brown honeyeater – bushboys world

Birds Around My Neighbourhood

Published on March 10, 2019 by bushboy29 Comments

Two photo challenges caught my eye today.

Come for a quick walk around my neighbourhood. There is my dead end gravel road which is about three kilometers long which has an intersection with another gravel road which is paved about sixteen kilometers from my place. It goes from the highway to a long way away, perhaps fifty kilometers.

Lets get going.

The Noisy Friarbird will often let others know we are about

Listen for a chip chip and look at the tree trunks to see a White-throated Treecreeper scouring the bark for an insect or two

The lovely face of a Blue-faced Honeyeater

You might hear the wings of the Eastern Spinebill before you see one zoom past

The Pied Butcherbirds song will fill the forest as we walk along

We may see a Jackie Winter sitting on a fence

Lovely little Eastern Yellow Robins will be chip chip chipping seemingly endlessly

Of course the familiar sounds of Kookaburras will resound around the bush

Small Brown Honeyeaters will be silently having a snack on a Bottlebrush

A flash of colour and a Spotted Pardelote will fly by

A Forest Kingfisher, a sudden flash like a blue jewel, as he flies through the bush

The unmistakable squawking of Rainbow Lorikeets as they argue about whose branch it is will get your attention

The beautiful song of a Rufous Whistler will kep you spell bound for ages

A whistle, a flash of red, the smallest honeyeater is unmistakable in the bush

High in the tree, the resident Square-tailed Kite will keep an eye on you

While overhead it’s mate will soar
Up the road a bit, some Crimson Rosellas have a snack on the horses feed

What’s that chatter chatter chatter? I hear you say. The Grey-crowned Babblers walk about the forest floor snacking on unsuspecting insects talking about their day

More jewels in the sky as the Rainbow Bee-eaters gather

Another remarkable song and bright yellow of the Golden Whistler will make you stop and listen

Musk Lorikeets can be seen as they feast on the nectar of Pink Euodias

The largest bird of prey, a Wedged-tailed Eagle on the lookout for an unsuspecting wallaby or animal, will sit silent until we get to close

A bit more whistling heralds that we are near some King Parrots

A strange metallic sound draws our attention to the iridescent and distinctive tail shape of the wonderfully named Spangled Drongo

A Satin Bowerbird who is similarly coloured to a Drongo will be in the bush sometimes finding food

or finding sticks or blue stuff to decorate and construct his Bower

Thanks for dropping by and having a bit of a walk around my neighbourhood. I hope you had a good time.

This is December 2018

Published on January 2, 2019January 16, 2019 by bushboy41 Comments

First of all, thanks to everyone who has been part of my life this year. I have enjoyed sharing my part of this world with you. Your comments and feedback has been quite overwhelming at times. I take photos because I enjoy the results I achieve. I have a basic Canon PowerShot SX60HS which takes great macros, amazing telephotos and does everything I could ask, except focus where I want sometimes. Even then the capture can be a photo that goes into my Arty Ones folder. Some of those are posted in a recent photo challenge – Abstract.

On to December. This month was taken up in part with Becky’s great square format photo challenge #timesquare The featured image is one of the photos from Beckys challenge. Sometime last year I made a suggestion for the challenge which I cannot remember.

I have tried to cut down the number of photos but again it may be a bit of long read, so a drink, perhaps a snack may be in order. All settled back and ready. Join me in looking at This is December 2018
Sunrise is always a good place to start

The wind blew the grass seed heads

One morning, the tiny Line-blue Butterflies were all over the grass area while we were having breakfast. They loved the clover flowers.

A Blue-banded Bee made a morning ritual of visiting the Chinese Lantern flowers. I never was ready to get that photo.

A delicate flowering plant we were told was called Herb Robert. A lovely flower and bud.

A Mistletoe Bird was a visitor for a few days

After the demise of the terracotta bird bath, a tempory replacement was found. A Rainbow Lorikeet looks unsure.

