New species for our bird bath
Black-Faced Cuckoo-Shrike
We have several bird baths in our garden. These are placed where we can see the bird baths from the house, usually in rooms where we spend quite a deal of time. We delight in watching the birds come to drink, especially on those hot summer days like we’ve been having this year. We also enjoy watching the birds bathing and squabbling over the water.
Over the last few years I have kept an unofficial list of the species that have visited to bird baths, either to bathe or to drink. A few days ago we noticed that a single Black-faced Cuckoo-shrike came to drink. This is the first time we have noticed this species drinking there. This species is more often seen flying overhead on its way somewhere else. We are pleased that this one decided to stop long enough for a drink. Even better – it stopped long enough to pose for my camera.
Further reading
- Bird baths – more articles on this subject from my archives.
- Time for a bath – a complete list of species – both birds and other creatures – that have visited our bird baths.
Birding in South Africa
Africa is one place I would love to go birding one day. Seeing all the animals would be wonderful also. Perhaps. Perhaps one day I will get there. I guess a large number of my readers would also love to go there for a visit to go birding. If you have already been there, share some of the highlights with my readers by leaving a comment or two.
Meanwhile, most of us will have to be content with seeing videos and reading books about the wonderful and exotic fauna of Africa – or we can regularly access Casper’s website called Birding in South Africa.
I’m jealous. Casper lives a short distance from the Kruger National Park!
Oh – and he offers free accommodation to all birders.
Now – where did I put my passport?
The benefits of the Birding-Aus newsgroup
It has been quite a while since I last promoted the newsgroup Birding-Aus. Currently there are about 790 members and this is growing steadily.
Birding-Aus is an information centre for everyone with an interest in Australia’s wild birds, their conservation and behaviour.
Mailing list
One of the great strengths of Birding-Aus is its mailing list. Once you have joined the list you will receive a number of emails each day specifically about Australian birds. In many cases this includes news about where to find good birding spots, where to see certain birds, news about rare or unusual sightings and discussion on various issues, including the conservation of birds and bird habitats. Once registered, you can contribute your own comments, sightings and ideas.
Archives
Another strength of Birding-Aus is the archives facility. Anyone can access the wealth of information contained in the archives. Most messages contributed to the mailing list have been archived for all to use. With several dozen messages daily and these dating back to early 1995, this is an amazing resource to Australian birders. My on contributions date back to early 1998.
Requests for information
A third great strength of this group is the ability to submit RFIs (Request for Information). This can be done for almost any topic relating to Australian birds and there will sure to be a response or two or several dozen, depending on the topic. Using this facility I have had people phone me for help or offering help, people sending me maps and other information, invitations to visit people, invitations to go out birding with other birders and heaps of useful information.
Link:
- Birding-Aus – join the mailing list or search the archives here.
Noisy Miner
Koalas do not fly like birds
Koalas are generally quite docile animals.
It is not unusual to see them sitting or dozing up in a eucalypt tree. They prefer not to be on the ground as they probably feel most vulnerable there. When on the ground they are often quite slow moving.
Imagine my surprise then, to see a koala RUNNING across the freeway last week on my way to Adelaide. In fact, it was surprising that the poor creature was not killed. A six-lane freeway with a concrete barrier in the middle is not the place for a Koala. The transport authorities have placed many weld-mesh “ladders” over this barrier at regular intervals every few metres to assist the Koalas crossing the road. It is pleasing to see that not many koalas actually do get hit. Considering all of this then, it is a pity that Koalas cannot fly like birds; the freeway would not be such a barrier to them then.
I’ve only witnessed two interactions between birds and Koalas over the years. The first was on the Mornington Peninsula south east of Melbourne. A Koala was asleep in a tree. A honeyeater (I forget the species) was busily collecting the Koala’s fur and taking it to line its nest. As it picked each beak full, it looked like the honeyeater had whiskers!
Koala and Magpie
The other incident is shown in the photo above. This sleepy Koala was being harassed by the Magpie for having the temerity to be in its territory. The photo was taken in the Wittunga Botanic Gardens in the Adelaide Hills.
Further reading:
- Great Birding Moments: Koala
- Wittunga Botanic Gardens part 1
- Wittunga Botanic Gardens part 2
- Wittunga Botanic gardens part 3
- Wittunga Botanic Gardens part 4
Caring for injured or orphaned birds
New Holland Honeyeater
I frequently get asked questions about caring for injured or orphaned birds. Some people leave their questions on an appropriate page of this site, while others ask their questions privately using my contact from here.
I am no expert
I often explain to people with this questions that I am certainly no expert in this field. I have no experience and very little knowledge in looking after injured or orphaned native birds or animals. I usually try to direct them to relevant help from elsewhere.
Legislation
Every state of Australia has its rules and regulations as to what members of the public can and cannot do where helping injured wildlife is concerned. As a general principle, never try to look after an injured animal or bird unless you are skilled to do so and have the necessary permission from the relevant authorities in your state.
Steps to take:
- The welfare of the animal or bird is most important: make sure that the bird is safe from further harm. Keep little children, cats and dogs away, handle it as little as possible and keep it in a strong, ventilated cardboard box.
- Contact or visit your local vet for advice. Some of my readers have been very disappointed with this course of action, stating that some vets are very dismissive and only recommend that the animal be destroyed. I find this response rather perplexing; I thought vets cared for animals.
- Use the Yellow Pages phone directory to find your nearest animal welfare and rescue organization. There are hundreds of skilled and trained carers across Australia and there is every likelihood there is one near you.
- Contact or visit your local pet shop: help coming from these people will also vary greatly. Some may be very willing to help, others only will help if there is a potential sale of goods involved.
- Visit your local library and ask for books on pet and animal care.
- Search on the internet: this is how I get so many requests for help. In some cases, people have said that this site was the ONLY place they found any information and help. That is not correct, but many people do not know how to effectively search the internet. Because of this I have prepared a list of useful Australian sites.
Useful web sites:
- Fauna Rescue of South Australia – while this is based here in SA, the information is useful throughout Australia, especially in regards to preparing food for injured animals.
- Caring for wildlife – a fact sheet produced by the Tasmanian Parks and Wildlife.
- Feeding advice for magpies – a fact sheet produced by the Bird Care and Conservation Society.
- Animal Welfare League
- Australian Seabird Rescue
- Bird Care and Conservation Society – many fact sheets are available on this site.
- Wildcare Australia
- WIRES – Australian Wildlife Information Rescue and Education Service – includes contact details throughout NSW.
- Rehabilitating birds – and extensive article written by one of the experts at Healesville Sanctuary in Victoria.
Overseas groups:
Always remember that the bird’s welfare is the most important thing to consider.
Updated November 2013.