A few notes concerning birds
After 4 years we have finally got a good array of flowers on our Red-hot pokers (Kniphofia uvaria). They are proving very attractive to Noisy Friarbirds.
From consulting the Handbook of Australian, New Zealand and Antarctic Birds (HANZAB) it seems most likely that the birds are feeding on the nectar rather than insects that are lurking within the flower spike.
This afternoon I decided to try to get some snaps of Dusky Woodswallows. They rarely visit our garden, but lurk along the ridge line of Whiskers Creek Road swooping off dead branches and powerlines to harvest insects. Presumably the lower grass in the paddocks up there attracts more of the appropriate insects than our property. I managed to get a couple of reasonable snaps.
On the way up to the photo site a Wedgetailed Eagle was soaring overhead and being uncooperative in two ways:
Walking back down after snapping there was a ruckus of Magpies happening in the SE corner of our land. I wondered whether:
I think the small dog was focussed on reptile opportunities (which are NOT permitted) and didn't see the fox. However when we crossed the fox's path she went ballistic and it took some stern words to leave the vicinity.
From consulting the Handbook of Australian, New Zealand and Antarctic Birds (HANZAB) it seems most likely that the birds are feeding on the nectar rather than insects that are lurking within the flower spike.
This afternoon I decided to try to get some snaps of Dusky Woodswallows. They rarely visit our garden, but lurk along the ridge line of Whiskers Creek Road swooping off dead branches and powerlines to harvest insects. Presumably the lower grass in the paddocks up there attracts more of the appropriate insects than our property. I managed to get a couple of reasonable snaps.
On the way up to the photo site a Wedgetailed Eagle was soaring overhead and being uncooperative in two ways:
- It wasn't down on the ground improving the rabbit population; and
- Wasn't staying directly overhead so that a photo could be taken.
Walking back down after snapping there was a ruckus of Magpies happening in the SE corner of our land. I wondered whether:
- the eagle had decided to improve its performance under point 1 above (good); or
- our frogmouth family had roosted up in this area (also good).
I think the small dog was focussed on reptile opportunities (which are NOT permitted) and didn't see the fox. However when we crossed the fox's path she went ballistic and it took some stern words to leave the vicinity.
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