Since the hatching of the Brown Honeyeaters, they have stayed around the garden. This is one of their favourite sitting places in the morning.

Luckily one of the Grevilleas is flowering for them.

I love it when you can see our Moon during the day.

Many people call Dandelions weeds. The flowers add a great splash of colour in the garden.

The Bees love the flowers too. Look at how much pollen has been gathered into the bees pollen sacs.

I think it is wonderful.

A Pumpkin display at the markets. So many varieties to choose from.

This van belongs to one of the market stall holders at The Channon markets. I would love this van.

Now Summer is here and it is hot and dry, the birds have to share the bird bath.

Coming in for a landing

“I made it safely….so what are you looking at?”

The Brown Honeyeaters. An adult and one of the young ones. Always look up to your elders.

This is my bird bath the Magpie Lark (or better known as Pee Wee) is telling everyone.

A spot of grub hunting has paid off.

The Cape Chestnut Tree at The Channon Market was in full bloom.

Now for a couple of native flowers I found at my daughters place. I looked in my books to try and identify so I could tell you their names, but wasn’t successful. I will have to ask an ecologist who said I could send him photos and he would try to tell me their names. Isn’t this one pretty?

Like the above flower, most native flowers are quite small. The one above was about 10 to 15mm from petal tip to petal tip. This little flower is about 5mms

Another tiny flower with an amazing structure

Such a delicate ball of even smaller flowers. Each ball is around 10-15mm in diameter.

The Stingless Native Bees just love the native flowers. The flower seems huge compared to the bee
The start of Summer. The Frangipanni flowers around the garden are stating to emerge.

I love the soft pink and yellow of this Frangipanni flower which has a heavenly fragrance.

The pinks and yellows of this one are much more stronger.

The Pink Frangipanni is stunning.

This Poinciana tree I see on the way home was the best I have seen.

The tiny flowers of one of the Tea Trees I have in my garden is waiting for the bees.
This year, my Agapanthus flowers were the best flowering ever. All through the garden was spots of white and blue
One of the blues.

The tree Begonia decided to have another flowering this December.

I have a number of Datura Erecta plants around the garden. The berries looked lovely one morning. I think they may be poisonous as nothing seem to eat them.

If anyone would, it would be a Fig Bird, seen here keeping an eye on me as I walked about.

The King Parrots are starting to want some food as a couple of people who fed them in the street have since moved on. I give them a small amount of wild bird mix occasionally. Actually I hadn’t been home for a couple of days and this bloke came to the verandah and whistled to get my attention

A migratory visitor to my place are Leaden Flycatchers, This female was scouting the verandah for a snack. Yes a photo taken while I was inside at my desk.

One afternoon as I drove through the front gates, a Forest Kingfisher swooped in front of me and sat in the tree, almost like a welcome home.
The Australian Air force is saying goodbye to the fleet of Orions. One of the planes is going to an Air Museum at Evans Head. It flew into Lismore. This was taken from my besties backyard.

The old swimming pool, which is now a frog pond of sorts, is host to so many water insects and frogs. One of the frog species in the pool is the Perons Tree Frog. I think this may be one just emerging from tadpole to frog.

I am unsure who these beastly looking gang are. Hopefully are dragonflies.

Christmas is always a wonderful time in December. I wasn’t in a Christmas mood this year. My bestie had some decorations at her place. An op-shop angel and some lights looked great.

An Australian Lilli Pilli tree in the corner with some little lights mad the room look bright.

The Full Moon, just before Christmas Day was big and bright.

One of the photo challenges was Abstract – see the opening words – I didn’t include this Moon photo as I thought it was rather special and needed to be in my monthly wrap-up post.

I didn’t have my tripod so just had to have a go hand held. At least one turned out OK lol

Summer arrives and the plants start to thrive so along come the Grasshoppers to have a snack. This one likes Basil….or used to.

Another little Grasshopper from my daughters place. Her garden hasn’t been attacked yet.

