I am lucky to live on five acres in Western Sydney. I have been taking a combined interest in gardening and birding over the last few years which results in me gardening for the birds!
I have photographed 43 species in our yard so far and this week photographed three birds that were new to my list of 'birds photographed in our yard'. They were the Australian Hobby, the Olive-backed Oriole, and Red Wattlebird.
I keep trying to get better and better photos of each species whenever possible because eventually I want to create a giant montage for our loungeroom of birds in our yard. My first priority is to get a photo of as many species as possible and my second priority is to get better photos whenever I can so birds I have photographed many times before I still photograph again.
Here are some of my recent better photos of the birds in our yard.
You mentioned in a recent post that you could see the frightening (or some such word) sight of Penrith expanding towards you. I have a similar horrific sight as Mt Barker creeps ever closer. Lots of my neighbours have revegetated their blocks with indigenous vegetation so it will be devastating for our local wildlife if the suburbanization of the countryside results in all manner of feral plants being planted. Wollemi, are there any signs of your neighbours following your excellent example?
Sadly Woko,
I see more people cutting trees down, clearing shrubs and underbrush, and not giving one damn hoot about the effects of their actions on the native animals and birds.
I talk to as many people as I come into contact with about the importance of restoring and maintaining the native animals habitat but sadly it has no impact as many of them are more interested in the manicured lawn and palm trees!
Next Sunday is my daughter's birthday and I have decided that all of the guests will go home with a native plant to put in their yard and will all receive some information about the importance of habitat.
Happy Birding!
https://www.flickr.com/photos/138588528@N02/
43 and growing is a great total - nice photos of those lovely colorful little birds.
Here are a few more photos of birds in our yard.
Happy Birding!
https://www.flickr.com/photos/138588528@N02/
Lovely collection of birds in your yard there Wollemi. Thanks
Thanks Rick
Here are a few more from our yard. I am forever impressed with how many kinds of birds visit our yard.
Happy Birding!
https://www.flickr.com/photos/138588528@N02/
Nice idea about the gift of a native plant to the guests at your daughter's party, Wollemi.
I used to write a column for the local newsletter & like to think that had some impact on local landholders planting lots of indigenous vegetation on their blocks. I've toyed with the idea of placing on local supermarket notice boards photos of birds which visit my place, informing people that if they want Golden Whistlers they need to plant xyz, if they want Superb Fairy Wrens then need to plant abc. Flyers of this type could be placed in local letter boxes & left at the local library.
Although it seems that words about the importance of planting native vegetation fall on dead brains, it's surprising how much eventually filters through. I was amazed to hear my mate, who is as anti- natural environment as one could wish, impress on someone the importance of planting indigenous vegetation. Providing a good model by your own actions together with a softly, softly provision of information can often bring about long term environmental benefits from individuals.
Woko,
it is a long slow process to get people to really understand the importance of native habitat. I think your idea of pairing up the plant with the birds it attracts is a great idea.
In our area the red-browed finches nest in both the ti tree and the hakea trees.
The superb fairy wrens live and nest in the ti tree, and they are often playing in the lawn nearby and in the canopy of the gum trees.
The golden and rufous whistlers and the yellow thornbills are often seen in the canopy of the gum trees.
We seem to have a few sub-habitat types in our yard and different birds visit different areas. So yes to let people know how to attract the birds they want by planting the right habitat plants would be excellent.
Happy Birding!
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Great read guys.
Wollemi you are very blessed to have such an array of birdlife in your backyard.
Cheers
Devster
Thanks Devster,
I feel blessed by nature to have the opportunity to see so many birds right on my doorstep. I feel blessed by my daughter that I can live with her and work on the property to increase the habitat for the birds, I figure most of the big and gregarious birds in our district have a fair bit of habitat still for now, it is the little more timid birds that I really want to provide habitat for to encourage their presence here.
I visited our local Greening Australia nursery today and have organised for them o give me a quote on the plants I am looking for to continue our work here, and I am expecting a delivery from www.allnatives.com.au this week as well.
Sadly a lot of the top soil here was ripped up and sold off years ago before the area was developed, so it is hard to convince the local native plants to grow and we have a lot of plant losses but bit by bit we are getting there.
Regards
Wollemi
Happy Birding!
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It's really interesting to learn of the histories of properties where people such as you, Wollemi, are doing ecological restoration. The issues those histories present are many & varied. How very sad that top soil was "ripped off". I imagine that it's now supporting a variety of introduced plants which provide little or no habitat for our wildlife. How very sad.
