Although I didn't get any shots that were to my satisfaction today, the experience of wandering through a conservation area was nevertheless very rewarding in terms of sightings. My first ever sighting if a Rufous Whistler was the highlight for me.
I was meant to be watching my daughter play netball but thought I would just check out the area where I had found RB Fairy Wrens once before. This tree was the centre of attraction for heaps of small birds and I was delighted to hear the sounds of the Golden Whistlers, Rufous Whistlers, Mistletoe birds and silver eyes among many others while a beautiful bar shouldered dove looked on from the layer of trees just behind that action.
Here are a few shots :
Silver eye
female Mistletoe bird
Rufous Whistler Male
Mistletoe Bird ( juvenile male???)
I missed the game completely but they did win ( oops!)
Birdie, beautiful birds, fantastic photos!! I love them. I am so jalouse, but most of all, I see the "blue sky", I miss them down here, it is so cold in Melbourne.
M-L
Merci Marie Louise :')
You are too kind, I actually hated the shots as they were not sharp but they come up OK on a small format like this. I was very excited at the amount of calls I heard. You should hitch a ride or a freight train of something and come on up in search of some sunshine LOL
Sunshine Coast Queensland
Nice range of shots Birdie. the mistletoe bird is a good looking little bird and the females look so different.
i too miss the blue skies, which we don't have in melbourne now.
Cheers, Owen.
Yes Owen, let's hitch a ride on that freight train together !!LOL
M-L
I wish Marie-Louise. It would be nice to have warmer and finer weather.
Cheers, Owen.
Well I actually miss having a real winter..... so you can't please everyone can you?
At least we can all share our neighbourhoods on here, seeing as there would be few freight trains going by LOL
Sunshine Coast Queensland
Nice shots Birdie, i think i saw some sunlight briefly today but i might have been mistaken, it's been a while!
Hi Cath and Shane, We went to "Coolart Wetlands" today. A place you like, it was grey and hazy, but still amazing!!! We watched a swamp rat for a long time, that was great!!!! Nice talking to you again, M-L
M-L
Hi Marie-Louise, it's a nice place, did you see the Tawnies?
Unfortunately not, we will have to spend MORE time, when we go back! The Ranger said, it would be good to come early in the morning on a fine day!! We were looking for the black shouldered kites, but no luck either.We will definitely go back. Fantastic place. Sad, they only open from 9-5, would love to go earlier.(Weekends won't be good, because of the tourists?)
M-L
Sounds like you had a great time Adrienne. Wish I were there to see them too. :( Have you any photos of the birds you SMS-ed me that you couldn't work out?
Sorry Akos, that was while we were driving home and no picture was taken. I think it must have been a dove of some sort.
Hey you Melbournians.....quit your whining ;')
we have had our fair share of rain up here this year and as for the cold you will just have to suck it up !!LOL
Sunshine Coast Queensland
We had a beautiful , sunny day today!! But, I had to go to the Dentist ! No birding today! :-( Tomorrow, a heat wave, 16*, LOL
M-L
Alright Birdie, i suppose we are whingeing a bit. We didn't get massive floods so we should be grateful.
Cheers, Owen.
Hey birdie that's really lovely seeing the mistletoe birds eating the fruits. I hope you get the chance to go back while the fruits are there and ripe. It's nice to see a good photo but even nicer to see some behaviour
Nice collection, birdie.
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It's weird, but my first thought on looking at those pics, was "I wonder what the tree is. It must be native if so may birds are feeding on it." Yes, I am a plant nut and bird nut in equal measures. Plus plants don't fly away if you get too close...
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Turns out (from the books) it is probably a Deepwater Rosewood (Disoxylum 'Deepwater'). A medium to large tree (30-40m) grows from Mt Mee north to Deepwater and flowers autumn to winter.
Just so you know. :)
Cheers
Tim
Brisbane
Hey Thank you so much for that Timmo....and you are right I am very interested in what they are attracted to...hence the title of the post :')
It was in a very low lying swampy type area on the edge of a tidal creek conservation area and I returned the next day to fine=d another one on the eastern side of the path . It was in the afternoon so the light was coming from the west and the birds were all on that one at the time enjoying the berries and the sun. Usually when I am out I also take a few shots of the foliage and especially the fruits of trees that I find the birds in. I will remember you next time want to know what they are LOL
I often find the colourful berries make as good a pic as the birds.
Sunshine Coast Queensland