The Ponytail Palm has so many flowers, the bees don’t know where to begin. I walked outside and the buzzing was quite loud I looked up and the flower spikes were full of bees.

The Blue-banded bee I couldn’t get in the Chinese Lantern Flower didn’t escape my attention as it buzzed about the Basil flowers.

The Hover Fly loved the garden too

The Palm Trees, the water and the ripples

Late afternoon looking from my besties verandah across the paddocks

The December sun is almost set.

Goodbye December and 2018.

Thanks for being a part of my world. I hope to see you again in 2019.

New life

Published on December 29, 2018February 21, 2019 by bushboy11 Comments

The word prompt for Nancy’s Photo a Week Challenge: New

Here is new life. The featured photo is a Red-necked Wallaby joey hanging around at the front of my place.
The three Welcome Swallow chicks crammed into their nest of grass and mud.

Grey Fantail chicks snoozing in the Spring sun.

The Brown Honeyeater chicks waiting for an adult to appear with food.

Fairy Wren chicks huddled together taking in the afternoon sun on a chilly day

The Brown Honeyeaters – A Spring Story

Published on December 14, 2018December 29, 2018 by bushboy6 Comments

During Spring, the Brown Honeyeater decided that a Lilli Pilli in a pot near the verandah at my besties house was a great place to build a nest. It gave me an opportunity to have a sneak peek into the life of Brown Honeyeaters.

Sitting on the verandah, having a cup of tea, we noticed a small bird flying in and out of the Lilli Pilli tree in a pot near the verandah. I had to go and see what was going on. I found the start of the nest construction. They must have been doing it for a few days before we saw the goings on. Both the female and the male were building the nest.

A few days later the nest was taking shape.
All manner of vegetation – grass, bark, lichen and spiders web was used.

This is the location of the nest.

Looks like I was spotted!

Off she goes to gather more materials.
Every now and then she would wiggle about in the nest to get the shape right.
She was in there for a long time this day. I think she was laying an egg.

Yes! I was right, an egg is in the nest. It is so small. Probably about a thumb nail size.

A few days later another egg appeared.

It didn’t take long for some chicks to make an appearance. I missed out getting any photos when they were small pink chicks. A rather nasty storm was coming so my bestie dragged the pot onto the verandah. Luckily she did as the wind blew hard, the rain poured down and there was a bit of hail.

Now comes the hard work for the parents. Both the female and the male were constantly flying back and forth with food for their babies.

Ooops….looks like I was spotted again.

Chick one gets a morsel.

and then chick two.
Part of being a parent is cleaning up after your children. This is the removal of what I call a poo sac. This keeps the nest clean and stops insects, mainly ants, getting into the nest.

They are getting bigger. When I approached, they would flatten themselves against the sides of the nest.

After a busy day looking after the chicks, it’s good to have a bath and relax.

Unfortunately I missed out on the chicks leaving the nest. It didn’t take long from eggs to flying little birds.

I think I am lucky to be part of the Brown Honeyeaters life. They have all gone from my besties garden now. Off on their migratory path to a new place for Summer and I hope they come back next year. We are going to leave the nest in place to see what may happen.

This is October 2018

Published on November 7, 2018November 19, 2018 by bushboy19 Comments

OK folks strap yourself in for this ride. You will need stamina, food, drinks and a possible toilet break as I have been unrelenting in snapping away with all manner of things. I was going to break the photos down into subject groups in separate posts, but I thought “What the heck, you can scroll through at your own pace.”

What better way to start the day (or post) than with a sunrise from my besties new place

Let’s start with things. I don’t know what to call this bunch of photos as they are different. Enough talk. Off we go!

I found these gelatinous blobs on the beach, hundreds of them. Perhaps baby jelly fish?

When you see a land form that resembles something else

The planes have been showing themselves a bit in October.

Just love these rock cliff, the colours and again, can you see a face?

