Hi everyone, I've lived in Bairnsdale Victoria all my life (50 yrs). I've only ever been a casual observer but I've always enjoyed the birds that visit my garden or fly over my house. I have chronic illness and don't get out much so I enjoy spending time in the garden.
My mother was a bird lover & could do a lot of bird calls, and her family had rescued pet kookaburras back in the 1930's-40's.
The majority of the time I just see common birds but sometimes I see or hear an unusual one and like to try to identify it, and I try my best to get photos. Being in the centre of town I rarely see Rosellas but I saw 2 in my apricot tree recently but unfortunately I wasn't able to get any photos (I didn't want to scare them off by rushing inside to get my camera so I just sat & enjoyed them for the few mins they were there).
In the past few summers there has been an Eastern Koel visiting Bairnsdale. I've never seen it only heard it but I was able to identify its call from searching online & listening to audio samples. Now there's another bird I've seen in recent months that I wasn't familiar with and I did some research tonight and feel sure it's a white-headed pigeon (I have photos).
Hi there Donna. And welcome.
I'm sorry to hear that you're rather confined by your chronic illness but you seem to have put it to good use by observing the birds that come into your world. Having a bird-attracting garden is a real advantage for so many reasons. Have you thought of recording the numbers of each species you see so that, over time, you can see the ebb & flow of bird populations in your area? Besides, data of this kind can often be used by bird boffins in bird-supporting ways. E.g., making a case to your local council for the planting of bird habitats to preserve rare or endangered species in your neighbourhood.
Another South East Gippsland resident here. I’m starting to see birds around Bairnsdale that usually don’t come this far south. This morning it was a white headed pigeon. I’ve also heard the Eastern Koel but never spotted it directly.
Hi Peter. Other Birds in Backyarders have observed the same. Do you have any thoughts on why this might be so?
Hi Woko, I’d guess it’s just a combination of gradual climate shift and changes to the environment (urbanisation, etc).
What’s the general consensus here?
Climate change would seem to be the most likely explanation. I noticed an article in the Fairfax press recently about the spread southwards of tropical conditions - at least in eastern Australia.