I and the Bird #70
The latest edition of I and the Bird #70 has been posted over at the Earth, Wind and Water blog site. It contains plenty of good reading and lots of links to other birding blogs around the world.
I didn’t have time to submit a contribution this time. Next time. If I’m not so busy with my studies.
Crested Pigeons by the dozens
No Comments »4th March, 2008; Category: Pigeons and Doves
Last week when I was at college I had a short break between lectures. I took this opportunity to have a short ten minute walk through the grounds. Next to the student car park there is an oval and a grassed area where many local people walk their dogs.
Crested Pigeons
Using the term “grassed area” is being somewhat generous. With the water restrictions over the last year and the very hot, dry conditions during our recent summer months the grass is lacking any greenness and is almost dead. There must be enough seed left for the local population of Crested Pigeons to find a feed. I observed approximately 90 Crested Pigeons feeding in an area about the size of three tennis courts. They have obviously been prolific breeders in recent times. This area has many trees and low bushy shrubs in the parks and gardens nearby, so there would be plenty of nesting sites.
The above photo was not taken at the time. It was taken in Clare in another part of South Australia at a time when there had been some rain to green up the grass.
Apostlebirds
No Comments »2nd March, 2008; Category: Bird Behaviour
Last weekend we visited my sister-in-law in Peterborough in the mid-north of South Australia. She works as the cook in the local hospital. Whenever we meet she delights in telling me about the latest antics of the Apostlebirds that reside in the town.
It seems that the local small flock of about 15 to 20 Apostlebirds has discovered that the local hospital is the place to get a free feed. For some years now they regularly descend upon the hospital grounds mid afternoon, around afternoon tea time, and wait for some handouts from the elderly residents of the aged care facility attached to the hospital. At least one (and I suspect more than one) of the elderly patients puts out biscuit, cake and bread crumbs, not to mention the occasional piece of fruit for this gang of freeloaders. At one stage they actually had a problem with the birds following the residents into their rooms which open directly on to the garden and lawn area.
Apostlebird
Apostlebirds can be very tame around humans. On many occasions when camping at or visiting Hattah Lakes in north west Victoria we have been almost harassed by this species insisting on having a share of our food. They can be quite persistent and will hop on to the picnic table to have their share of the food.
The population at Peterborough is one of only a handful in South Australia. In northern Victoria and especially in New South Wales they seem to be everywhere in good numbers, but not so here in South Australia. I know of only one other population, and that is on my brother’s farm at Taplan, south east of Loxton and near the Victorian border.
Apostlebird