Few things under heaven bring more benefit than the lessons learned from silence and the actions taken without striving.
Went to The Office for a bit of afternoon therapy in the warm sunshine.
Bernie the Brown Falcon was also out in the sunshine. He is a bit busy as it turns out. He is busy letting everyone know that he and Bernice have claimed a nest loction and everyone, including everyone, is not welcome.
And at the same time he needs to begin to feed her up in preparation. A one-armed flying paperhanger, wouldn’t have it this busy.
Normally he is somewhat intolerant of my presence, and no more so today, I suspect. However, I am pretty certain we are on the “ignore, and they’ll go away” list.
We decided on a quick trip to “The Office:”, needless to say the weather was looking less than kind, but our rationale was, it would be an easy to get home if the rain descended. And as soon as we turned off the bitumen on to the track leading in, we could see that rain, has indeed left its mark. Much of the roadway is either pot-holes, or great sheets of standing water.
With the sun-shining, oh, yes, it did! We decided on a trip to The Office. This area of the Werribee River Park looks over the floodplain between the old sandridges and gives a pretty spectacular view if nothing else. On a good day its possible to see the raptors at work.
Unfortunately today was not to be one of those days. And with no sign of the usual Flame Robin family we decided to walk up to the Werribee Mansion and have lunch there.
Usually the area along the golfclub is also a haven for small birds, but the gums must be slower to flower this year and only a handful of resident Red-rumped Parrots were located.
Still the sun was shining and we had a fine chicken panini and coffee. So to look at the Ornamental Pool, and our first real chance to find some birds. Top of the list was a pair of Australasian Grebes and what appears to be their sole surviving chick. They had three earlier in the season. They were pretty protective and this one seems to be doing well a good sign.
We had walked down along the edge of the river to a spot where the river cuts back on itself forming a little backwater.
Good place to stop says, EE and well, I agreed. Settled down for a cuppa in the sunshine. It soon became apparent there was a family of Superb Fairywrens in the locality. Their constant chattering and carrying food about, lead to the conclusion, “They have a nest, or young one’s very close to where we are sitting.” The obvious spot was a large crop of grass and low shrubs they kept flying around.
So.
We moved.
With the humans out of the way it didn’t take them too long to get back to work.
I’ve been reading, co-incidently Rowley and Russel, Fairy-Wrens and Grasswrens.
Published in 1997, it details a lot of the field work of these two Australian Ornithologists over many years. Intriguingly, I’ve been delighted to see a lot of what we have observed being detailed in the work.
One thing that becomes clear about the Superb Fairywren is the unusual family arrangements.
Once called “Mormon Wrens”, as it was assumed that one bright blue male was in charge of a harem of females in various lighter brown dress.
But it’s now known that there is only one ‘active’ pair, and the remainder of young in the family group are ‘Helper’ males of the first or second year.
On average the males outnumber females by around two to one. So a female adult is in as the good Jane Austen so succinctly put it,
“It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune must be in want of a wife.
However little known the feelings or views of such a man may be on his first entering a neighbourhood, this truth is so well fixed in the minds of the surrounding families, that he is considered as the rightful property of some one or other of their daughters.”
Change man to female wren, and it seems that an available female has little trouble in establishing a new family connection. One such female in Rowley’s book is reported as having attained a bond relationship in somewhat under two hours of leaving the home territory. 🙂
So what we saw were a male/female pair and two or three helper males hard at work.
What we weren’t counting on is what happened after about 20 mins of watching.
The chattering went up, the birds surrounded the bush and it was obvious something was amiss. Suddenly at least two young virtually tailless fledglings burst clumsily out of the bush and took off, mostly running as they were not yet equipped to fly.
One took refuge alongside EE’s foot for a few minutes and then ran off eventually tumbling over the river bank edge and lodging (fortunately) in the bushes about two metres down.
The family continued its agitation at the bush. Conclusion being that some predator, – rat, snake ? had managed to get into the area. Did they lose any of the young. Hard to say. After about 10 minutes one of the helpers found the young one over the river edge and went to feed it.
Here is the drama as it unfolded.
