Superb Fairy-wren, Botanic Gardens, Canberra
Male Superb Fairy-wren, Botanic Gardens, Canberra
Any visitor to the Australian National Botanic Gardens in Canberra should aware of the many Superb Fairy-wrens present in the gardens. They seem to be everywhere.
But just because they are everywhere does not necessarily mean that they are easy to photograph! The male in the photo above gave a few minutes of excitement but wouldn’t sit still long enough and in sunlight to get a good shot of him. Never mind. I managed a better shot later in the week (I’ll post that in a few days time.)
Superb Fairy-wrens are one of our most spectacularly beautiful birds. They also happen to be one of our most recognisable species too, as they seem to love gathering where people get together – in parks, zoos, gardens, picnic areas and so on. And they have become relatively tame in many places, affording the keen photographer many opportunities for that great shot.
It’s just that this little fellow decided to tease me. Oh well – there’s always next time.
Flowers, Australian National Botanic Gardens, Canberra
Helping koalas burnt in the bushfires
No Comments »12th February, 2009; Category: Animals
Many of my readers would be aware of the human tragedy surrounding the current bush fires in Victoria. In times like these it is easy to forget that the birds and animals suffer terribly too.
I’ve just received an email from National Parks and Wildlife asking people to donate money to help with the recovery programme of koalas burnt in the current bush fires.
If you are able to help out click here to donate money.
Here is a part of the relevant article on their website.
Impact of bushfires on koalas
When nature itself strikes koalas with bushfires, the survival of entire populations becomes a matter of minutes and hours. Bushfires kill some koalas directly because they are such exposed animals. On fire perimeters they can be injured, often by being burnt on their paws and noses as they try to climb smouldering trees.
The impact of a bushfire on a koala population depends on how much unburnt habitat with surviving koalas remains with recolonisation as the key to survival.
Fires restrict the movements of koalas in the burnt bush, and populations only remain genetically healthy if there is a small but constant exchange between populations. Results from earlier studies suggest that due to habitat fragmentation bushfires may well lead to the local extinction of many koala populations.
Eastern Water Dragons, Botanic Gardens, Canberra
No Comments »11th February, 2009; Category: Animals
Eastern Water Dragon, Botanic Gardens, Canberra
Visitors to the Australian National Botanic Gardens in Canberra cannot miss seeing a very common lizard that lives in the gardens, especially around the water features.
Numerous Eastern Water Dragons can be seen sunning themselves on rocks or on the paths.
Taking photos of them can be an interesting diversion from the excellent birding in the gardens. I guess even the plant enthusiasts can be intrigued in these interesting reptiles, especially if they nearly step on one.
Eastern Water Dragon, Botanic Gardens, Canberra
Eastern Water Dragon, Botanic Gardens, Canberra
Australian Magpie, Botanic Gardens, Canberra
Australian Magpie, Botanic Gardens, Canberra
A few days ago I wrote about the small group of White-winged Choughs I watched in the Australian National Botanic Gardens in Canberra. While I was watching them digging around for food and them being most obliging to pose for my camera, the magpie in the photo above came swooping down from a nearby tree and clacked his beak. Not at me – but at the choughs. Seems that they have a little rivalry going on there. Perhaps the magpie was protecting his little patch of the gardens and didn’t want any other birds taking his food supply.
I’ve noticed a similar thing at home here in Murray Bridge, South Australia. Some of the magpies, especially the males, can be very aggressive towards other species. The will fly straight at them, almost hitting them with their wings and giving loud clacking beak noises.
Another thing IÂ noticed about the magpie shown in the photo is that it looks very much like the White-backed race of Australian Magpie. Most of New South Wales has the Black-backed race except the south coast from Bateman’s Bay on towards Victoria. The distribution of the White-backed Magpies might be even broader than this as my observations in this area are quite limited.
I’d be interested in readers’ comments.
Flowers in the Australian National Botanic Gardens, Canberra
Tragedy in Victoria
9 Comments »8th February, 2009; Category: General
My condolences to all those families who have lost family members in the tragic wildfires that have devastated the Australian state of Victoria over the last 48 hours.
For the benefit of my overseas readers, the major fires have been about an hour’s drive north, north east and south east of Melbourne, Victoria. Some are still raging out of control after record high temperatures and wild winds swept the firestorm through many rural communities.
As I sat down to write this the number of deaths has risen over the last half hour from 65 to 74 and now stands at 76. Many more are still missing, and as destroyed homes and burnt out vehicles are searched, the death toll is sure to rise, some predict over 100. It is already the most deaths due to fires in Australia’s history.
At least four towns have been severely devastated with most homes destroyed. One town has only one building unburnt. Over 700 homes have been lost.
I have no idea what effect these fires have had on the birdlife of the areas burnt, or of the wildlife in general. I can only imagine the worst. I know of at least one wildlife rescue centre that has been destroyed, together with the loss of all animals in care.
Healesville Wildlife Sanctuary to the north east of Melbourne has evacuated all of the endangered species, including the rare Orange-bellied Parrots, to Melbourne Zoo.
Update: Later in the evening the death toll stood at 84 and the number of homes lost at 750.
Update late Monday: The death toll now stands at 135 and is expected to rise further. It is now easily Australia’s worst natural disaster.
Update Thursday 19th Feb: The death toll has now reached 200 plus one fire fighter who lost his life during the cleanup. About 1830 homes were lost and 7000 people are now homeless.