Bird of the Week: 30th September - nesting

Well, I promise not to disturb the nesting birds, but I can't guarantee anything about this guy-

Eurasian Coots

Those Rainbow Bee Eater nests show how carefully we need to tread, shoop.

Noticed today there was alot of activity going on as I kept popping outside to hang the washing. I had a pair of White-cheeked Honeyeaters recently nesting close to my patio in the fenced area away from the dogs . But unfortunally the babies didn't out smart my little Jack Russell Lily ( we won't go there or I will not talk to her for another week and a half ) Anyway ... sad to say the babies are no more and now I have a pair of Honeyeaters ( if not the same ones , who knows? ) who have built another nest slightly closer than the last. All day long I saw them endlessly gathering material for thier nest high up on the wall covered by Ivy. Excited that there are going to be more babies   so, most certainly need go buy a rather large bell to string around one's neck ( Lily) tomorrow . Even tried grooming my old girl Miss Kitty ( our blue heeler cross) and put her fur ball in the tree... Well it was like Xmas when the Honeyeater saw it ... mouth full already and wanting to fit a massive fur ball in as well .

Hahaha yes Lachlan. About 9 years ago our daughter wanted a dog for her birthday so we went to our local pound and got this scared little Blue Heeler X that what was about 8 months old hiding in the end pen behind the door . My daughter had already decided on a name for her dog but her two siblings were not convinced that she looked like a ''Katarina'' . So we all compromised on the name ''KittyKat'' , but most of the time we are formal around here with our pet names and like to put a Miss in front of them ( hehehe) . Ironically the name was a good fit cause I swear she acts likes she is a cat with the weird things she does most of the time. We built a fence in our garden to divide an area for us and the dogs for when we have people over and entertain , the minute we finish the fence and closed the gate , sat back to admire our hard work we had done all day, we saw her do this. What dog sits and walks along a kopper log fence ?  

Ok - so I may have a lot of photos of nests and nesting-related activities, and I haven't posted for a little while, so forgive me if I go overboard a little

Below are some nests in the classic sense of the word. 

Eastern Spinebill raiding a Brown Gergygone nest
Pied Currawong at nest

Ok so next mini theme is the "hollow nest" site
 

Spotted pardalotes will have a look at the hollow - although I usually see them nest in riverbank sides etc

Striated pardalotes it seems also inspect hollows

Tree martins, surprise surprise like tree hollows too

Little Corrella

Eastern Rosella (could have posted this last week too)

Red-rumped parrots

Long-billed corella



 

Ok last one - will go out with a bang. 

Below are pictures from a journey to Antarctica a couple of years ago. Faulkland Islands and South Georgia were also on the way.

Black-browed albatross and rockhopper penguins nesting on Faulkland Islands

Black-browed albatross on Faulkland Islands (my favourite)

Heron species on Faulkland Islands nesting 

King Penguin collony on South Georgia 

Gentoo Penguins on South Georgia

Gentoo Penguin in Antarctica - when it comes to nest building and rituals associated with it, rocks are very important comodities 

Gento Penguin with egg

Chinstrap Penguin

Adelie Penguin - again with stones

 

Thanks Shoop

I have a few photos in my archive, but I don't get time to post often, so I hope I didn't go too overboard this week. 

Loved your photos too - especially the one of Miss Kitty hehe
 

Williewagtails

Where is everyone's photos?  I feel a tad shelfish here guysAustralian White Ibis

Nests in general

Here are some Pardalote pics

The first photo and the last photo are this years babies, they fleged last month.

The parents are looking at the nest again, and I think that they want to have a second batch! They didn't have to build the nest this year, because they used their one from last year. So instead of having to use August and September to build their nest, as they did last year; they have time for to lots of babys

The Pardalote nest in in a small cave of this clay. They tried about three different holes before choosing this one. The stick is a root growing out from the roof

Aww shoop, I am so envious.  I just never seem to "find" nests , I look & I look (carefully of course), but....such beautiful shots.  Look at that Australian White Ibis chick, so cute!!!!

davethewonder, you are a wonder mate !  Amazing amazing shots there, I am just gobsmacked!

Might be days before I stop drooling over some of these shots everyone!!

I have only two  to share.

Little Wattlebird

I was sitting on the river bank behind a tree & reeds, spying on some approaching ducks, when a very very close eye caught my...eye .  I had absolutely no idea this poor lady/gent was nesting so close by, so apologised and got out of there as fast as I dared.  I was surprised that this nest was so far above the water line in a tree, around 2m+.  Perhaps they were being extra cautious due to the recent high rainfall & the resulting higher than normal water levels?  A good lesson to be more cautious myself!

Tasmanian Native Hen

So many lovely shots, I had to go back through again for another look!  M-L in that second shot his eyes almost look like they're pleading with her to like his grass offering, , lovely series.  They do have beautiful eyes Elsie, not too shabby for a "Turbo Chook", haha.  Did your heart just melt taking those swallow shots?  Mine did looking at them - look at those round little cherubic faces in that second shot, just waiting for meals on wings to arrive .  Really lovely, all of these.