The shot of the young wren is by EE (Dorothy M Jenkins- Friendsintheair, (c) 2016)
One of the main perches near the nestBusy feeding. A helper bringing in some food.Helper maleThe male also on feeding dutyIn full cry, the female is so active.One of the young is just going out of the bush in the top right.Danger, dangerHe wa so agitated and very wary at the same timeYoung male on full alertA young one out of the nest and unsure of what to do.Over the edge. This one is about 2m down from the river bank. One of the helpers eventually came and looked after it.
Blogging 201 assignment for this week is Setting the Scene.
As it turns out, I was gearing up to reflect on a day at the Office yesterday.
The weather turned Kind. Really Kind. The kind of Kind, where the cameras practically pack themselves out of the cupboard and into the car, and sit there going, “Well…..” “Well…. are you ready to leave yet.”
We left early, and decided to take the longer walk down to the river behind the golf course. This is really old river flat, and the river makes a distinct “U” for several hundred metres and then a fine “S” movement that provides for some great old river flat dissected by the flow of the water. Water bird can abound, and there is still some good grass and tree cover to make life entertaining for the smaller bush birds.
Its a long way for EE to walk, but stoically she lead on.
The Office for the uninitiated is an area along the Werribee River a few kilometres from the mouth at Werribee South. It cuts through the rich river soil and in places the cliffs are 30-40 metres high. The big birds – think raptors- enjoy the wind currents coming up the ramparts and I do believe a good case could be made that there are certain areas where its better, and a sort of ‘flyway’ or navigational line is drawn. They seem to favour coming and going along those locations.
You just know its going to be a good day when as you drive in a Black-shouldered Kite is hunting close to the carpark, and just inside the walking track, Bernie the Brown Falcon is loafing in a favourite tree.
Next up a Little Eagle made several passes along one of the ‘flyway’ paths. The Ibis, both White and Straw-necked use the same paths on the way to the feeding grounds along the river.
We sat with a family of Superb Fairy-wrens, and I will tell more of that tale on another blog, and were entertained by the feeding antics of a few Crested Terns. (another blog post methinks)
It was pretty awe-inspiring to be sitting by the river, dangling my feet over the river bank and sipping Earl of Grey, and enoying the time time in the sunshine with such a group of bids. And all less than 10 minutes from home. A most amazing place.
Easy day, easy photography, easy birds, and Just Another Day at the Office really.
How’s that for setting the scene!
Enjoy.
Black-shouldered Kite.Bernie the Brown FalconA view along the sandy cliff face. The area we are heading is down toward the left hand side.Superb Fairy-wren. This is a helper bird. A male not yet left home.Great EgretLittle EagleWhite IbisCrested Tern against the cliff face.Crested Tern, juvenile, on a wing sretch, while waiting for Mum to deliver food
The current lesson is the all important first line. The opener that reaches out and grabs the readers attention and drives questions that must be answered, so read on read on.
Had to write for assignment 5 different openings for this blog.
Cruel fate deals a heavy blow in the life of a young wren.
– always good to have some catchy disaster theme, we want to know it won’t happen to us.
Super success for the springy young Wren who overcame hardship and rose to the heights of his profession.
– Always good to have a success story and link it in someway to a fabled lifetime goal. We all want to think I need to find out how he did it, I’ll be able to do the same thing.
It was a Dark and Stormy Night; the rain fell in sheets except for the occasional intervals when it was checked by a violent gust of wind which swept up the streets….
Hmm, I think that one has been done by someone before. http://www.bulwer-lytton.com
The forest rang with the shrill clear sound of a high pitched voice, crying out challenge and authority to all who could hear.
– The old power game story, we want to know who, where, why and what effect this bold challenge will bring to the forest.
Take your time, the wind encouraged. Walk quietly and all with be revealed. Look not for the answers that appear quickly, but rather look, feel, listen, and taste. There is much to know, much is hidden and much will be revealed for those who tread quietly.
– Well when you’re desperate for a fifth opening line, a page from my new novella will do nicely.
And so dear reader, assuming you are still there, hello? hello? we can adopt the opening line I always like best for this blog.
