These birds were intent at getting over the road. It wasn’t till I just looked at the image I noted they were in step. Just like the old Abbey Road Album cover. Don’t say I’m not showing my age!
Category Archives: White-winged Chough
The mystery becomes a little clearer or more complicated
Because of a family event, we were on the road early to Ballarat. On the way back, on my own, I dropped by the park. The weather was sunny and the wind had dropped off. Nice.
After about 15 minutes, Primrose came by and was quite happy to pose in the sunshine. No sight of Lochie, and I don’t know where he is, and she wasn’t telling.
Also the male Scarlet, I’ve decided he should be Will of Scarlet, sort of Robin Hood style. Will of Scarlet came by and was quite vocal. After about an hour, I saw him fly rapidly into a nearby bush, and another bird emerged out the back a couple of seconds later. At first it was hard to make out, and the light was never going to be great for a photo, but…. Lo and behold.. Its a female Scarlet Robin. She was in a hurry to feed, and to wing stretch, so I think we might have a nesting function going on. I hope so. Anyway that explains the male and his hunt and carry activities. What it doesn’t explain is his attention to the female red-cap. Or it might just be the birdy neighbourly thing. More watching me thinks.
On the way back to the car, a small feeding party of White-winged Choughs came by, the light was falling, but they got into a ruckus over a small area on the side of the road. Much calling, squawking, alarm calling and jumping in the air. They also seemed to be intent to keep one another away from what ever it was. When they moved on I had a look and a large ‘shingleback’ lizard has a hole there and he was quite put out that his afternoon in the sun had been disturbed. Several of the Choughs had white stuff on their wings which is pretty typical of birds that are sitting nest, with young who can now excrete, so there’s another generation of White-winged Choughs in there somewhere. How cool.
Enjoy the moments, we do.
Primrose at close quarters. She was happy to hunt around me, and come back quite close to check it all out. No nesting bump, so I don’t think she has started for real yet.
Scarlet Male in the very late afternoon light. Pity about the small branch across his wing and neck.
Female Scarlet Robin. As good as I got in the failing light. First time We’ve seen her in about three weeks.
White-winged Choughs giving a shinglebacked lizard a piece of their minds.
White-throated Treecreeper hard at work
So many places to go, so much to do, so little time.
When I first started looking at birds at Woodlands, I ran into a birdo, Ray, who shared with me a lot of his knowledge of the area. One bird he pointed out was the White-throated Treecreeper and its distinctive call. It is alway such a pleasure to hear them, and find them among the trees. The one Ray and I would find was a female, and for several seasons she didn’t seem to have a mate, then last season she turned up with a mate and eventually produced two young. But since then I have only be only to find the female.
I heard her calling in the long creekline off Gellibrand Hill, and after a few minutes was able to find her hard at work. After following her about for about 15 minutes, I didn’t find any mate or young, so she might be back on her own. But nice to see her again.
Also ran into a family of White-winged Choughs. Or more accurately they found me and sped off with great alarm calls. But then they settled down to feed and I was able to get within lens distance. Lighting wasn’t so good, and I was hoping to get some pics of them with the lovely wings spread out. But no such luck. They are such a a dumpy looking bird, yet they seem to glide about as if on gossamer. They have an elegance about the way they touch down for landing.
This one was in preening mode.
