Magpie Larks nesting
Magpie Lark
Magpie Larks are a breeding resident bird in our garden. We see them every day, the strident calls filling the air on many occasions throughout the day. Although the call is sharp and loud it is melodious and not at all annoying – unless the bird is only metres away.
Throughout the day they flutter around from fence post to roof gutter to tree top. Then they soar down to ground level and search for some tasty snack on the ground.
Magpie Lark
Over the last two weeks the pair of Magpie Larks living around our house have been very busy gathering mud, grass and feathers to make a nest near our back veranda. The bowl shaped nest took quite a few days to construct.
Yesterday I saw the pair violently pursuing an Australian Magpie away from the nest, so I assumed they now have eggs to hatch. Sure enough, one of them was later seen sitting tight on the nest, only its tail protruding from the nest (see below – just the tail can been seen on the left hand side).
It has been quite a few years since they nested in our garden. In more recent times they have preferred the large gum trees in our neighbour’s garden.
Magpie Lark's mud nest, Murray Bridge, South Australia
A galah having a bad feather day
Galah, Murray Bridge, South Australia
We had a typical winter’s day here in Murray Bridge South Australia today: cold, scudding showers and periods of rain and blustery winds. Late afternoon saw a lessening of the showers and the sun chose to emerge for a while. The wind was still quite strong in gusts.
I was on my way to photograph a Magpie Lark‘s nest (see tomorrow’s post here) when I saw this solitary Galah taking in the last of the sunshine of the day. Trouble was, the wind happened to catch his feathers just as I took the photo. Below is another shot taken seconds later. That’s better.
Galah, Murray Bridge, South Australia
Pelicans overhead
Australian Pelicans, Mallacoota, Victoria
We don’t get all that many Australian Pelicans in our garden. In fact, we’ve only ever had pelicans flying overhead on a handful of occasions over the last 25 years or so, despite living only about 5km from the River Murray where they are quite common.
Yesterday my wife noticed two flying overhead but didn’t think to mention it to me until much later. Even if I had known I wouldn’t have been able to get a lovely photo like the one above. I took that on a holiday in Victoria last year. The pelicans in this photo came very close to the jetty where some anglers were cleaning their catch. I guess the attraction of a free feed of fish is irresistible to a pelican. Made the job of getting a photo very easy.
Mistletoebird
Mistletoebird
I was sitting outside in the sunshine the other day. I was taking advantage of a few hours of sunshine in an otherwise fairly bleak winter here.
While I was reading my attention was caught by the call of a Mistletoebird in one of the trees in our garden. It brought to mind the fact that I hadn’t seen or heard this species around our house for quite a few weeks. Lovely little bird to have around, too.
Lunch time visitor: Eastern Rosella
Eastern Rosella in our garden
While we were having lunch today I noticed a beautiful Eastern Rosella feeding on some flowers in our garden. I wasn’t quick enough to get a new photograph, so I’ve used one I took some months ago.
This bird has been hanging out with our resident Ringneck Parrots. It is not a species normally found in this part of South Australia, so I am assuming it has escaped from someone’s aviary. It has been resident in our garden for most of the year. I much prefer it flying around than in an aviary anyway.