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.
The Eastern Spinebill found the poor Hydrangea flower that have suffered from the heat
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.
The Grey Shrike Thrush have always hung about the garden
Black-faced Cuckoo Shrikes don’t come around the house all that often but can been seen in the bush
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.
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. 
The Little Friarbirds are a constant in the garden
There doesn’t seem as many Pied Currawongs but they may have moved across the road which hasn’t been totally burnt.
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.
This Noisy Friarbird found a Cicada. The usual background drone of Cicadas is missing so far this December.
An Australian Raven looking about the blackened bush. Luckily their nest tree is near the house so that tree wasn’t affected by fire
Noisy Miners seem to hang out across the road rather than here. This one was found in the bush when I went for a walk
There has been a family of Olive-backed Oriels around since late Spring
Spangled Drongos are regular visitors and quite a few of them have been here for a while now.
Rainbow Lorikeets come and go. This large flock needed a water refuel before they headed off again.
King Parrots are always around the garden, more so now I have been putting a bit of food out.
The Square-tailed Kite is seen regularly in the sky above my place. I know it is around as the birds go quiet.
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.
Always around the garden White-throated Honeyeaters love drinking and bathing in the little hanging pot bird bath.
The latest additions have been Leaden Flycatchers. The little female is very quick as she moves through the garden.
The Leaden Flycatcher male seen here contemplating the small puddle of water left in the old swimming pool.
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
This Magpie Lark (or Pee Wee) was tapping on the window. I opened the curtain just a bit and saw this
The ever present Blue-faced Honeyeater
Crimson Rosellas don’t often come around the garden. This male came with his partner yesterday.
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.
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.
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.
The beautiful Scarlet Honeyeater came to let me know they were OK.
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.
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.
The male Red-backed Fairy Wren is a sight to see in the garden as he hops about looking for food.
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.
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.
I hope you have enjoyed this bird edition of This is December 2019.