The moss gave the tree a bit of a dress with a vine for dramatic effect.

More moss. This time at the waters edge at the beach

The rock pool took on an ethereal mood

Just the shelf at my besties place

When I put on this lamp, I just had to take the photo. Another shelf at my besties

October saw the rain come. This dam, I use the water around the house and garden, was about one-eighth full. Seeing the water flow into the dam cured my blues.

The waterhole on my place never is dry but came very close this year. Seeing it full again made me happy. I think the birds and animals are pleased as well

Waterfalls make such a soothing sound don’t you think? Even little waterfalls that help fill the waterhole.

Of course a bit of rain and sunshine brings out the fungi

Fungi of all shapes and colours. Some big….

…some small

and some are edible

I love Grass Trees. These are at a place called Naughtons Gap. They are bigger than some of the Grass Trees on my place.

A wonderful discovery was a whole street in Grafton lined with Bottle Trees. This will be investigated as to why and how and perhaps a bushboy post about the history of the Bottle Trees in Grafton may evolve.

The early morning dew and spiders webs. I can’t resist

Sitting having a cup of tea with my bestie when a large Skink wandered about the garden. Wonderful markings aren’t they?

Would you believe that this tree is called a Cheese Tree?

Just an ant having a swim. He did get out eventually.

The flower and a bee. The flower is on what is called a broad leaf weed which is supposed to be undesirable in a lawn. Look at the bees pollen sacks. I don’t think the bee would be as happy if the “weed” wasn’t there. Think before you mow please.

Just a feather

and another

The Forest Kingfishers have arrived. The male looked about for anything that moved in the grass or the garden.

The colours on his back are lovely.

This photo shows a bit more of the iridescence

Galahs are funny birds. This bloke is sitting on the stock trough on next doors place at my besties

It’s a bit of a way down to get a drink.

Another arrival in Spring are the Grey Shrike Thrush. They are in the trees around the garden and sing in the morning and in the afternoons. What a delight to have in my garden.

The Pied Currawong didn’t mind a bit of rain.

Doesn’t he look great. The black with the red of the Flame Tree

The Fig Bird was spotted eating Mulberries

So was his mate

A Coucal Pheasant came for a visit and sat high in the Gum Tree.

Later on, I think he was checking me out through the undergrowth.

Another October visitor, a Brown Honeyeater

He soon found the bird bath

The Blue-faced Honeyeaters have arrived in numbers to feast on the Honey Gem Grevillea

The female Blue-faced Honeyeaters also drop in for a snack

Remember the post about the Post where the Noisy Friar Bird was chased away by the Spangled Drongo. Here Rainbow Lorikeets get a serve from the Friar Bird. A bit of a peck to the head.

The Rainbow Lorikeets were a bit bemused by all the carry on.

A female Satin Bowerbird enjoyed the nectar in the Yamba Sunshine Grevillea.

But like everyone else, the Honey Gem Grevillea is the best place to get a meal.

Yellow-faced Honeyeaters seem to have a constant scowl on their faces.

I think this Yellow-faced Honeyeater spotted me and my camera
The gravity defying White-throated Treecreeper taken from the comfort of the chair in my office

They are lovely as they hop up and down the trees looking for something to eat.

Another photo from my office chair. I call this one, “I can see what you are doing” is what the King Parrot is saying.

A young King Parrot morphing into a male

Getting a good Eastern Rosella photo quest continues

Out for a drive, we spotted a smallish bird run across the road and into a paddock. A new bird has been seen, an Australasian Pipit.

On another adventure drive, we spotted flashes of green zooming across the road. A flock of Rainbow Bee Eaters were hanging about. This is a breeding pair

Aren’t the males colours amazing?

You may wonder why we are back at a couple of young King Parrots. I thought it was lovely to have them sitting on a hanging pot under the verandah, until I spotted what they were doing

Yes, these “lovely” young birds had eaten half of the succulents in the pot. All around the pot, the succulent trailed over the edge. Can you see the bit trailing over the edge now. This hanging pot is no longer hanging where pesky King Parrots can get at it.

