Early morning walk
No Comments »22nd February, 2009; Category: Murray Bridge, Parrots and Lorikeets, Pigeons and Doves, Ravens and Crows
I’m just back from an early morning walk. It was about 15C, crisp fresh, no breeze and cloudless. A perfect morning for a walk.
As I was going along I was aware of several dozen Little Ravens calling nearby. I’ve been aware of many ravens calling near our home over the last week or so. It’s something they tend to do several times a year. They will gather in large numbers, often 30 – 50 or more and commence calling raucously for ten or twenty minutes or more. After a protracted chorus of their calls, especially near the house, one can feel a little annoyed; it can be a penetrating call up close.
Little Raven
I also observed about a dozen Crested Pigeons sitting on the power lines or feeding on the ground. Several of them were giving their elaborate bowing, bobbing and tail fanning display to prospective mates. This species seems to be always breeding around here. Probably why there’s a growing number of them.
We occasionally have lorikeets land to feed in the trees in our garden but more often they just fly over, very rapidly and very noisily. This morning a flock of 10 Purple-crowned Lorikeets went screaming overhead as I walked along, did a 360 turn wheeling around to check me out (or maybe the mallee tree on the side of the road) before streaking off to find another tree in blossom. It’s like having a miniature squadron of fighter jets fly over at close range. The photo below shows a related species, the equally noisy Musk Lorikeet which we also get here from time to time.
Musk Lorikeet
Crimson Rosella, Botanic Gardens, Canberra
6 Comments »20th February, 2009; Category: Parrots and Lorikeets
Crimson Rosella, Australian National Botanic Gardens, Canberra
The Australian National Botanic Gardens in Canberra are a good spot to see some of our beautiful parrots and lorikeets. Two days ago I wrote about the Gang-gang Cockatoo. During our visit back in January this year I also saw Galahs, Sulphur-crested Cockatoos, Rainbow Lorikeets and Eastern Rosellas.
The only other species I was able to get close enough to photograph was a juvenile Crimson Rosella. It let me get quite close but kept in deep shade for most of the time. I had to use the flash to get a reasonable shot (see above). Other photos, like the one below I had to change a little on the computer. (Oh – the joys of birds photography!)
Juvenile Crimson Rosella, Botanic Gardens, Canberra
Gang-gang Cockatoos
Male Gang-gang Cockatoo, Botanic Gardens, Canberra
During our visit to the Australian National Botanic Gardens in Canberra in January I was keen to get some photos of the local birds as well as add to my collection of flower and plant photos.
On my last visit some fifteen months previously I had seen and photographed a male Gang-gang Cockatoo. This is one delightful species that I’ve only seen on a handful of occasions previously. On this new visit I was on the lookout for them. I had heard several calling as I left the car park.
I was wandering through the northern part of the gardens looking out for birds and flowers to photograph. I was suddenly aware of a carpet of Acacia seed pods and leaves on the path at my feet. Looking up, I saw a female Gang-gang Cockatoo busily eating seeds no more than two metres above my head. She wouldn’t move in order to pose for me in the open; she must have been hungry.
Further reading: Gang-gang Cockatoo
Female Gang-gang Cockatoo, Botanic Gardens, Canberra
Galah
Galah
We have a great variety of birds in our garden and on our five acre property. Some of these birds are resident breeding species, others are regular visitors while some are only occasional visitors.
Galahs are regular visitors, either flying over in flocks ranging from less than a dozen through as large as three or four hundred at a time. Sometimes one of these large flocks will land in the large tree near our driveway; their screeching can be a little noisy at times.
A few days ago the individual shown in the photo above decided to investigate our bird bath. He was very hestitant about the whole affair, and flew off wthout drinking. I’m pleased he decided to stay long enough to get a nice photo.
Is that a Cockatoo you are eating?
The Sulphur-crested Cockatoo is one of the wonderful world of parrots here in Australia. Our country has been called the Land of Parrots. They seem to be everywhere, in wonderful colours and often in huge numbers. For example, we often have flocks of 400 or more Galahs fly over our house. Bit on the noisy side, mind you, but a truly spectacular sight.
The photo at the top of this blog is of a Sulphur-crested Cockatoo taken in the streets of Adelaide some time ago. Today’s state newspaper features a photo of a Sulphur-crested Cockatoo in a different pose – being eaten by a python.
To see the photo and read the article click here: Python makes a meal out of a cockatoo.