This is not a minor threat
Common Myna
Yesterday I wrote about a pleasant time my wife and I had visiting Long Reef Point north-east of Sydney CBD. One small, disturbing element of our visit was the number of Common Myna birds in the locality. This introduced pest species is quite a threat to our native bird species, competing directly with them for nesting sites and food. Many people are also annoyed by their strident calls.
The particular individual shown in today’s sequence of photos seems to have taken a dislike to me – or my camera – and appears to be advancing towards me in a threatening way. I am pleased that it caused me no harm and left my camera intact.
Common Myna
Common Myna
Steam trains and lack of birds
Steam train, Central Station, Sydney
Sydney Trip Report June 2011
On the first weekend of our recent holiday in Sydney, we went as a family for a 75 minute trip on the steam train shown above. It was an excellent treat and my 2.5 year old grandson (who loves trains) thought it was excellent but did admit afterwards, “I liked it but I was a little bit nervous.” (Bless him.)
I didn’t see any birds of note on the train trip but then I wasn’t really focussed on that. Back in Central Station waiting for the train to depart again on its next journey, I did manage this poor photo of a Common Myna (see below). Nothing exciting about that, but it was one of the few birds I saw all day.
Sorry – I forgot about the many Rock Doves actually inside the station building. They are so common in places like that one forgets to take note of them.
Common Myna, Central Railway Station, Sydney