Water drops and new growth

I love the colour of this Succulent. Was tempted to pinch a leaf or two

I love the colours in this photo of a Hanging Violet with red in the background

A lovely Native Geranium growing in the “lawn” Another reason not to mow

Pansies, pansies, pansies
and more Pansies
This year the Silky Oaks flowering was spectacular

A flower of a Succulent

The Budlea flower spike wonderful and smells delightful

Some of the Roses looked a treat this year

A pink Bottlebrush flower

The native water lillies on my dam. Water Snowflake

The rain knocked a lot of the flowers off the Flame Tree. The little cups filled with water

Some native flowers that grow on my place. This yellow beauty is Dogwood

I think this native flower is a Hairy Guinea Flower

I have been encouraging a lot of Egg and Bacon plant to grow on one part of my property. It’s spikey habit is good for protecting small birds when it is in a fairly dense thicket

Plus the flowers are lovely. You can see the sharp points in the leaves

A small pink Grevillea.

My besties flower beds are looking great

and yet more flowers
This flower has caused great excitement for me. This is the first time I have seen a Hakea Florulenta on my property.

Aren’t the tiny flowers delightful?

The early morning fog gives a sense of wonder to start the day

Of course when it rains, you also find rainbows. This one had a faint double above.

Well, the sun is setting and you have reached the end. Well done for sticking around to get to the end and thanks for having a look at my October 2018

Did you have a favourite photo?

Goodbye 2016….

Published on January 4, 2017 by bushboy7 Comments

The last photos of December 2016 are nearly all birds. The weather was still hot and the bird baths proved to be a winner with all the birds who are staying around here. The cool of the forest also helps. The birds come into the garden from the forest in the cool of the morning and in the cool of the evening.

Sometimes you just have to fully immerse to get the benefits of cool water. I think this was a female Scarlet Honeyeater diving in deep into the very popular hanging pot.

This bloke was thinking about the bird bath and whether it was worth going in.

The Brown Honeyeater contemplates his dive into the bird bath.

And in he goes. What a splash for a small bird.

Not to be outdone, the tiny Striated Thornbill took the plunge and created a big splash.

The group shot of the Striated Thornbills after their bath. One of my cutest photos ever don’t you think?

On a hot day everyone arrives to get a drink. It’s heads down, bums up for the Rainbow Lorikeets.

The Rainbow Lorikeets are a noisy lot, always having something to say, even if a mate lands on your branch.

The Grey-crowned Babbler seems to defy gravity as it hopped up the Tallowwood.

Once the Grey-crowned Babblers found a good spot to get a feed, the project started. There is always someone ready to give a hand.

They almost have a large piece of bark ripped from the tree.

Every morning I am woken to the beautiful song of a Rufous Whistler. As I walked around the garden watering those plants who were in need the most, the Whistler seemed to follow me.

I bought a Hydrangea last year and have kept it in a pot on the verandah. In December I was rewarded with a beautiful pink flower. You can just see the flower of a White Hydrangea which I bought this year with flowers already on the small bush.

That is the last of 2016. Now to start to sort the first photos of 2017. Happy New Year everyone.

Birds and Flowers

Published on September 19, 2016 by bushboy8 Comments

I have not kept up to date with my blog. It is already half way through September and the start of Spring has gone. I too so many photos in August that I have to have a second go at putting my photos and things into writing.

Lately I have been walking along my road and as usual, my camera has been to hand. Some of the photos have been from around the neighbourhood whilst other photos have been at home. This first lot are typical of the bush in and around my place. The Fringe Wattles looked lovely this year and the spur my house is on is surrounded by the yellow of the wattles.

The small puffs of yellow encompass the whole wattle tree.

The Native Sarsparilla also bloom at this time of year.

