Bird Word: Dip
1 Comment »21st December, 2006; Category: Bird Word
- Dip: to miss out on seeing a bird common in the area, or to miss seeing a species one particularly wanted to see, especially frustrating if everyone else has seen it and it is rather rare. It can be compared to scoring a duck (0 runs) in cricket when the team has scored over 600 runs.
In many parts of Australia it is extremely hard to dip on the Noisy Miner, shown in the photo below; it seems to be everywhere!
Noisy Miner
How to be a lazy birder part 2
This is the second article in this series for The Lazy Birder.
- Warning: do not exert yourself during this activity.
- Grab your binoculars (optional).
- Gently stroll outside to your front porch or back verandah.
- Find a chair to sit in.
- Have someone make you a cuppa or some other liquid refreshment.
- Watch the birds that you can see from your chair.
- Use your binoculars only if you are feeling particularly energetic.
- Happy birding.
Bird Word: Diagnostic
Yellow Rumped Thornbill
Diagnostic: a feature of a bird that helps to distinguish it from other species being observed. It can refer to plumage colour, size, shape, behaviour or call. For example, the call of a Laughing Kookaburra is diagnostic; no other species of kingfisher sounds like it except perhaps the similar Blue-Winged Kookaburra. The colour of a Blackbird distinguishes it from a Grey Shrike Thrush. The size of a pelican sets it apart from a tern or gull. The beak of a thornbill is slender compared with a finch.
Zebra Finch
How to be a lazy birder part 1
Birding can be exhausting, so today I start a series for The Lazy Birder.
- Be careful not to exert yourself doing this activity.
- Gently pick up your binoculars and hang them by the strap around your neck so you don’t strain your arms too much.
- Gently stroll outside into the garden.
- Find a comfortable place to sit.
- Watch the birds as they come to you.
- If you are really energetic, you may write down a list of the birds you see (optional).
- Go to sleep if you get drowsy – the birds will still be there when you wake.
- Happy birding.
Great Birding Moments # 27 Wood Duck family
Vehicle Ferry crossing the River Murray
A beautiful spot near our home in Murray Bridge is the nearby town of Mannum. This pleasant community is also built on the banks of the River Murray. It is about a half hour drive from home. Mannum has several lovely picnic spots on the bank of the river. We had our picnic overlooking the river and all the bird life in a sanctuary near the caravan park.
Australian Wood Ducks with ducklings
Mannum has two vehicular ferries crossing the river at one end of the main street. These ferries are always on the go during the day. They offer a 24 hour river crossing service. While we were waiting to cross over to the other side we were delighted to see two families of Wood Ducks on the grass bank in a nearby park.
Australian Wood Ducks with ducklings