Birding is a great hobby
Rainbow Lorikeet
Birding is a very cheap and relaxing hobby. You can pursue it almost anywhere . I once made a list of birds seen in church – through a nearby window – go figure. I’ve also made a list of birds heard while still in bed (while camping). I’ve even made lists of birds heard while sitting on the toilet.
You could say I’m a little obsessed.
As for being a cheap hobby, you don’t need any special equipment. Sure – you can buy expensive field guides and handbooks. The Handbook of Aussie birds (7 volumes) will set one back over $3000. Binoculars can cost from $125 to many thousands of dollars. Camera gear and travel can add considerably to costs – I spent over $6000 a few years ago to see and handful of species new to me on the slopes of Mt Everest (read about that on my travel blog).
But birding can be as cheap as looking out of the window to see a beautiful finch or wren hopping around the garden.
The hobby is whatever you want to make it.
If birding appeals to you can I suggest reading my series called How to be a Birder?
Afternoon tea at Bordertown, South Australia
No Comments »3rd April, 2009; Category: General
Afternoon tea at Bordertown, South Australia
Arriving in Bordertown meant that we were on the home straight after our three week holiday in Sydney, Canberra and Melbourne and many points in between. We stopped in a tree lined park just off the main highway through town. There is a small lake in the park, as well as some very unusual public toilets. They are the green buildings in the background in the photo above. These building were originally built as jail cells during the Victorian gold rush era in the 1850s and still have the original bars, locks and heavy doors.
As we had a cuppa the air was constantly filled with the screeching of Rainbow and Purple-crowned Lorikeets in flocks of up to 20 or 30. Much quieter were the Red-rumped Parrots in the trees and coming down to drink from the lake. The many Noisy Miners added to the general cacophony and the White-plumed Honeyeaters in the nearby trees could hardly be heard. None of this disturbed the family of Pacific Black Ducks sleeping in the grass on the bank of the lake.
Pacific Black Ducklings, Bordertown, South Australia
After our cuppa we headed off on the last leg of our 3500km journey through the eastern states. We had covered a lot of territory and I’d seen some wonderful birds.
Australian Magpie Lark, Bordertown, South Australia
Alexandra Gardens, Ararat, Victoria
2 Comments »1st April, 2009; Category: General
Lake in the Alexandra Gardens, Ararat, western Victoria
On the last day of our holidays in January we travelled from Gisborne just north of Melbourne to home in Murray Bridge. It was a long day of driving and I had few opportunities for birding along the way. we left our friends’ place a little later than I had hoped so we didn’t stop for morning tea. We pushed through to Ararat for lunch.
In Ararat we found a reasonable spot in the Alexandra Gardens. Here I was able to do a few minutes of birding during and after our picnic lunch. On the lake were the usual types of birds one expects in lakes in parks and gardens: Eurasian Coots, Dusky Moorhens, Pacific Black Ducks and Silver Gulls.
Long-billed Corellas, Ararat, western Victoria
Pacific Black Ducks and Dusky Moorhens, Ararat, Victoria
While we were eating a flock of about 40 Long-billed Corellas came noisily wheeling overhead and settled in the tree above us. In the distance I saw a smaller flock of Yellow-tailed Black Cockatoos winging their way slowly across town. A Laughing Kookaburra called somewhere near and Masked Lapwings could be heard calling on the adjacent sports grounds.
In the shrubbery near us several Common Blackbirds gave their warning call as I came down the path, New Holland Honeyeaters were busy feeding in the well maintained Australian native plant section of the gardens and several Striated Pardalotes called from the canopy of the trees overhead.
Alexandra Gardens, Ararat, western Victoria
Alexandra Gardens, Ararat, western Victoria
No picnic at Hanging Rock
6 Comments »30th March, 2009; Category: General
Hanging Rock area, Victoria
After visiting Mt. Macedon, John took us to the picnic area called Hanging Rock. This volcanic outcrop was made famous in the movie Picnic at Hanging Rock (1975) directed by Peter Weir and based on the novel by Joan Lindsay. The film tells of the mysterious disappearance of a teacher and three girls while on a picnic at Hanging Rock. The story is told in such a way that you think it is based on fact, but the author never indicated whether any part of it was based on true events.
We decided to take the stroll to the top, but found that near the top it is more strenuous than merely strolling. I forgot to take any provisions with me (which was silly of me, I know) and my sugar levels dropped dramatically and so I didn’t quite make it to the top. That’s the trouble with diabetes (sigh). A lovely ice cream from the cafe at the base helped to correct the problem.
Striated Thornbill, Hanging Rock, Victoria
Because I had never been to this spot before I was more interested in taking photos of the rock formation – which were spectacular – rather than take photos of birds. I did manage to get the poor photo above of a Striated Thornbill. I also saw some Brown Thornbills.
There were a few trees flowering so the honeyeaters were out in force, including Red Wattlebirds, Yellow-faced Honeyeaters, and White-eared Honeyeaters. This was the only time I recorded the White-eared HE on the trip.
There was another Flame Robin to enjoy, as well as a Grey Shrike-thrush and many Superb Fairy-wrens. I also heard a treecreeper but didn’t get to see it.
And no – we didn’t find Miranda.
Hanging Rock, Victoria
Swamp Wallaby, Hanging Rock, Victoria
Birding around Gisborne, Victoria
No Comments »23rd March, 2009; Category: General
Crimson Rosella, Australian National Botanic Gardens, Canberra
On our holiday earlier this year we stayed for several days with friends in Gisborne, north of Melbourne. I didn’t deliberately go our birding while there but we did go for several drives in the district and I’ll write about those in coming days.
Instead, I took note of those species I saw or heard around the garden and on a walk we did one evening. I was quite surprised by the numbers of Common Mynas now present in Gisborne. I can’t recall ever seeing so many on previous visits. On one occasion there must have been at least 30 sitting on a neighbour’s roof and fence. That is too many!
The town still has large numbers of Sulphur-crested Cockatoos and Long Billed Corellas. Several times I heard a small flock of Yellow-tailed Black Cockatoos flying over. Crimson Rosellas (photo) are also quite common in the area, but I can’t recall seeing or hearing any lorikeets or Galahs on this visit. They must have been around, but I didn’t record any this time.
The common garden birds, apart from the mynas, included House Sparrows, Common Blackbirds, Australian Magpies, Red Wattlebirds and New Holland Honeyeaters. Interestingly, the Mynas seem to have replaced the Common Starling.
I also saw a small flock of thornbills moving through the garden. None would give me a good enough look to positively ID them. They might have been Little Thornbills, but I can’t be sure.