They both look lovely as the Sarsparilla entwines around the Fringe Wattle

The Paperbarks certainly flowered well this season. The air was full of the scent from the flowers which attracted all sorts of insects. How many can you see?

Here are more insects in the flowers of the Paperbark. Mostly the insects get right down into the flower stem so only their bums are visible.

The Coastal Rosemary flowers are quite pretty don’t you think?

I am not sure what this little hairy leafed bush is. I called it Egg and Bacon plant but I am not sure. Can anyone help out with what this flower is please?

I love the colours of Spring. Even the leaves can have such great shades of colour. Plus there is a bonus insect!!!

The Double-barred Finches have been feasting on the grass seed. This one looks particularly portly at it sat high on the powerline.

They have lovely markings. I like their blue beak.

The Red-browed Finches were having fabulous snacks in the tall native grasses along the side of the road.

A late comer to the last of the Bottlebrush flowers, (see the previous blog), was the Brown Honeyeater.

The Friarbirds loved having a bath in the neighbours dam. They were diving in from a great height.

Away in the distance I could hear the “chwit-chwit-chwit-peter-peter-peter” call of a Jacky Winter. Perched high on the dead tree, it was quite happy wagging its tail back and forth chittering away.

Further down the road, a Little Friarbird was enjoying the last rays of the day.

Often when I am sitting in my study, I have eyes that peer in through the door or window. This day the Female Satin Bowerbird was looking in.

Quite often White-throated Treecreepers are spotted jumping up the trunks of trees. This is the first time I have been able to get a photo of one who took its time on its hunt for food.

On the walk up the road I was very excited to see a couple of Grey-headed Babblers forage for insects among the dead wood and leaf litter on the property next door. I have seen them in the forest on my place but I was lucky enough to see them in the cleared land next door. I love their fluffy pants.

The Rainbow Bee Eaters were having a splendid time zooming about the cleared paddock up the road. The many dead trees offered a great vantage point to watch for unsuspecting insects flying about.

Every now and then, a group would gather to tell about the day and to keep a look out for flying insects. Their heads were always swivelling about as they say and chatted in the trees.

So that’s the end of my start to Spring. I hope you have enjoyed my walk up the road.

Birds and butterflies and perhaps a snail

Published on April 18, 2016 by bushboy6 Comments

I really enjoy sitting down and writing. Something I haven’t done a lot of lately so this little bit of writing includes a lot of photos. I was intending to do a series of birdbath photos. Instead here is a selection of the two birdbaths, my besties birdbath and the small hanging pot that I found some of the birds at my place love to visit.

First off is the birdbath that has been a regular feature in a lot of my blogs. I still remember the first time I saw a Noisy Friarbird. They are so prehistoric looking. I tell visitors that they are Australia’s only vulture. Naughty aren’t I? Their songs are one of the most distinctive as they call in the bush. I love seeing them when two Noisy Friarbirds sing in unison, both doing the same movements as well.

The little Eastern Yellow Robin must have had a hot tail as he sat with his tail in the water for quite some time.

The White-browed Scrubwren was far more interested in what the other scrubwrens were doing underneath the birdbath.

“Oh for goodness sake, tidy yourself up!” The Spangled Drongos having a lovely time at the birdbath.

I wonder what the Little Wattlebird was giving the Drongo the stink eye about?

Here is the little hanging pot. One day the hole in the bottom was blocked with some leaves and dirt. It filled with water after the rain and I heard some birds having a good time, drinking and having a splash about. I sealed the bottom and now keep it filled with water. The small birds, especially the honeyeaters, are the ones who use it the most.

The White-throated Honeyeaters are regular users. They are here every afternoon to have a drink or a bit of a splash in the water.

One has a bath while the others keep a look out.

The Brown Honeyeater caught with his tongue out after taking a drink.

The Lewins Honeyeaters are in the garden most of the day. This one came for a drink in the middle of a rather warm March day.

Another tongue out shot. This time of a White-throated Honeyeater.

