Christmas Greetings
Male Flame Robin, Mt. Macedon, Victoria
Christmas Greetings to all of my wonderful readers.
I really appreciate the many hundreds of readers who access this site on a daily basis. I also appreciate the many people who take the time and make an effort to leave comments and questions.
I also appreciate the many readers who help each other out by answering their birding questions. I’ve had a very busy year finishing my Masters degree, so my time has been severely limited. Everyone’s help has been wonderful in keeping me sane. Now that I’ve finished my degree I can devote more time to this site once again. 2011 and beyond will be better than ever.
I trust that you all have a great celebration over Christmas. Today I will just show a few of my favourite photos.
Australian Pelicans, Mallacoota, Victoria
Eastern Rosella in our garden
Blue-faced Honeyeater
A great photo gallery
I love taking photos of the birds of Australia. I always have the camera ready for taking shots of birds around my house and garden. I rarely forget to take it with me on trips anywhere.
Readers have often commented on the photos they see here on my site. Thank you everyone for your kind words. I get great satisfaction out of taking the photos and your comments are the icing on the cake!
Every now and then I come across another great photo site on the net. I’m especially drawn to those featuring birds, of course.
Recently my attention was drawn to the Bird Observation and Conservation Australia site (BOCA). They have started a very beautiful photo gallery. It features hundreds of wonderful photos of Australian birds. The collection is constantly being added to so it’s worth frequent visits.
Links:
Male Flame Robin, Mt. Macedon, Victoria
Baby Willie Wagtails come out to feed
Baby Willie Wagtails just out of their nest
I never did find where our resident pair of Willie Wagtails were nesting recently. Yesterday, however, I found the three lovely babies huddled together on a fence post. They looked as if they were just out of the comfort of their nest.
Baby Willie Wagtails just out of their nest and being fed.
Of course – the parents didn’t like me getting too close and so I received a severe telling off as I was taking their photo.
Next time I probably should get the parents to sign a model release form – then they might be happier.
Adult Willie Wagtail warning me to keep my distance from the babies.
Two milestones for this birding blog
This blog has reached a special milestone.
Last night I approved the 3000th comment from my readers.
Thank you to everyone who has contributed to the success of this blog. You have made it what it is – a vibrant community of birders and bird lovers. In the last few months when I have been very busy writing my novel, readers’ questions have appeared here and other readers have jumped in ahead of me and answered the query or question. This interaction between readers makes writing this blog so worthwhile.
Many readers have also said nice – and sometimes flattering – things about the photos and the articles. Thank you all for your generous praise. I’m truly grateful.
I believe that this blog is fulfilling something of a great need in educating people about Australian birds. I’ve lost count of the number of readers who have commented that, in searching for information about Australian birds, this was the only site where they found answers. That pleases the teacher in me – I was a teacher for 35 years before retiring in 2004. I am now a full time writer.
Musk Lorikeet
Another important milestone
In November this blog also achieved another important milestone. For the first time it exceeded 15,000 different readers for the month. That makes it all worthwhile, and very satisfying that it is reaching such a wide audience.
Thank you to all of my loyal readers and the many people who have contributed comments and asked questions.
Red Browed Finch
Eastern Rosella – a new species for our garden list
Eastern Rosella
Eastern Rosellas are one of the colourful parrot species to be found here in Australia. It is a relatively common parrot found in south eastern Australia and Tasmania. It has been introduced into the Mt Lofty Ranges and Adelaide region of south Australia as well as New Zealand.
Here in Murray Bridge I’ve only recorded it once several years ago. On that occasion it appeared to be an aviary escape. The nearest naturally occurring birds are some 60 kilometres to the west.
Over recent days we have had a single Eastern Rosella flying around our garden. This is a new species for my garden list. It does not appear to be a cage bird as it is very flighty. I struggled to get close enough for a reasonable photo. The photos on this post have been enhanced – zoomed in and brightened to show the beautiful colours. Consequently they are not top quality shots.
Eastern Rosella
The behaviour of this individual was interesting. We have several Mallee Ringnecks resident on our property. Recently they produced two young ones that follow them everywhere and beg to be fed. The Eastern Rosella tried to adopt this family who were having none of it. They tried to chase it away but it was most insistent and would fly up and sit close to one of the ringnecks. The ringnecks would then attempt to chase it away again. This continued for about twenty minutes before the rosella gave and flew away. It has been back several times so I don’t know whether it intends taking up residence or not.
It would be a very colourful addition to our garden birds.
Eastern Rosella
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