Gidday Bushy, that would be the best shot I have seen of a Pale head mate.
Top shot,well done and if you don't mind me asking,what part of QLD are you in?
Now I am green with envy.
Great shot bushy, top detail.
I see them and hear them but always from a distance. how did you get so close as they are usually quite shy around here.
From Bundaberg Tassie, might be the fumes from the destillery that make the rosella's a bit calmer. I think I just got lucky with that one, it was pretty engrossed in it's eating and I cropped the shot a bit (a lot) before posting. Thanks for the comments.
Hey Bushy, just looking at your shot again and I realized I have never seen a Pale Head feeding anywhere else but on the ground and believe me, I have seen heaps of them over the years, so your image is rather unique in my opinion.
I tend to think that they might be looking for other food sources now that that the ground all around QLD is so dry and devoid of there natural food source of grass seeds,in fact I have not seen this state so dry since the drought of the 90's.
It would be interesting to hear from anyone else on this forum who may have seen Pale Heads feeding on Nectar.
I see your from Bundy, I will be going past there on my way back from Brissy on Tuesday,I will give you a wave...lol.
Hi Tassie
You are right. They are primarily seed eaters.
.
Lorikeets are specialist nectar feeders, and have a specially adapted tongue for that purpose. But not Rosellas.
You are right to comment on unusual behaviour.
.
Might be because of dry conditions. Certainly many fires bear out that theory.
Cheers
Denis
Not sure how often they feed on nectar but I suppose the dry conditions would be one explaination. I'll keep an eye out for you on the road Tuesday Tassie, I'll be taking a much smaller office than yours to H/Bay and Maryborough for the day. I usually do Fridays but will be doing tuesday as well this week.Might even spot the brolgas again. I have seen a couple in the way into Maryborough lately..
This is a really interesting post. I just responded to Birdgirl's photos of the scaleys, saying that I've never seen them on the ground. Then I come to this post and read about people never having seen Pale-headed Rosellas in trees.
I've been seeing Pales in Brisbane for over 10 years, and I always see them in trees, usually some type of eucalyptus, I think. I'm not sure that I've ever seen them on the ground. Interesting.
Gidday Andy, I thought I might define what I meant.
I have seen them in trees to, the point I was making is that Pale Heads are not classed as nectar feeding birds, in addition all of the ones I have seen "Feed" on the ground on grass seed.
You are right in what you have said,they do spend a lot of time in trees,however to the best of my knowledge they are not known to feed in trees.
Cheers.
There are crepe myrtle trees in my Brisbane backyard (Planted by my parents before planting natives came into vogue). Pale headed rosellas regularly visit to feed in these trees when the seeds are ready.
Sue
Interesting post. Last year I had the PH rosellas locally feeding on the grass seeds in a nearby vacant blocks, but I haven't seem them thi syear yet. I have heard them chirruping in the trees but they are not feeding at ground level here it would seem.
Lovely photo - it is a very pretty rosella
Gidday Bushy, that would be the best shot I have seen of a Pale head mate.
Top shot,well done and if you don't mind me asking,what part of QLD are you in?
Now I am green with envy.
Great shot bushy, top detail.
I see them and hear them but always from a distance. how did you get so close as they are usually quite shy around here.
Cheers
Birdie
Sunshine Coast Queensland
From Bundaberg Tassie, might be the fumes from the destillery that make the rosella's a bit calmer. I think I just got lucky with that one, it was pretty engrossed in it's eating and I cropped the shot a bit (a lot) before posting. Thanks for the comments.
See Yez
Trev
Hey Bushy, just looking at your shot again and I realized I have never seen a Pale Head feeding anywhere else but on the ground and believe me, I have seen heaps of them over the years, so your image is rather unique in my opinion.
I tend to think that they might be looking for other food sources now that that the ground all around QLD is so dry and devoid of there natural food source of grass seeds,in fact I have not seen this state so dry since the drought of the 90's.
It would be interesting to hear from anyone else on this forum who may have seen Pale Heads feeding on Nectar.
I see your from Bundy, I will be going past there on my way back from Brissy on Tuesday,I will give you a wave...lol.
Hi Tassie
You are right. They are primarily seed eaters.
.
Lorikeets are specialist nectar feeders, and have a specially adapted tongue for that purpose. But not Rosellas.
You are right to comment on unusual behaviour.
.
Might be because of dry conditions. Certainly many fires bear out that theory.
Cheers
Denis
Denis Wilson
www.peonyden.blogspot.com
Not sure how often they feed on nectar but I suppose the dry conditions would be one explaination. I'll keep an eye out for you on the road Tuesday Tassie, I'll be taking a much smaller office than yours to H/Bay and Maryborough for the day. I usually do Fridays but will be doing tuesday as well this week.Might even spot the brolgas again. I have seen a couple in the way into Maryborough lately..
See Yez
Trev
Hi all,
This is a really interesting post. I just responded to Birdgirl's photos of the scaleys, saying that I've never seen them on the ground. Then I come to this post and read about people never having seen Pale-headed Rosellas in trees.
I've been seeing Pales in Brisbane for over 10 years, and I always see them in trees, usually some type of eucalyptus, I think. I'm not sure that I've ever seen them on the ground. Interesting.
Lovely photo.
Andy.
Gidday Andy, I thought I might define what I meant.
I have seen them in trees to, the point I was making is that Pale Heads are not classed as nectar feeding birds, in addition all of the ones I have seen "Feed" on the ground on grass seed.
You are right in what you have said,they do spend a lot of time in trees,however to the best of my knowledge they are not known to feed in trees.
Cheers.
There are crepe myrtle trees in my Brisbane backyard (Planted by my parents before planting natives came into vogue). Pale headed rosellas regularly visit to feed in these trees when the seeds are ready.
Sue
Interesting post. Last year I had the PH rosellas locally feeding on the grass seeds in a nearby vacant blocks, but I haven't seem them thi syear yet. I have heard them chirruping in the trees but they are not feeding at ground level here it would seem.
Cheers
Birdie
Sunshine Coast Queensland