This post is sort of a anniversary edition. It is just on twelve months ago that I got fair dinkum about finding a replacement for the old Mac Mobile Me website.  After playing around a bit I settled on using WordPress as the home for Birds as Poetry.

Thanks to all those who have looked, commented, sent me a note or simply said they read what goes on.  Hopefully I’ll find enough bird images to get me through 2013.

After nearly six months exile on the Backpaddock area i journeyed out there in the strong windy/showery conditions.

I was looking for any sign of Red-capped Robins in the area near the gate and also the now somewhat elusive White-throated Treecreeper.

Not much to report from about the gate area, and I took a walk over the hill and down into the dry creek that runs from Gellibrand Hill.  There are some real purple patches along there and today was no exception.
A beautiful female Rufous Whistler was looking for food for her young and eventually found a big grey bug, and sped away to deliver the goods.

I heard and then saw three male Redcaps in areas along the creek-line down to the little dam near the Police Paddock fence line, and then across to the four ways junction and a small family of Grey Fantails.

After a fruitless search along the ridge line, I cut back toward the three-way junction and there found a male Red-cap hard at work feeding a fledgling. By the look it has been out of the nest for a week or more.  He ensconced it in some fallen branches and then disappeared. He almost certainly has one or two others “planted” in the general area.  Perhaps he keeps them apart for insurance or protection, loosing one doesn’t mean they are all gone. Anyway I waited and after about 30 minutes, he was obviously not in a hurry to return, so I moved on.

On the way back, Will O’Scarlett came out to see what I was doing, and then sped off across the paddock so I lost him completely.  No sign of any young and he didn’t seem to be hunting.

So there are still things happening in the Backpaddock, the robins have been fortunate in getting some young off, and she will probably have another attempt in a few weeks, might even get a third one in before the season ends.  All very interesting.