You can see why I need to keep the water up to the birdbath. The Lewins certainly enjoy a good splash.

The White-throated Honeyeaters are a bit more refined in their bathing habits.

I love seeing the little Thornbills in the garden. They always seem to have something to investigate.

The Whipbirds are always hiding behind something or rustling about in the garden under the bushes.

Enough of the birds. I also love Dragonflies. We were doing some bush regen down at the spring, when this Dragonfly took an interest in what we were doing. Yes, that is one of the lantana bushes he is sitting on that got pulled out.

After a bit more zooming around, I realised that he was doing something other than watching what we were doing. At least it reminded us to have a break and a snack.

Speaking of snacks. There was a loud buzzing and upon investigating, there was the fly caught in the web and a Daddy Long Legs getting ready to wrap the fly up for his dinner. Fly wrap anybody?

I don’t think it is fair to be called common but the butterfly world has many “common” butterflies. This Common Crow was very obliging to have its photo taken.

The Pentas are a great flowering shrub for butterflies.

Butterflies are so delicate as they stand on flowers to gather nectar.

Getting your proboscis right in there seems to be the way to go.

The Orchard Butterflies were in the garden a lot in march. These two were having a good time fluttering around the garden.

Quite often their dance became quite close and eventually there was a lot of blurred photos as they mated. As this isn’t one of “those” blogs I haven’t included the very blurry photos, mainly as they were very blurry

Aren’t they beautiful big butterflies?

Oh. That’s right. I did mention a snail didn’t I. One evening I went into the bathroom and saw something high up on the wall. The soft-shelled native snail was very shy and seemed to sense when I was close trying to get a photo and went into it’s shell. At least I know what was making holes in the leaves of the plant in the bathroom.

I am glad you have gotten to the end of one of the longest blogs I have done. Did you enjoy the journey? What was your favourite photo?

May marches on

Published on May 18, 2015May 18, 2015 by bushboy10 Comments

May has certainly flown by. There has been much to do as the season marches on. So far this month there has been a change in the weather, from warm to cool to some cold nights. The rain came with a huge deluge bringing about some minor flooding around the place. The Autumn seems to herald new birds and a change in the guard of who owns what tree or bush. Soon the cold weather in the mountains will send the Currawongs down to my place and also the Satin Bowerbirds will arrive to chatter among the branches, building bowers, decorating with all sorts of bits of blue and to dance for their females.

The change in the colour of the leaves always lets us know that the cooler weather is on its way.

I drove over to Newbold Crossing to see how much the Clarence River had risen. This is what around 130,000 megalitres looks like at 6 meters. The next day the river had risen to 10.4 meters!!

Some paddocks had water on them for days after but the ducks didn’t seem to mind.

In some parts of the valley it was standing room only. Every fence post was occupied.

One morning I saw a hornet buzzing around the garden and just land on the leaf and walk about for a bit. I wondered what it was doing.

Then it went around the leaf.

It was then I found out what it was doing…just getting a drink!

The dragonfly was rather shy.

I am going to have to rename my bird bath by the looks of it. Even butterflies like to get a drink every now and then.

There has been some flowers showing their colours this May as well. I found this flower growing on the side of the road.

Whereas this little flower, a murrdannia-graminea, was growing in the bush at my place

While on the road to Newbold Crossing to see how high the water had risen in the Clarence, I came across all these little birds, Black-fronted Plovers, running along the road and then flying off only to land on the road behind my car. They were so fast I couldn’t get a good photo. Plus it was late in the afternoon.

The branches had many birds coming to find their last snacks for the day or find a roost for the night. The Crested Pigeon just flew in and sat.

The magpies were having a great time swooping around chasing each other and then stopping to survey the scene before whizzing off again.

In the garden, the Yellow-faced Honeyeaters have taken ownership of the Honey Gem.

They do have to share at times with the Brown Honeyeaters.

The Bottlebrush around the back is also a favourite spot.