Tell you what we’ve been upto and let your judgement decide to read on or to quickly click away to something much more relevant in your life.
So dah dah!!!!
We went to visit Timmy today.
-I like the direct attention grabbing simplicity.
I’m betting you came over here to see what the birds are doing and that is just what is not going to change.
We went to visit Timmy today. Just to refresh the memories, we had visited this plucky young hero a few weeks before the holidays and found he had lost his tail. Completely!
Then over the next couple of weeks, Timmy not only began to regrow, but also take on his responsibilities as territorial defender for his female companions and their soon to be growing offspring. -There is every good chance that the young that come from his territory are not his offspring, but rather the work of his next door neighbours. But, don’t be sad, Timmy’s genes live on with the females of the surrounding territories. Its the way it works in Wrenland.
We had, because of trips to the family acres, depressing weather, hot weather, other places to go and just plain old laziness, not been back to see Timmy or indeed the entire Office area for over six weeks. But, today, nice light, an early mark on the house duty(s), and we decided and afternoon trip would work.
I soon heard Timmy’s cry as we approached the corner on the track that he called home. And. There he was. And with a nice rich full tail. Well done Timmy.
Local boy makes good!
Among his new duties were looking after about 4 or more young. And they all looked just like “Dad”. Short-tails. Must only have been recently fledged.
So between feeding and rounding up the little ones, being harassed by the females, and being sure to take time to keep his nemesis, Tommy the Bigtail, in his own territory, Timmy has his work cut out.
And that is the way I overcome writing complex mind entrancing opening lines.
Simply show the pictures.
Enjoy Timmy.
Looking good in the look out bush. And what a tale!Where did you get that tail?When you have an itch you just gotta scratch it.Standing in the middle of the road and discussing territorial arrangements with his rival.Just like “Dad”. A tiny tailless terror.One of the family. Giving him encouragement to feed the kids?
A B Paterson created a series of poems titled, “The Animals Noah Forgot”.
The prologue pieces are quite interesting. Well worth a read.
We were returning from a foray at the Office when in the late evening sunshine we came upon a pair of Black-shouldered Kites hunting to feed their recently fledged young.
Sitting quietly by the vehicle they soon resumed their sweeps over the grasses around the trackside.
All the while being encouraged by their hungry young calling from the fenceline.
Enjoy
Such a graceful bird at hover.Locked on and adjusting angle.Milliseconds from impactMouse deliveryAnybody with a mouse is a friend of mine. Young zeros in on adult.
Three weeks of Blogging 101 and it time to bid farewell to learning and launch out the barque of blogging on my own.
Have learned a thing or three about the blogging universe, but not sure a lot of it transposes into the page here.
We did “S-tra-ya” day, Mahhte (Australia Day to the uninitiated), yesterday. Instead of the usual burnt snags and fatty chops we had a spit-roast sitdown meal at the Villiage centre. And among other things were entertained by Susie and Mel. These bush poets and songsters took us on a tour-de-force (french on Aussie day mahhhte? )
They have a wonderful way of combining the old of the Banjo, Henry Lawson, The Breaker and other with modern music. Imagine, (if you will), The Man from Snowy River, sung to Morning Town Ride, or Waltzing Matilda, to Ghost Riders in the Sky, And then to top it all off an audience participation number of The Man from Ironbark, with several of the village doing the miming parts of said Man and Barber.
Hilarious. Rolling on the floor funny, and brought the house down, – as they say.
Somehow in this modern rush of life, their way of life and the stories they told are at best no longer relevant. Hard to talk of stock and dry paddocks, and horses and whip cracking to someone glued to their mobile fone, trying to get GPS directions or upload their latest ‘selfie’, or what is the latest You-tube viral nothingness. But, of course I digress.
Another thing that came to me about all this is that they didn’t deal with the deep emotional stuff. There is no connection here like T.S. Elliot’s The Waste Land. Nor the cutting insight of Dylan Thomas, nor… and the list goes on. Nor the fine interaction of the universe, sunlight and shadow of the classic Taoist poets. And the old Hebrew rhymers who gave birth to such inspirational works that whole religions grew from them.
