This is December 2019 – The Birds Edition

Published on by bushboy

I have been concerned about the birds who live at my place since the fires have engulfed my property. There isn’t much left for them in the way of food, especially the honeyeaters and those who rely on the blossoms of the Eucalypts. I have been putting some food out for the parrots and other seed eaters but not every day so they don’t become reliant on me as a food source.

The birds who don’t have their photo but have been seen when I didn’t have my camera when I have been doing stuff around the place – Laughing Kookaburra, Willie Wagtail, Fig Bird, Magpie, Striated Thornbill and some other small birds who are very fast.

Let’s start with the Eastern Yellow Robins who are always around the garden. I have seen around three or four hunting about the trees and shrubs.
eastern yellow robin_close_garden_named_home_jackadgery_dec 2019
The Eastern Spinebill found the poor Hydrangea flower that have suffered from the heateastern spinebill_hydrangea_garden_fire_durranbah_dec 2019

It’s not often Fuscous Honeyeaters come around the house. Mostly they are found down at the waterhole. When I finally was able to get to that part of the property I found the waterhole has dried up. This is the first time that this has happened in over the thirty plus years I have lived here.
fuscous honeyeater_garden_fire_durranbah_dec 2019
The Grey Shrike Thrush have always hung about the gardengrey shrike thrush_tree_garden_fire_durranbah_dec 2019
Black-faced Cuckoo Shrikes don’t come around the house all that often but can been seen in the bushblack-faced cuckoo shrike_tree_fire_durranbah_dec 2019
I am glad that Satin Bowerbirds survived. The female found an old saucepan I have put in the garden so birds and animals can get a drink.bowerbird_female_bird bath_garden_named_home_jackadgery_dec 2019
The male Satin Bowerbird is still around too but the Bower with all it’s blue treasures has gone. I wonder if he will make another Bower in the garden. satin bowerbird_male_garden_named_home_jackadgery_dec 2019
The Little Friarbirds are a constant in the gardenlittle wattlebird_tree_garden_named_home_jackadgery_dec 2019
There doesn’t seem as many Pied Currawongs but they may have moved across the road which hasn’t been totally burnt.pied currawong_bird bath_garden_named_home_jackadgery_dec 2019
Always Peaceful Doves in the garden. They are getting the bonus seed that falls to the ground from the feeding station. Yesterday there was about ten Peaceful Doves foraging in the garden.peaceful dove_tree_garden_fire_durranbah_dec 2019
This Noisy Friarbird found a Cicada. The usual background drone of Cicadas is missing so far this December.noisy friarbird_catch_fire_durranbah_dec 2019
An Australian Raven looking about the blackened bush. Luckily their nest tree is near the house so that tree wasn’t affected by fireaustralian raven_log_bush_fire_durranbah_dec 2019
Noisy Miners seem to hang out across the road rather than here. This one was found in the bush when I went for a walknoisy miner_tree_bush_fire_durranbah_dec 2019
There has been a family of Olive-backed Oriels around since late Springolive-backed oriel_bird bath_garden_fire_durranbah_dec 2019
Spangled Drongos are regular visitors and quite a few of them have been here for a while now.spangled drongo_bird bath_hanging pot_fire_durranbah_dec 2019
Rainbow Lorikeets come and go. This large flock needed a water refuel before they headed off again.rainbow lorikeets_bird bath_fire_durranbah_dec 2019
King Parrots are always around the garden, more so now I have been putting a bit of food out.king parrot_drinking_hanging pot_garden_fire_durranbah_dec 2019
The Square-tailed Kite is seen regularly in the sky above my place. I know it is around as the birds go quiet.square-tailed kite_named_durranbah_dec 2019
The ever present White-throated Treecreeper. There was a few days where there was the promise of rain but less than 1ml fell. The Treecreeper was rubbing itself among the leaves of the Grevillea getting a lovely bath.white-throated treecreeper_tree_rain_garden_fire_durranbah_dec 2019
Always around the garden White-throated Honeyeaters love drinking and bathing in the little hanging pot bird bath.white-throated honeyeater_garden_fire_durranbah_dec 2019
The latest additions have been Leaden Flycatchers. The little female is very quick as she moves through the garden.leaden flycather_garden_fire_durranbah_dec 2019
The Leaden Flycatcher male seen here contemplating the small puddle of water left in the old swimming pool.
leaden flycatcher_male_garden_fire_durranbah_dec 2019
This Kookaburra was seen often looking soaking wet after diving in the old pool. I thought I would have to rescue him but there he was again and again sitting on the ladder looking like this
kookaburra_wet_pool_named_home_jackadgery_dec 2019
This Magpie Lark (or Pee Wee) was tapping on the window. I opened the curtain just a bit and saw thismagpie lark_pee wee_looking_window_garden_fire_durranbah_dec 2019
The ever present Blue-faced Honeyeaterblue-faced honeyeater_garden_fire_durranbah_dec 2019
Crimson Rosellas don’t often come around the garden. This male came with his partner yesterday.crimson rosella_tree_garden_fire_durranbah_dec 2019
A flash of blue flying through the tress caught my attention. An Eastern Rosella came for a couple of days. I haven’t seen them around the garden for years.eastern rosella_tree_garden_fire_durranbah_dec 2019
I was most concerned about the welfare of the family group of White-winged Choughs. They are always on the forest floor kicking over leaves, rocks and branches on the ground looking for insects and small lizards. This is the first time they have been seen foraging around the garden.white-winged chough_garden_fire_durranbah_dec 2019
When I went for a walk a couple of days ago I was quite happy to see the group of Grey-crowned Babblers. They too forage on the forest floor.grey-crowned babblers_tree_bush_fire_durranbah_dec 2019
The beautiful Scarlet Honeyeater came to let me know they were OK.scarlet honeyeater_garden_fire_durranbah_dec 2019
Red-browed Firetail Finchs are around the garden more now. I have put a water station tucked away in the garden where they love to have a drink and a bath.red-browed firetail finch_garden_fire_durranbah_dec 2019
I haven’t seen Red-backed Fairy Wrens around the garden for quite a few years now. I wasn’t sure if they had gone but a small group have started to get about the garden. The females are quite shy.red-backed fairy wren_female_garden_fire_durranbah_dec 2019
The male Red-backed Fairy Wren is a sight to see in the garden as he hops about looking for food.red-backed fairy wren_male_garden_fire_durranbah_dec 2019
OK, now for some first time sightings
I was sitting in the office at the computer on a hot day when a bird landed on the verandah. It was a Spotted Quail-thrush. Normally a shy bird they too forage on the forest floor. I was too scared to move lest I scared it away before I could get a photo hence the less than good image. When I was out the other day I actually saw one in the bush and it flew away before I could even think about my camera.spotted quail thrush_garden__fire_durranbah_dec 2019
I have heard Powerful Owls in the lower part of my property over the years but have never seen them. I wasn’t sure if they would be still around as I haven’t been down there at night for a few years. When I went to see the state of the waterhole, suddenly from the tree that had fallen in the fire, a couple of large birds flew out and landed nearby. I was delighted to see the Powerful Owls for the first time. I left quickly as not to disturb them. I wonder if the tree that had come down was where their nest was? I will go down again one day and have another look around.powerful owl_bush_waterhole_fire_durranbah_dec 2019

