Yesterday I wrote about a family of Australian Magpies that joined us for afternoon tea in a roadside rest area south east of Mildura. Today I include several more photos taken at that time.
You can buy a photo of a magpie on a coffee mug – click here.
Australian Magpie (black backed)
Australian Magpie (black backed)
Australian Magpie (black backed)
Australian Magpie (black backed)
Australian Magpie (black backed)
Sydney Trip June 2011
Over recent days I’ve been writing about the birds seen on the return trip from a holiday with family in Sydney. Today I want to show a series of photos taken at the Malleefowl Rest Area south east of Mildura. we had stopped for an afternoon cuppa and a light snack of biscuits. we had just sat down at the picnic table and we were immediately accosted by a family of Australian Magpies (ssp black backed), including several juveniles from last season’s breeding.
The whole family gathered on and around the table waiting for handouts of whatever food we had in our picnic basket. I guess they are used to being fed generously by any humans who happen to drop in to their domain. If we hadn’t been smart about covering the biscuit tin they would have helped themselves.
I took the opportunity to get some very close up photos of the magpies as they sat nearby or on the table less than a metre from me. Some – like the one above – are decidedly nasty looking.
Tomorrow I’ll show several more photos.
You can buy one of my photos of a magpie on a coffee mug – click here.
Australian Magpie (black backed)
Australian Magpie (black backed)
Blue Bonnet Parrot
Sydney Trip June 2011
Yesterday I wrote about having a short stopover at the Malleefowl Rest Area on the road from Balranald to Mildura. We stopped to have a cuppa and afternoon tea in a patch of mallee scrub just off the highway.
While we were enjoying our break several Blue Bonnet parrots flew into a tree nearby and I was able to get some good photos of this colourful bird. At about 30cm in size this is one of our smaller parrots. While it is widespread in the mallee areas of Victoria, NSW and South Australia, it is generally not common anywhere. A small isolated population can also be found in SE Western Australia.
While I said that it is widespread in mallee habitats, it can also be found in several other habitats, including saltbush areas, grasslands, farmlands, mulga and acacias. I have yet to record this species on our home block but I have seen it within about 30 kilometres from our place.
Blue Bonnet Parrot
Blue Bonnet Parrot
Blue Bonnet Parrot
Sign at the Malleefowl Rest Area near Mildura
Sydney Trip June 2011
As we were travelling towards Mildura for the night on the second day of our journey home, we saw the sign for a rest area ahead. It was called the Malleefowl Rest Area. We just had to stop there for a break and a cuppa.
The large sign (see photo above – click to enlarge) had plenty of information about the Malleefowl for non-birding members of the public. I felt it was a great way to educate the general public on the wonders of this amazing bird.
The rest area is set just off the main highway and in the midst of typical mallee country – see the photos below for several views from the picnic table where we had our cuppa.
Sadly, we didn’t see a Malleefowl, here or along the road on the way to Mildura. It would have made a wonderful addition to my Trip List of birds.
Mallee vegetation near Mildura
Mallee vegetation near Mildura
Mallee vegetation near Mildura
Red-rumped Parrots, Euston, NSW
Sydney Trip June 2011
On the second day of our trip home from Sydney last June we detoured slightly from the main route on our way to Mildura. I wanted to drive through parts of the small river town of Euston which is between Mildura and Balranald. I can’t ever recall driving through this town, and I think we’ve always just detoured past the town on the main road through.
We drove slowly around a few streets and then found ourselves at the river frontage. On the lawns near the river a small flock of Red-rumped Parrots was feeding on the grass seeds. Without switching off the car I aimed the camera through the window and took a few shots of them.
This species is relatively common in my home town and district, but so far I’ve been unsuccessful at getting some good photos of them. While they are not brilliant, I am pleased to have taken some reasonable shots of this beautiful bird at last. Only the male has the bright red rump.
My next challenge with this species is to photograph a male sitting in full sunshine and facing me so that the bright yellow and green front shows clearly.
This post was updated on 4th February 2016.
Male Red-rumped Parrot, Euston, NSW