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Notes from the birdbath..

In the garden, in the shade of a big Correa glabra there is a shallow terracotta water dish that holds 20 mm of water when full, and it is extremely popular with the smaller birds for both drinking and bathing. Sometimes a number of birds are waiting for their turn, or muscling in to jump the queue. We wonder why it is so when the weather is so dull and cold! Brown Thornbills and Eastern Spinebills are the keenest bathers, but recently a lone Silvereye with the rich chestnut flanks of the Tasmanian variety came to the dish on several occasions.

brown thornbill


silvereye


silvereye


silvereye

This made us think that there must be more about and acting on a hunch after the last sighting I walked to the large berry-laden Cotoneaster and there they were, a small flock gorging on the ripe red fruit. With the ISO rating bumped up to cope with the dull light and bird movement I managed a few keepers, this was one.

silvereyes

Two large Burrendong Beauty hakeas in the garden are in spectacular full flower, and the next evening the flock descended on them to feed. Unfortunately the light was too poor to catch them but here’s the hakea anyway…..

burrendong beauty

Click to enlarge.

A flurry of birds.

In the space of about three minutes on a cold blustery day, ten species of native bird mobbed the area around the bird baths, with all except the first two in the list having a dip. Willie Wagtail, Grey Fantail, New Holland, Eastern Spinebill, Silvereye, Grey Thrush, Blue Wren, Brown Thornbill, Yellow Thornbill, and Scarlet Robin. Speaking of the latter, we’ve had the pair around for the longest time ever, absolutely delightful.

scarlet robin


scarlet robin

Click to enlarge

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