Tree Martin – Birds as Poetry —— Just because I WANDER doesn't mean I'm LOST

Along the Track: A Day in Grey

July 30, 2023August 12, 2023Posted in Australian Wood Duck, Diamond Firetail, Eastern Rosella, Eynesbury, Jacky Winter, Little Eagle, Red-rumped Parrot, Tree MartinTagged Diamond Firetail, Eastern Rosella, Eynesbury, Jacky Winter, Maned Duck, Tree Martin5 Comments

We joined the Eynesbury Environmental Group for a walk in the local Grey Box Forest as part of the ongoing Swift Parrot Surveys.
Swifties are highly mobile, nomandic and unpredictable in location. And today was quite a successful Survey day, as we conclusively proved they were Not in the area. 🙂

But a day in Grey is not be be missed and Chris L, put on another of his now famous, “Sunshine” days.
Here’s a selection from the walk.

Enjoy

Maned Duck, commonly know as Wood ducks, presumably because of their tree dwelling habits

Tree Martins. Recently returned and no doubt hard at work at selecting the best real estate for their nesting operations. Soon there will be hundreds of them through the forest

Little Eagle, no trip is complete without at least one sighting of the resident Little Eagles. This one circled over us in the open

Red-rumped Parrot, a male who is busy, I suspect waiting, waiting waiting, for his mate that would be on a nest somewhere in a branch nearby. He keeps in contact with her with lots of cheery calls and wing displays.

The Eynesbury Box Forest Signature bird. We found several Diamond Firetails working through the native grasses collecting seed. Their numbers seem somewhat unpredictable, but it’s good to catch up with them on a day out.

If I had a signature bird, it would be Jacky. There is something about these little birds that says Grey Box Forest to me, and their often approachable nature makes for great portraits.

Jacky Winter and I could do this all day

One of our sharp-eyed group found these tiny Greenhoods by the side of the track—not much more than a few centimetres high.

Fashionista Eurasian Coot is dressed to impress.

A very handsome Maned Duck showing of his impressive mane, and his lovely vermiticulation on his body.

Eastern Rosellas were in abundance, this was one of a flock of twelve or more that were working through the forest.

And just as we were leaving, another pair of Jacky Winters stopped by for a chat.

Off to a Flying Start

January 4, 2017January 4, 2017Posted in Birdsaspoetry, Black-shouldered Kite, Jacky Winter, Photographic Seeing, Red-capped Robin, Sacred Kingfisher, Straited Pardalote, Tree Martin, White-plumed HoneyeaterTagged Red-capped Robin, White-plumed Honeyeater4 Comments

Haven’t been in the doldrums. It’s just that there is so many things happening.
Been enjoying Mike over at The Online Photographer See here for “When things Go Wrong”. http://theonlinephotographer.typepad.com/the_online_photographer/2016/12/things-go-wrong.html
Go on, have a look, you deserve a smile. Especially the comment on alarm clocks that don’t turn off!

Been meandering through Julieanne Kost’s “Passenger Seat” folio book. Julieanne is a product evangelist for Adobe Lightroom, (and having been one of them product evangellies in me time, I am a bit sympathetic to start with),
But Julieanne is quite a creative, and very visually expressive photographer. As she says in the introduction, “meeting with others continually opens my eyes to what’s possible.” and that is why we share stuff I guess.

Continue reading “Off to a Flying Start” →

Looking for Kestrels

October 28, 2012October 30, 2012Posted in Bandicoot Big Brother House, Redcapped Robin, Tree MartinTagged Bandicoot Big Brother House, Redcapped Robin, Tree MartinLeave a comment

Its been quite awhile since I logged in here and added some pics.

With the Bandicoot Hilton (aka Bandicoot Big Brother House) (aka Backpaddock) now likely to be inaccessible to mere mortals, the chance to follow the nesting success of the Red-capped Robins is going to elude me I think.

The only pair I’ve access to is down by the dam, and a week ago she was back building nests again, indicating a lack of success so far. Just to many Ravens and other egg stealers in the area.

Consequently I’ve been round in the western paddocks mostly looking for the elusive Nankeen Kestrels. To date the score is Kestrels 0.

However I did spend an hour with a large flock of Tree Martins who were hard at work setting up a nesting site. After a few minutes, they concluded, correctly that I was not a threat and returned to the work at hand, collecting building materials.

They are such agile creatures and can fly to the opening at full tilt, and then brake, just as they touch down. Up to three at a time were stuffing leaves, grass and other things into the hole, and then after a few minutes would all take a break, and sit about and discuss the progress so far. Lots of tail flicking and wing waggling is part of the discussion.

On the way back to the carpark, I bumped into the Birdlife Australia Group from the Bayside, and they were out for the day. I continued on and just before the carpark, heard a very familiar call. It WAS a Red-capped Robin. I managed to track him down to a small stand off grey box, and got quite a few sighings, but no great photos. He didn’t have any company, but I took that as a good sign, she must be on a nest somewhere near. Perhaps he too is an Eviction from the Bandicoot Hilton.

In over 20 years of walking in the park, I have not seen a red-cap in the area near the carpark, so it was great day for no other reason.