However, I'm full of admiration for your persistence in trying to grow local species. The restoration of your topsoil will take many, many years but allowing the plant litter to decay is a wonderful way of enabling its return. It's such a shame that getting rid of our natural environment takes a few moments but restoring it can take aeons as well as a lot of patience, a vanishing commodity in our helter skelter, mad cap, frantic, ulcerated society.
Woko,
this year we finally got our mulcher so when branches fall as they sometimes do or when I get round to pruning we can make the branches usable by the earth so much faster now. Any branch too large to mulh becomes a garden edging or a when really big become a feature in a garden area. So we have a lot of natural litter slowly improving the soil, section by section. With native grasses replacing the african love grass we will see even more results.
I enjoy what I do, but wish I had had the chance to start it all many years earlier.
my patience is tested often, but not by birds or plants! Only people can really test my patience and I tend to have less of it for them as I get older.
Happy Birding!
https://www.flickr.com/photos/138588528@N02/
Today's assortment includes the two birds that brought my "In our Yard" count of species photographed here to 45! The Yellow-tailed Black Cockatoo and the Grey Butcherbird along with what I think is a pretty good photo of a Willie Wagtail I snapped today as he was telling the Yellow-tailed Black Cockatoos to move on out of his territory.
I am surprised by how the count of species I have photographed here just keeps rising. I am enjoying the challenge.
Happy Birding!
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Great additions to your bird count .... nice pics
Wollemi, we can regret not beginning ecological restoration earlier but regret is really a wasted emotion. It changes nothing. I'm thankful that I started restoration work when I did in 1987. I could be just starting out now.
Great thread Wollemi. Loved your pictures and your aim in doing them.
I liked your goal of a montage for the wall - I might borrow that suggestion one day! I once did a small A4 sized one to put in a frame for a friend but never attempted anything bigger. Great idea.
I'm doing pretty much the same as you are - except that we are on 4.5 acres in the Perth Hills in WA. I don't get many travel opportunities now so the birds mostly have to come to me. My goal is to try and catalogue the birds that either live here or visit us and, like you, slowly improve the quality of the shots. I'm also trying to document some of the wildflowers and the other creatures.
To that end, I've been building a small Home Page style website so that I can share the pictures with friends and family, who are now scattered around the world. We have also been planting a few bird friendly native plants and it's starting to pay off with the small birds coming in to feed.
Impressed by your total of 43! I'm nowhere near that count, but it is creeping up, probably in part because I'm geting more observant now.
All the best with the project. Chris
Thanks, Whistling Duck!
Woko, you are so right that regret is a useless emotion and a waste of energy. I am glad that I have started the regeneration and it is paying off!
Hi Chris, I am glad that there are people in all parts of Aus doing their little bit to regenerate the native plants and also keeping track of the birds that visit their little corner of the world. When I started photographing the birds in our yard I did not expect to get anywhere near this many birds, and my total is now 46 with my latest additions of the Black Cockatoo, Grey Butcherbird, and todays addition of Australian King Parrot. I really thought I would be waiting decades to be able to photograph so many birds, but it has only been a couple of years.
It is really interesting to record by photo as many birds as you can in one place. By dating each photo I am getting to understand the movements of the more nomadic and migratory birds and I have to say I am thrilled when I happen upon a nest or see birds disappearing down a hollow in one of the trees here.
I used to think that you would need hundreds or thousands of acres to make any kind of difference, but this last few years of planting natives and seeing more birds come in and just paying more attention, as photography requires of us, to the birds shows that five acres can make a difference and I am now more confident that every suburban backyard can make a difference to the survival of our many wonderful species. We just need to get the message through to the people in the suburbs.
It will be a wonderful day when all town planners have to incorporate bird friendly planning in all of their plans and all land holders are required to maintain at least a percentage of native plants on their land.
Kind Regards
Wollemi
Happy Birding!
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It's interesting that there are proclaimed plants which we're not permitted to plant but there are no regulations about plants which we perhaps should be required to plant.
And I like your idea of town planners incorporating bird friendly plants in their planning. I'd go further & suggest that indigenous vegetation should be a significant part of town planning.
Hi Woko,
I would go as far as saying that the town planners need to incorporate more than bird friendly plants in their plans, but actually be required to consult with local ornithology groups, as well as local wildlife groups concerning the needs of local native fauna and that they have to incorporate that in their plans for every corner of the area they plan for and that these requirements take precendence over the wishes of developers.
The requirement of having a few native plants around would not make such a great difference, it is the requirement to take all of the fauna's needs into account that would make a difference. Planting needs to include the layered native planting of understorey including the layers of mulch that provide homes, food, and hibernation places for our fauna.
Such things as the use of non-reflective glass or some means of making windows visible to birds, far too many birds die from window collisions or are subsequently euthanised because of the ongoing issues with head/neck injury. I would like to see such things as 500m wide nature reserves between present development and planned development, so that all new suburbs are surrounded by an area that is reserved for our native animals.