Yet. The Bards of the Bush give us an insight into the life and times of a generation or two who lay the foundation of S-tra-ya as it is in its multi-cultural kaleidoscope. And, well, I could go on, but its a photo blog isn’t it.
The Banjo it seems wrote little of the birds of Australia. Much of the human condition as he found it. So I’m going to take a bit of poetic licence with his and other works over the next few weeks. Never know where it will go.
Now when it comes to Bush. Nothing quite says it like Brown Falcon.
These amazing birds so bronzed and upright. Here’s one of the young from the Office. That rich colour of deep brown and brilliant tan are always a winning combination.
New week, and I’m away from home for the week. Travelled up to the family acres. This is an exercise of sitting in a fast moving car and waiting while the miles, (kilometres) roll by. Long straight roads with not much else to see but the road, and the horizon, and the blue sky. Didn’t we already pass that 105 km post?
And today’s Blogging exercise is to find a prompt (Bloggsville provides them), and so we come to Now you see me, now you Don’t. Thought it was appropriate for being on the road again.
Stopped as is our want at The Eaglehawk Bakery to enjoy a “Mulga Bill’s” Pie for lunch. One thing I guess that has changed a bit over .the past twelve months or so it that I’ve had to reduce my diet from pies, and all those lovely carbs, and concentrate on ‘healthy’ food. But, hey its a long road to the family acres and a pie is just the right thing. Also picked up a Banana milkshake. This is starting to sound like a Facebook foodaholic journal.
The days before we left, we were watching a pair of White-plumed Honeyeaters. This clever pair had built a nest among the leaves over the river.
It’s funny as I’ve written to this before, just recently, about now you see me now you don’t. While EE was busy working with a Wagtail pair, (and I stay away as it doesn’t need two humans in their space), I was watching a White-plumed Honeyeaters. Something about the extra intensity of their actions said, “They have a nest somewhere.” And while I looked here, and there and over there too, no sign did I see of their location. The following day had us at the same spot, and this time I moved about 50m down the river. Again time passed. The Honeyeaters passed and the mystery deepened, Finally I got a glimpse of them moving back and forth from a branch stretching over the river and it was even more obvious that is where they were working. And down at the end of some leaves over the water, tightly fitted in among the reeds was their deliciously wound, spider web and grass globe. But so far out over the water as to be very safe from most prying eyes. And being in the leaves, it was really impossible to get a good view.
So, I waited. And as the pair moved back and forth with food, I was able to get at least a look at the opening and occasionally as it all swung back and forth in the breeze a glimpse of little heads inside.
Then the mystery deepened, or more accurately my observations became more detailed. She had sited the nest opening in such a way that a leaf was being used as a ‘trapdoor’ to conceal the opening.
Here was a bird with a super sense of security. The older leaf lay perfectly over the nest opening and made it almost impossible to see that there was a nest down there.
Then she would fly in, push the leaf to one side, feed the young, and then on leaving she would pick the leaf up and place it back over the hole! If both birds arrived at about the same time, the last one leaving would cover over the nest.
Now you see me. Now you don’t. How appropriate.
Several days later the first of the brood had clambered out of the nest and was clinging tightly to the top of the nest. And while we were watching a second one also made its first tentative ventures out of the nest.
By the time we get back, they will be well on the wing.
Cleverly Hidden in the overhanging leavesAhh there it is.Little headsPicking up the leaf and setting it in placePutting the leaf back in placeReady to leave and the leaf is back in positionIn the sunshine first day out
Been holding off on this series as I was hoping for a few better days. But, no, seems to fit in here now.
The past few months at The Office a pair of Brown Falcons have been at work on their nest and resulting offspring.
You’ll have met Bernie before on here or Flickr. I only ever see or find the female occasionally. She is a much lighter colour, and I named her Bernice, – easy ah?
We were going in to look for the young Black-shoudlered Kites and found the two young falcons hunting of the fence line near the road. Only got a brief look and some pretty average pictures, too far away and too much heat haze.
Then the other morning we found one of them on the same fence. But the light was better.
So here is Chip. (as in off the old block).