I hope you have enjoyed this bird edition of This is December 2019.

46 thoughts on “This is December 2019 – The Birds Edition”

  1. Fabulous photos of wonderfully diverse birds. Of course, you’re right to be concerned for their welfare as so much of what they depended upon has gone. Luckily you’re keeping an eye on them. .

    Liked by 2 people

      1. Yes! I saw my first powerful owl in the wild this year and on the ground below was a headless glider. I was a little shocked to find out that they often bite off and swallow the head first. “Powerful” is a perfect name for these owls. Awesome birds. 🙂

        Liked by 1 person

  4. Your family has grown, Brian! That warms my heart.
    My mum has the red-backed wrens at her place in central Queensland. They are such cheeksters.
    Shhh, don’t tell anyone about the powerful owls. You will have the twitchers converge on you from miles around. We occasionally have them in Canberra and people are so excited that it ends up on the local news. 🙂 I once saw one with a dead possum slung over a branch. Amazing birds. I hope the animals return to the bush soon.

    Liked by 1 person

  5. PS. I see that Jane left a comment. I was going to ask her if I could use one of her eastern yellow robin photos for the mosaic, but in the end I decided on one of yours. My task today is to draw it up (something I always procrastinate on). PS. Do you get frost in your area?

    Liked by 1 person

  6. So many wonderful captures of so many different birds. Peeking through the window, drinking, hanging from a branch. I am glad to see life and you are a good soul to feed and give them water. Thank you for these wonderful photos and explanations.

    Liked by 1 person

  7. This was most enjoyable – an update post with fresh photos and for composition – I really
    Ike that Rainbow Lorikeet photo tied the leaves and color and shapes
    But all good – even the quickly snapped quail –

    Liked by 1 person

  9. Lovely to see so many birds around after the fires. Some Ive never heard of including Olive backed Oriel and Red backed Fairy Wren. 💕

    Liked by 1 person

  11. Another good read. Interesting comparing with Black Mountain. No white winged choughs yet, never have had babblers or blueface h’eaters. No forest kingfishers since the fires, but have heard lyre and Green Catbirds (not seen) Powerful owl…that’s fantastic. Only ever heard here…….once.

    Liked by 1 person

  12. You are such a kind soul, Brian! But we are interdependent, aren’t we, on this earth of ours? A peaceful, happy Christmas to you and the birds. I’m winging my way to England today. 🙂 🙂

    Liked by 1 person

  17. This is my favourite post of the year on WP! This is a post about hope and reciprocity. You found your sanctuary in the bush and now you’re giving the creatures of the bush a sanctuary. ❤️
    I love the wet kookaburra! I’ve watched them dive in a pond before. They look so different when wet!

    Liked by 1 person

  19. Pingback: This is December 2019 – bushboys world

  21. I’m sure the birds appreciate your compassion. A few years ago, I was blessed with the seeing a pair of powerful owls roosting in an elm along our service road. One of them clutched a gory something! After that, I saw them now and then over the next few weeks, just a single owl at a time, in the same tree. A real treat, that’s for sure. Yours is looking a little shocked, poor thing. Thanks for sharing. All the best.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Yes I did startle them out of their sleep in the middle of the day. I am yet to find any remains thank goodness. Lucky you to have some nearby and see regularly

      Liked by 1 person

Comments are closed.