There are requirements for farmers to leave fallen timber, and to allow certain areas to remain untouched, but such requirements are not made of private residential and small land area owners, other than the requirement to not fall trees, and a tree on its own has only limited use to birds and animals.
I would like to see all present powerlines gradually buried underground to avoid the thousands of bird, possum, glider and bat deaths every year from powerlines.
Wind turbines need to be completely redesigned to prevent the deaths of birds and bats that fy into the fan heads and are killed because they do not see them.
The termination of all fracking would be ideal. The damage this does to underground water table is just not worth the risk.
Ahh but I dream of a far more perfect world than the one we live in.
Happy Birding!
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I agree, but it's very difficult to compel people to do things. Although I sometime think that the most effective conservation tool would be a widely applied vasectomy knife, I can't see it being wielded by government decree just yet! We do need to find some way of reducing what seems to be an explosion of human population. But it's a natural instinct for all creatures to breed, raise families and fight for territory, so I guess we can hardly expect our own species to be much different.
It's not all doom and gloom though. Our local Shire gives away thousands of native trees and shrubs every year and encourages planting. You can can put your name down for a selection and the allowances are generous. The Tree Canopy and Understorey Program is now over 25 years old. It's run by the Shire but, like many good programs, it's well supported by enthusiastic volunteers.
www.mundaring.wa.gov.au/ResidentServices/Environment/Pages/TreeCanopyProgram.aspx
Do many Shires have similar programs now?
Great ideas, Wollemi. Reducing the impact of human disturbance on our wildlife is critical to the long run health of all species, including Homo sapiens.
Chris, there are many examples of compulsion. E.g., we're compelled in Australia to drive on the left hand side of the road, cigarette manufacturers are now compelled to have plain packaging & I'm compelled to have a qualified electrician do my electrical repairs. So, I don't see that it's any different to require people to plant appropriate species in their gardens in order to conserve water & retore natural habitats. Some would call this a nanny state but what could be more nannyish than continuing to plant species from the mother country?
On the question of overpopulation, I believe that eventually our species' numbers will be reduced because we won't have sufficient resources to sustain ever-booming numbers. The carrying capacity of Earth is surely close to its limit. Unfortunately, I don't see that those humans who are in control of the really big decisions about life & death for our species are wise or far-seeing enough to take the action required to avoid the inevitable pain associated with the over-stretched natural resources on which we depend. This has been clearly demonstrated so far in relation to climate change, probably the biggest issue of them all.
There are indeed pockets of hope & these need to be supported & built on in order to keep that hope alive. It's absolutely imperative for any future our species might have for people not to give in or up but to keep chipping away & providing alternatives to the crass conventional wisdom idiocy of economic growth & natural resources exploitation that currently governs our planet.
Your local shire & its volunteers are to be commended for the native trees & shrubs programme. I hope that in keeping with this the shire has banned all fracking for gas & mining for coal from its territory. In SA Trees for Life has an extensive programme of volunteers who grow indigenous vegetation for farms etc as well as a corps of volunteer teams involved in Bush for Life which restores patches of native vegetation through minimum disturbance bush care techniques. No doubt there are areas of Australia where others are doing similar good environmental things. Looming over all these wonderful works are the short-term profiteers from Earth-wrecking who need to be resisted at every turn. The Shut the Gate alliance between farmers & conservationists in NSW is an example of how this can occur. Progress might well be slow but progress is progress.
Yes, Woko,
I get frustrated that we, as a society, have so much accumulated knowledge and if it was all used sensibly and planned in advance we could make our country a much better place. It seems that Big Corp gets more say than science, good sense, good health and good education does. Money is not that important.
Happy Birding!
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Some more of the birds in our yard.
Happy Birding!
https://www.flickr.com/photos/138588528@N02/
Amazing stuff. Wish we got 43 in our yard. Lucky that for the past few years an Eastern Spinebill hangs around and feeds in our grevillea and bottlebrush. Sometimes I see or hear a Spotted Pardalote. Every now and then we get a Blue-faced Honeyeater. They breed somewhere nearby as I photographed a juvenile in the backyard about a year or so ago.
Love the Striated Pardalote using the swallow's nest. That's fantastic. Can you let me know next time that happens?
Also, still need to come and meet Trevor and catch up with you. Been a long time. :)
Hi Canonguy,
You really inspired me to keep photographing birds in our yard when you came to visit.
Your suggestion of making sure every photo has its ID the date it was taken has paid off in little ways like I know that the yellow-faced honeyeaters were in our yard on the 5th October last year and the 6 of april this year, so I know to keep an eye out for them from late September onwards, and again in late March (allowing for variation in the migration).