It has certainly inherited Bernie’s distinguished, handsome looks. We stayed in the car, didn’t want to frighten it, and in the end, it just lifted off the fence and floated away to hunt in the long grass.
This is how its done. That really distinctive pose from the tree top vantage pointBernice in flightBernie in the sunshine. Rich browns and goldOn a mission.First sighting of “Chip”Hello Chip. Just like your father.Simply stepping out in the breeze.
Day two Blogging 101
What is the Title and Tagline saying?
When I set up Birds as Poetry on WordPress I bought along with it some already set ideas. One was the title. And I’m still happy with that. Says it all.
The small tagline I added I have to confess simply because in the setup page there was a blank box to be filled in. And its stayed that way till now.
Today’s challenge was to make it part of the blog and help readers gain a snapshot of the blog in 30 words or less.
Well, in reality, I don’t think anyone coming to the sight is going to be affected one way or the other. Let’s face it, you log on, look at the pics, cursorily scan the text,”Maybe this time he said something worthwhile, (we all live in hopes!)”. See a shot or two of some -interesting- birds, and get on with the amazing thing called life.
So I decided seeing as how change is in the air, that I’d update it. First time round a small piece of Haiku from a Chinese master.
Was going to ramble on about a factoid, but decided that “Chip” was the ideal model. What a great looking bird.
Still remember sitting spell-bound in the theatre watching the sheer bulk of the Star Destroyer that seemed to go on and on.
So we segue way to Timmy. We last left our hero looking much better with his new appendage appearing in fine form.
Today’s visit showed he had continued to grow the tail, and we learned a few new things about his life. Firstly he and several of the females are carrying food in to the bush where the nest is located. I’ve not been given privilege to go see, so can’t confirm what is going on in there.
Perhaps they are not feeding young, but rather keeping the nesting female well supplied in food.
Secondly his tail has started to come on quite nicely, and he still can hammer out a song.
And thirdly. As its gotten bigger, so has his territorial aspirations.
Today saw him take quite a number of forays into Tommy the Tailful’s territory. Timmy was able to advance about 10-15m more that last week, and even has established for himself a couple of calling posts, so this seemingly disadvantaged lad has made good.
Timmy seems to have accepted my being in the area, and is able to use the closest perches without the least concern for my being there.
Enjoy a good visit, we did.
They seem to be quite busy with food delivery to the nest site.He spent a lot of the morning delivering food.Not the best angle, but you can see the tail is coming along nicely“Who are you calling Short Tail?”Hey, can you hear me over there.This is the favourite perch. He commands the area from here.
Last week, dear reader, like the old Saturday Arvo Kids Matinee at the movies, we left Timmy with a a problem.
Took a hour or so today, to go back and visit our brave hero and see how he was handling his injury.
And surprise, his tail is indeed regrowing. Not bad for about 2 weeks. So its pretty certain that he is well on the road to recovery.
In the hour or so we sat with him it was pretty obvious that his condition hadn’t dented his enthusiasm, or his strong singing voice. And we learned a little about life in Wren land. He also seemed completely undeterred by our presence and would land on his favourite perches with no concern of our being there.
Another favourite spot
Timmy has a rival across the path. Called him Tommy the Tailful. Because, well, he is looking pretty attractive in the Tail Stakes. It also seems that Timmy’s territory covers the path and about 10 metres into the bush on the other side, and then after a small no-man’s land, Tommy is in charge.
Now, I’m sure the rules are well written, but a bit hard to follow, but its seems that the border really is a no go zone. Neither Tim nor Tom managed to cross over into each other’s territory. In spite of some fearful calling battles. But what was obvious is that the young ladies on both Tim and Tom’s side feel no such limitation and freely crossed back and forth between the two territories. Much to the delight and the chagrin of both males. Each time a young lass would appear from the other side they were treated very well, and the male sat with them and performed all around the branches. But when one of the wayward locals moved over and returned they got a right royal talking to.
In the end, it’s pretty certain that the only winner in all this is of course, the Gene Pool. Female wrens not being noted for their fidelity, but rather the males end up raising young from other territories. As this seems to have worked down through the years, one can only conclude that they benefit from the excursions.
