Common Blackbirds
288 Comments »13th April, 2006; Category: Birds, Blackbirds, Camera, Garden birds, Murray Bridge, Nests, Photos
Common Blackbird (male)
Common Blackbirds are an introduced species in Australia. Their range here is south of a line from Sydney in NSW to Port Lincoln in South Australia and they are found throughout South Eastern Australia, including large parts of Victoria and Tasmania. They are particularly found in parks and gardens where they enjoy scratching around in the leaf litter and mulch for their food. Many gardeners despise the Common Blackbird for their untidy habit of flicking bark, leaves, mulch and sticks on to their nice, neat garden paths.
Beautiful Songbird
The Blackbird may be an introduced species, it may have untidy eating habits but this is more than made up for by its beautiful song. There are few birds in Australia that can match the song of a Blackbird singing in the late winter or spring evenings. It fills the air with a rich melodic harmony.
Breeding
We didn’t have any resident Blackbirds in our garden here on the outskirts of Murray Bridge South Australia until a few years ago. The occasional visitor, yes, but not resident. Now they have moved in and have started breeding. Several times they have used an unusual nesting spot. They fly into a shed in my wife’s nursery through a small gap above the door. They then proceed to make a bowl shaped nest in one of the many empty plant pots we store in the shed. How lovely and cosy – out of the cold, the wind and the rain.
Common Blackbird (female)
Photos
Despite them now being resident I find that “our” blackbirds are quite timid and are rather camera shy. It was with great delight that today I have been able to take some close up shots of both the male and the female (she is a dull brown colour) fossicking for beetles and worms just outside our sunroom window. This makes a perfect bird hide for photography.
UPDATE:
- This article has created quite a deal of interest. Read the comments section below for the experiences of other people with Blackbirds.
- Related articles: Do Blackbirds Swoop? An article about aggressive bird behaviour with many interesting comments and observations from readers of this blog.
- For more articles about Blackbirds nesting read
- “Anyone for a Swim? Forget it Baby Blackbird”
- “Hear the Blackbird singing in the morning”
Update #2: A further update on this post was made in July 2015.
Mallee Ringneck Parrots
Over recent days I’ve been aware of several Mallee Ringneck parrots getting around in our garden. The Mallee Ringneck is one of the sub-species of the Australian Ringneck. I’ve heard them calling quite a deal over recent times and have seen them on a few occasions as the glide their way through the mallee trees in our garden.
Mallee Ringneck Parrot
Breeding
On several occasions we have observed a pair being pursued by two or three juveniles, so they must have bred somewhere nearby. Earlier this week I saw two of them investigate a hollow in one of the old mallee trees near our garage. I have seen them inspecting this potential nesting hollow on other occasions with no result, so I won’t be holding my breath this time either.
Birdbath
Today two Mallee Ringnecks came down to the birdbath while we were having lunch. Even though they have visited the birdbath before – assuming it is the same individuals – they were still very cautious. They both carefully sidled along a nearby branch before settling on the rim of the water container and having a drink. No bathing today and they only stayed long enough for a drink. This meant I was only able to take several photos before they flew off.
UPDATE:
The correct name for our ringnecks is the Australian Ringneck, but there are several distinct sub-species. The one in Western Australia is variously called the Port Lincoln Parrot, Western Ringneck or the Twenty-Eight Parrot (its call sounds like it is saying 28, 28). It has a much darker head than the eastern variations. The main sub-species in S.A., Victoria and N.S.W. is the Mallee Ringneck and there is another variation in Queensland known locally as the Cloncurry Ringneck.
These days they are regarded as one species; the fact that they are able to interbreed naturally with fertile offspring is the determining factor.
It is great to have such a beautiful bird in the garden.
For another article about this species click on this link
http://www.trevorsbirding.com/so-thats-whos-been-eating-my-flowers/
This article updated on 7th October 2015.
Brown Headed Honeyeaters
While we were having lunch today a flock of about 7 Brown Headed Honeyeaters came to our bird bath for a drink. They stayed long enough for a drink but didn’t attempt to bathe. I was quick enough to get the camera out and get a few photos. This is the first time I have been successful photographing this species.
Brown-headed Honeyeater
Birds in Backyards
This evening I discovered a really useful and interesting website called Birds in Backyards. I had heard about this program before but I can’t recall visiting their website before.
Bird ID
One useful aspect of the site is the bird identification help called a “Bird Finder”. It prompts you to answer several simple questions about the bird you saw and then shows you the bird and gives heaps of information about the bird, its distribution, habitat and even includes an MP3 file which plays the call of the bird. It’s really neat.
Bird Records
The web site enables you to submit your bird records from your own backyard. The form is easy to fill out and takes only several minutes for each survey. Surveys can be daily (over a 20 minute period), weekly or yearly. Drop down menus make selection easy. It’s a really user friendly site. One has to become a member first, but joining takes only a minute or two and is free.
Aims of the Program
The following is quoted from the site itself:
Birds in Backyards is a research, education and conservation program focusing on birds and the urban environment. The program was developed in response to the reduction of bird species living in built up areas, the rapid expansion of these areas and the consequent loss of habitat. Initially a Birds Australia program, Birds in Backyards became a program of both Birds Australia and the Australian Museum in February 2005, when a partnership was formed.
To visit the web site click here.
Purple Crowned Lorikeets
4 Comments »2nd April, 2006; Category: Birds, Flowers, General, Murray Bridge, Parrots and Lorikeets, Photos
One species I forgot to mention yesterday was the Purple Crowned Lorikeet. Like many Australian parrots and lorikeets, the Purple Crowned is a gregarious, noisy, restless bird found in many parks and gardens in southern Australia. It ranges south of a line from Geraldton Western Australia through to eastern Victoria (but not Tasmania).
Garden Visitor
I can’t say that they are a resident species in our garden – they don’t seem to stay long enough! When the mallee is in flower they come on rushed sorties into the trees in near the house, feed for a while before screeching off to the next feeding ground. Their underwing patch of red distinguishes them from the slightly larger Musk Lorikeet (which is an uncommon species here in Murray Bridge).
Difficult to photograph
These bright green parrots with a prominent red forehead and purple coloured crown are very difficult to photograph – or so I have found. Many times they just go darting overhead as they pass from one clump of trees to another. When they do decide to stop in our garden they are so cryptic in the leaves and flowers of the eucalyptus tree where they are feeding that it becomes hard to see where the leaf ends and the bird begins. I almost dispair of ever getting a clear photo of this species.
Challenge
One of the field guides* I use regularly describes their flight as “bullet-like”. As they go rocketing across the sky past our garden, their “zitt-zitt-zitt” calls seem to challenge me. “Catch us if you can,” they seem taunt as they fly by.
*Pizzey, G and Knight, F “The Field Guide to the Birds of Australia” (Angus and Robertson 1997)