I will let you know if the striated pardalotes nest in the swallows nest again, for sure. They were the noisiest babies no chance we will miss them if it happens again.
You are welcome here any time!
Happy Birding!
https://www.flickr.com/photos/138588528@N02/
Latest Captures in our yard!
Happy Birding!
https://www.flickr.com/photos/138588528@N02/
Is that Little Lorikeet in a hollow by chance?
Hi Canonguy,
He and his mate were checking out the tree but got chased off by the common mynah who nests in the same tree
Happy Birding!
https://www.flickr.com/photos/138588528@N02/
Beautiful neck of the woods you've got there, Wollemi. Lovely pics.
Thank you Ungb!
It is a lovely place to live, and it never ceases to amaze me just how many species of bird find some use for five acres. I am so pleased to have the opportunity to record just what birds do visit and which ones make their nests here too.
Happy Birding!
https://www.flickr.com/photos/138588528@N02/
Hi Wollemi you are very lucky to have 5 acres of land all for you to birdwatch on. I have a property of around 2 acres and am lucky to have seen every one of those birds you posted except the white winged triller and the straighted pardalote. We have a similar property and similar birds because i live in south western sydney in Cambletown. Amazingly i just counted how many birds i've seen in my yard and it was 43 also!!! Im sure you've got even more than that now already though!
William.S
Hi William,
On our property, to date, I have identified 72 species of birds over a 2 year period, and I have photographed 46 species.
It is great to have five acres. I feel very blessed to have so many bird species visit us and in return I am busily planting lots of native trees, shrubs, grasses and ground covers to provide more habitat and also to prepare for the day our big old gum trees do fall (probably another 100 years) so that there will be trees growing up to replace them.
Canonguy,
The Little Lorikeet lovers are hanging around and investigating the front yard gum trees again. They were seen two days ago and again today. We are trying to not be too in their space and just let them settle on a hollow that suits them.. If that happens we will let you know.
:)
Wollemi
Happy Birding!
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Thats alot of birds on your property.
In the plans to move to a few acres (say 10-20 next to bushland or joining creek etc) in near future and one of the things im looking forward to is planting native trees and plants and attracted birdlife.
Bet the camera gets a workout. The striated Pardolate and Little lorikeet are ones i have yet to photograph.
Link to my Flickr Account
http://www.flickr.com/photos/14869355@N07/
Hi vas. I'm most interested to learn about your plans for planting native trees & plants next to bushland or a creek line. As part of these plans are you intending to use trees & plants which occur in the bushland or along the creek line? Or are you planning to plant species which are non-indigenous? Have you thought about creating conditions on your property which will enable the plant species in the bushland to regenerate on your property thereby saving you lots of money & extending the area covered by the bushland?
Hi Woko
To be honest it will probably be impossible to give you detailed plans until the time comes when we have found that acreage to be honest. We would naturally have to adapt to the climate, sunlight etc etc. We are still hunting in colo, kurrajong, bilpin, blaxlands ridge, cattai, glenorie areas and the property basically needs to have fast internet available as we rely on being online for our business.
Basically the garden i would want to build is around the clearings (we like properties that have a few acres cleared and the rest bushland)and close to the house site.
I would like a full native garden (banskia's, grevillea's, native headges with sandstone rocks and pond etc with shade and fern trees etc , planted in the kind of native styles you see at the mount tomah botanic gardens and the type of trees, plants etc but even that will depend on sunlight, position of house site etc.
I wouldn't really bother planting in the already non cleared and any stream, dam or creeks the property may have. This would normally be pretty untouched bushland from properties we have seen but it wouldn't hurt to get rid of pest trees,plants like willows etc.
When the day comes, hopefully we find land in the next year i can let u know what my plans would be more precisly. The only thing i can go off for now is i want everything native and to be bird friendly as possible.
regards, Vas
Link to my Flickr Account
http://www.flickr.com/photos/14869355@N07/
Thanks, vas.
I've been planting native vegetation which is, as far as I can tell, naturally local to my area for several reasons.
As well as planting local species I've been doing minimum disturbance bushcare to encourage the local grasses, herbs & other plants to regenerate thus restoring as full a complement as possible of plants that would have grown here before land clearing started.
Excited!
my 73rd species to identify in our yard and 47th to photograph is the Musk Lorikeet. I thought I was photographing Little Lorikeets but they were fairly high up and a distance from me so it was no until I put the photos on the camera that I saw the one bird I did capture in photographs is a musk lorikeet. There were two pairs flying around landing in the trees and looking at hollows. I only managed photos of one of the birds.
Happy Birding!
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