So Timmy is well in control, well on the way to developing his new tail, and quite capable of bashing out a strong territory song.
Onya Timmy.
Looking like the real deal nowTime for a songWell Hello! Tommy shows his stuffCan you hear me yet!One of many well used singing perchesJust a show of the new appendage. This by the way, is the favourite perch by far.Another favourite spot
On the day of a great feel good story from the Melbourne Cup, I found Timmy on the mend.
I’m not much of a fan of horse racing, but have to admit that the story of Michelle Payne, the wonderful horse Prince of Penzance, her brother as the strapper, and the trainer/connections story is one that fairy tale dreams are made of. See the story here.
Steven the Strapper to qoute the article; “Steven, who has Down syndrome, was responsible for drawing Prince of Penzance’s number one barrier, and correctly predicted the horse would be “in front at 200 metres [to go]“.
And rather than go up market, they have stayed with their roots and enjoyed the evening at a battler’s pub in St Kilda.
Love it when we stay true to our convictions.
Now its not that I don’t like horses, I’ve photographed a few of them in my time, and its not that I don’t enjoy a good day at the races. Love the food, the atmosphere and the excitement of country racing. Just don’t fancy seeing my money going into an endless pit, and watching an endless parade of horses around a track. Now before some one calls me, I really believe that horses love to run. And to run fast, and to jostle and parade. It’s just that I don’t get the gratification thing for humans.
But back to Timmy.
You’ll remember when we left our hero that he was looking a bit down in the wardrobe department with the mysterious departure of his beautiful tail. So we paid him a repeat visit today, and another fairy tale come true.
Timmy has begun to replace the missing wardrobe piece.
Still as active as ever, and just as vocal, and still chasing and harassing the females in his territory. So tailless or not, life has gone on for Timmy. What a great story.
Enjoy
What is that I see behind you. Oh, a tail.There you are. And starting to look a lot better already.No tail, but a big voiceYeah, I know not the most flattering of views, but. Look its a tail.Well done TImmy, a feel good story to warm my old heart.
At first glance all seems well, but on a second take, well, its obvious. Timmy doesn’t have a tail. And there-in lies the tale.
Was working with a pair of Willie Wagtails and had been sitting quietly for perhaps 15 minutes or more as they worked out strategy and tactics for building of their new domicile. If all goes well, expect more of that story.
When suddenly up pops Timmy. And at first glance I thought, “Oh, another Fairy-wren”, but then it was obvious that something wasn’t right.
Happen to be reading “blink: The power of thinking without thinking”, by Malcolm Gladwell. A good book for bird photographers as it suggests that the power of making choices in an instant. Actually its more about the power of marketing, and why we all recognise a can of Coca Cola, even if we don’t drink the stuff.
But, it didn’t seem right. So I looked, and sure enough Timmy is Tail-less. Otherwise a perfectly healthy Male, Superb Fairy-wren, and quite able to defend vocally his territory. Also seems to have a flotilla of females in a bush area some 30m from where I was sitting and they all treat him as usual. (That is giving him lectures from bushes).
So what happened to Timmy? Something disastrous, or is he also helping nesting and has lost his tail in the process, or has he had a bad attack of the moults? Or is its even more complicated. Perhaps someone has some info on what might have happened.
In our backyard, there are two resident Blackbirds. For most of the early part of the season, they seemed to be engaged in battles that were more than courtship, and occasionally I’d see quite a few feathers fly, and find a few on the patio. Now, as they settle to nesting, and don’t seem anywhere near as aggressive, I’ve noted that both of them are tail-less.
Other Blackbirds I’ve seen in the area are well tail endowed, so its just this pair.
Did they manage to pull each one’s tail feathers out in the ensuing battles?
Will keep an eye on Timmy, will be interesting to see if he regrows his glory.
What is wrong with this photo?Timmy the Tail-less is however quite well vocalisedTakes a second to grasp what has happenedBut he is quite busy in territorial dutiesAtta boy Timmy. Even without a tail, you are still the champion
Birds as Poetry —— Just because I WANDER doesn't mean I'm LOST 