Trevor's Birding

Portrait of a Magpie Lark

2 Comments »13th May, 2011; Category: Bird Behaviour, Garden birds, Magpies and Currawongs, Nests

Close up view of a Magpie Lark

I like having several bird baths strategically placed around our garden. I especially like those we’ve placed with a good view from our sun room where we often sit to have our meals.

During hot weather especially there is a constant stream of birds of many species which come to drink from or bath in the water. On more than a few occasions I have raced off to get my camera for more photos to share here. On this occasion a Magpie Lark posed just right for a good portrait shot as he paused from drinking.

The white eyebrow indicates that this is the male of a resident breeding pair in our garden. They make a delicate bowl-shaped mud nest, usually quite high up in nearby mallee trees.

Close up view of a Magpie Lark

Willie Wagtail up close

No Comments »11th May, 2011; Category: Bird Behaviour, Flycatchers, Garden birds

Willie Wagtail

We have a resident breeding pair of Willie Wagtails in our garden. They are a constant delight as they flit around looking for insects to snap up for a tasty snack. They will often come quite close to us when we are working in the garden or sitting relaxing on the back veranda.

Due to higher than normal rainfall over the last nine months I’ve had to mow our grass quite a few times with our ride-on mower. As I move around mowing the Willie Wagtails follow the mower, snapping up insects disturbed by the machine. Sometimes I feared I’d actually drive over one of them because they were getting quite close.

The Willie Wagtails frequently come to our various bird baths for either a drink or to bathe. This always gives more opportunities to experience close encounters with this species. It also affords excellent opportunities for close up photography, such as the shot shown above.

Hooded Plover, Victor Harbor

2 Comments »9th May, 2011; Category: Plovers Dotterels and Lapwings, Seabirds, Shorebirds

Hooded Plover, Victor Harbor, South Australia

On a recent visit to Victor Harbor on the south coast of South Australia we were staying with friends for a few days. We’d been for several drives and in the evening we went for a walk along the Hindmarsh River to beach. It’s a quiet walk along this small river but there weren’t too many birds showing themselves as we went along.

On the beach however, right next to the mouth of the river, a solitary Hooded Plover was scuttling along the edges of the river and on the beach. I managed several reasonable photos before it flew off.

This species is widespread along the southern coast of Australia but is not common anywhere. In fact, it is on the endangered list because there are so few of them. This beach – one of the busiest in South Australia – is one of its strongholds and is known to nest in the dunes along the sea front.

It’s great seeing – and being able to photograph – such a rare species.

Hooded Plover, Victor Harbor, South Australia

Hooded Plover

Hooded Plover warning sign on beach at Victor Harbor, South Australia

Babbling no more

2 Comments »6th May, 2011; Category: Garden birds

White-browed Babbler

We always enjoy the White-browed Babblers when they visit our garden. I can’t claim that they are a resident species, but they seem to visit almost every day. They come in family groups of five up to more than a dozen, chasing each other around the bushes, scratching in the mulch and leaf litter or prising bark off various trees searching for a tasty spider, beetle or bug for lunch.

Yesterday, while going for a walk of The Estate (a 5 acre block) I found a dead babbler on the ground. On examination I found a bare, bloodied patch on the crown. I’m not sure what killed it, but no matter. It saddened me to see the demise of one of my favourite birds.

White-browed Babbler

Book review: “The fearsome flute players”

8 Comments »5th May, 2011; Category: Bird Behaviour, Birds, Books, Garden birds, Magpies and Currawongs, Reviews

The fearsome flute players

Book Review:

Roetman, P. E. J. and Daniels, C. B., 2011. The fearsome flute players: Australian magpies in our lives. Adelaide, Crawford House Publishing.

I have just finished reading this delightful book and thoroughly recommend it to all of my readers. I was asked by one of the authors to review this book on this site; I’m pleased I agreed.

Citizen Scientists

The fearsome flute players captures the very essence of what magpies mean to the people of South Australia. The project was based here in South Australia but the findings would be true throughout this vast land of ours. This book is the result of Citizen Scientists throughout SA. It was heavily promoted by Chris Daniels who was a regular guest on the morning radio show hosted by Matthew Abraham and David Bevan on 891 ABC Adelaide. They have written the foreword to the book. (They’ve also since shifted to the Breakfast programme.)

Survey forms

Chris Daniels, along with Matt and David, asked their listeners to fill in a special survey form on the ABC Radio web site. The survey allowed citizen scientists throughout the state to enter their observations of Australian Magpies in gardens, parks, schools, ovals, farms – wherever. They were also able to relate their stories about the magpies they saw, fed, helped when injured and any other bird/human interactions they cared to tell. The result is fascinating – and at times, humorous – reading.

Results: magpie stories

A total of 1,927 people filled in the survey. I was one of them. Of those, 1,222 people responded to the magpie story request, creating a rich source of information for the authors. These stories make up the bulk of the book and are certainly the great strength of the volume. A few of these stories are thought provoking, some are serious, many are hilarious and all well worth reading. Some of the best are illustrated by appropriately cheeky cartoon sketches, another highlight of the book.

Contents

The various chapters cover many aspects of the lives of magpies, always including human interactions and relationships with these wonderful birds. This book is not a scientific thesis paper; it has been written without jargon and will therefore be accessible to people of all ages and backgrounds. It has a valuable place in any school library collection. While the chapters do cover topics like the magpie’s song and mimicry, food, foraging habits, territories, nesting and care for injured and orphaned birds, the main emphasis in each section is the stories told by the people.

Purchase the book

This wonderful book is available in some ABC centres and selected bookshops. Alternatively, you can order your copy online from the bookshop of the Barbara Hardy Centre for Sustainable Urban Environments (click here). On that page you can read a sample chapter and browse through the table of contents page.

SPECIAL OFFER:

If you order online and mention you read about this book on Trevor’s Birding, you will also receive a free CD of 200 photos featuring water, including many water bird photos. You can see sample of the photos here.

Australian Magpie