Golden Whistler
Earlier this week we were just finishing our lunch when my wife saw a male Golden Whistler skulking in the bushes near our sun-room. I raced for the camera and stealthily went outside to track it down.
It was still there, feeding in the bushes. I managed to get quite a nice collection of photos. Below is the best of them. (Click on the image to enlarge the photo.)
Golden Whistler (male)
I have found that the Golden Whistlers we have visiting our garden are generally rather quiet, feeding happily with little fuss in the various native bushes and trees in our garden. They rarely give their strong, beautiful call, but when they do, it has a rich quality that makes one stop and listen.
I am so pleased with this photo I think I might print it on good photo paper and mount it in a photo frame visitors to admire – and for my own pleasure every time I look at it.
hi Trevor,
yes, that’s a top photo for sure!
And how absolutely delightful to have this colourful cheery bird visit your garden. you’re obviously providing him with some protected perches and feeding spots. Do you get the Rufous Wistlers?
Gaye
Hi there Gaye,
Yes – we occasionally get the Rufous Whistlers in our garden too, but the Golden is a far more frequent visitor. Now if only we had the Gilbert’s and Red-Lored Whistlers as well… I have to travel about 4 hours east to catch them.
We also have resident Grey Shrike-thrush but they are usually quite secretive and do not call very much.
Hi Trevor,
Great shot – I specially like bird photos with just enough twigs etc in front of the bird, and a little out of focus to give it real depth. I have a nice one I fluked of an Eastern Yellow Robin, skulking in the blackberries, with a few of the canes in front of the bird, but nicely blurred, and with the bird in focus. Most of the shots I get like this are fluked, as I generally have my camera on auto, and if I happen to get the bird in focus, and not the vegetation in front of it, then it’s a real fluke!
PS, we get the Golden and Olive in Tas, but not the Rufous.
I know what you mean about the focus – to get one good shot I often have to take 10 – 15 average or totally out of focus shots. That was the case with this shot.
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I have noticed that the golden whistler is relaxed around humans. Twice now I have had them come within two metres in the bush, both times calling loudly, so loudly it hurt my ear last time. No need for binoculars.
Welcome to my bird blog Neil. Both the Golden and the Rufous Whistlers can be quite confiding. It certainly is great to see such beautiful birds up close and almost personal.
As for their amazing call – that is something else again, as you have experienced first hand.
Back in late spring, my brother and his wife were delighted with a first recognition of a new visitor to their garden in the Ferguson Valley (WA). He’s loud and insistent and his song drowns out all other birdsong. I’ve noticed too, that he seems to like to be around people – doesn’t fly off on approaching near to him. And he loves to view his reflection in the windows around the house. Opposition to another (supposed) male?
I’ve also experienced the wonderful songs of the Golden Whistler in my own garden in the lower SouthWest (Manjimup, WA). However, the photos which I’ve viewed on the internet seem to give his colour as very bright yellow. The little fellow I’ve seen ( often, and at very close range) is not as yellow, but he doesn’t fit the description of the Rufus Whistler whose breast colour seems closer to the colouration of the bird we’ve seen. The head colour determines it for me – the rufus would seem to be paler whereas this little chap has a very precise and definite black cap.
Thanks for visiting Margaret – and for leaving your comments.
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