds, period. Both the male and the female are brightly coloured as you can see in the photos on today's post.

This is one species I would love to see in its natural habitat, but because I haven't yet visited the far northern parts of Queensland, this is still a dream.

In the meantime, I have to be content with these photos of the beautiful birds kept in a walk through aviary in the Adelaide Zoo here in South Australia.

You can see more photos of birds and read more about our Australian birds by visiting my other site, Trevor's Birding here.

Female Eclectus Parrot in Adelaide Zoo

Australian Red-rumped Parrot

Red-rumped parrot

The Australian Red-rumped Parrot is a common bird around my district here in rural South Australia. The bird shown in today's photo is a male; the female is not quite as colourful. Unfortunately, this photo does not show the bright red feathers which give this species its name.

This photo was taken at the Riverglades Wetlands area near Murray Bridge, South Australia.

You can see more photos and read more about Australian birds on Trevor's Birding here.

Long-billed Corellas in the Adelaide Hills

Long-billed Corellas in the Mt Lofty Ranges

One of my favourite places to go birding is at the Laratinga Wetlands on the eastern edge of the town of Mt Barker here in South Australia. These artificial wetlands were constructed over a decade ago to deal with the town's waste water. Many plantings around the wetlands assure birders of a good range of bush birds in addition to the many water birds which have moved in.

On a visit some time ago I saw a small flock of Long-billed Corellas in one of the larger trees near the wetlands. This is an unusual sighting because the Little Corella is far more abundant in the Mt Lofty Ranges when compared with the Long-billed. That makes this photo even more interesting.

You can read more about Australian birds on Trevor's Birding.