And make a show of fancy eating techniques.

The Eastern Spinebills have also set up home in the garden this Autumn.

They too don’t mind how they get a snack

The Golden Whistlers have introduced new sounds into the garden.

They also add a splash of colour to the garden.

But best of all was the sighting of a new bird into the garden. Another flash of yellow was the give-a-way as the Yellow-tufted Honeyeater dropped into the Honey Gem for a quick snack before going on its way again.

That’s a good start for May but there has been lots more going on. Hope you can stop by for the next “installment” of May.

January….some excitement so far…

Published on January 15, 2015January 15, 2015 by bushboy5 Comments

Yes. There has been some excitement around my place so far this month. Just sitting on the verandah having a cuppa one morning, the usual bird song od Spangled Drongos, Friarbirds, Fig Birds, Kookaburras and Ravens, just to name a few, changed. There were a few small birds whizzing around the bush near the house as well as a couple of birds who were a bit bigger. But more of the birds later.

The flowers in the garden have had a bit of a lift with some rain at the start of the month. Prior to that I was feeling like the bad parent, having not much water in the dam to do a full garden watering, so I was having to select which plants I think could survive the dry a bit better than others. My best bird attractor, the Honey Gem Grevillea, hasn’t the flowers it normally has but still has bought a few birds in to the garden.

Other plants have stepped up and have made sure the butterflies have somewhere to visit. The Speckled Line-blue enjoyed a rest on the Hibiscus

While the Lemon Migrant seemed to prefer the red flowers

The Cassia has been quite spectacular this year with its drooping bunches of flowers seemingly cascading from the branches attracting bees. The buzzing of the bees made it sound like the Cassia was covered with bees but there was only a handful of big fat bees.

In the bush and around the garden, a little native plant has appeared. I have seen a few before but the dry then the rain seemed to make them grow in many spots in the garden as well as in the bush. The little yellow flower is about 5 to 8mms.

The Duranta has bunches of flowers which are followed by small orange berries. The variegated leaves are a favourite of the Satin Bowerbirds. Some small birds like to drink from the small purple flowers as well.

The Mistletoe Bird was hopping around the Duranta looking for bits of nesting materials as well as examining the flowers.

When it got a bit too hot, we went down to the river for a soak. On the way back home we came across a Black Faced Cuckoo Shrike peeking out from behind a Bottlebrush

On the road a group of birds scattered as the car approached. The group of Rainbow Bee-eaters flew about the trees, occasionally resting long enough to get a few quick photos in the fading light.

You can see why the are Rainbow Bee-eaters!

Meanwhile, back at home, the Scarlet Honeyeater was hanging on as best she could to get a snack.

The Yellow-faced Honeyeaters have been here for a while now since I first saw one a couple of years ago. I love their yellow faces.

The Restless Flycatchers also have made a home here in Summer. They were one of the first birds that came here when I first started to live in the bush.

The Rufous Whistler is singing in the bush, but on this day also dropped in to the garden for a visit.

OK. Remember at the start I said I had some exciting things happening. One of the new birds I have seen this year has been the Fuscous Honeyeater. I always get excited when a new bird appears. Of course the found the Honey Gem.

The Brown Honeyeater discovered another Grevillea in another part of the garden. This is also a favourite of the Scarlet Honeyeaters as the bigger birds don’t drop in for some nectar here very often. This is the first time the Brown Honeyeater has been seen at my place as well.

Well I have to fly…

….but not before the most exciting news of all. One quite rare visitor to my place has been a Regent Honeyeater. When something like this happens a lot of people like to know so it is always good to let the folk at Birdlife Aust know when you come across something special.

Many thanks to Twitter mates @DOCTOR_Dave and @caroproberts for their help in identifying the birds and butterflies I had trouble identifying as well as everyone else who also helped.

I hope I get some more new birds at my place in 2015 to add to the 88 I have already discovered.

See ya

March 2019
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