Roos & Rosellas

Here is a final "wrap" following a recent afternoon visit to Candlebark Reserve on the Yarra River in Templestowe, one of Melbourne's bushier suburbs.

The trail passes between the Yarra River and Petty's Orchards. I was surprised to find a large mob of wild Eastern Grey Kangaroo lounging among the rows of apple trees.

With the impressive scientific name Macropus giganteus Eastern Grey Kangaroo may feel they have every right to recline wherever and whenever they like!  

iPhone shot of a wintry day in the orchard 

"But where are the birds?"

"Yeah, where are the birds?"

"There are usually birds here somewhere."

"There's one over here mate!" pointed out a massive male roo gesturing towards a Magpie-lark

And there was certainly plenty to interest a birder on this slightly grey day (see also two other posts from this same afternoon featuring Rainbow lorikeets and Australasian darter). Rosellas in particular were providing some colour...

Eastern rosella (I suspect the male at right), also in Paddy's Orchards but taken from the Yarra Trail 

Eastern rosella enjoying seeds from winter grasses

Crimson rosella. Unclear from this photo but "left-handed" is usually the case!

Read more about "handedness" in birds here.

Crimson rosella developing adult plumage (will lose the green and become a magnificent crimson and blue parrot) 

Australian king-parrot

Next are some images of the many Common bronzewings that I came across. I was getting frustrated as I kept inadvertently flushing these guys without seeing them first. Finally I started getting a few shots shown here. The last two are more in keeping with the adult male plumage (small thumbnails, but some nice colours here if you care to click for the larger versions).

Noisy miner on the orchard fence

A young-looking Grey butcherbird 

I don't think I've held my camera to the introduced European starling before - but my, what colour!

Back to the river for some water birds. We have here Little black and Little pied cormorants, Wood duck and Dusky moorhen (swimming with the milk bottle).

A large feral domestic duck-thing and a Chestnut teal

This bend appears to be a favoured roost for cormorants and darter.
I have also seen Azure kingfisher here. I will be back!!

The remaining shots show a little of the locale. The trail is part of the Main Yarra Trail which caters for pedestrians, dog walkers and cyclists. Yes, there is company!

The views depict the good and not-so-good of suburban bushland. One continually comes across rubbish (particularly in the river), weeds, and erosion. On the other hand there is evidence of improvements to accessibility with good trails (including boardwalks) and areas with fresh plantings of native vegetation.

Wombat hole at left (there were many!). Yarra River at right

Sharing with Wild Bird Wednesday

Bird on!

The fairy-wren, the honeyeater and the finch

We have just enjoyed a long weekend of winter sunshine in Victoria.

I didn't do any birding at the weekend but these three birds did some "peopling" by visiting the backyard at Silverleaves, Phillip Island.

Superb fairy-wren (male). I was interested to see such a brightly coloured male at this time of year (our winter). Do click on the images to follow the larger versions of these thumbnails.

The female Superb fairy-wren is often referred to as a Jenny-wren

Eastern spinebill (Adult male)

The Eastern spinebill (Acanthorhynchus tenuirostris) is a handsome honeyeater of eastern Australia. This one was demonstrating its ability to hover briefly while feeding (not captured unfortunately!). The last image of the spinebill was taken through a flywire screen. The only reason it has been included is that where the sunlight reflects off the bird's eye, the flywire has created a cross-shaped flare!

The spectacle I enjoyed most was watching this Red-browed finch Neochmia temporalis.

Red-browed finch, Silverleaves, Phillip Island, Vic

One became two ....

Two became three, which soon became four ...

Here is a photo showing 10 of the 15 birds I counted.

Red-browed finch

The other red object in the shot above serves to remind that the photo was taken in the Australian Rules Football-mad state of Victoria. This reminds me of the excellent start to the weekend as Friday night was spent at the footy. My son and I travelled with interstate rellos Banjo and Richard (of Richard Waring's Birds of Australia fame) to the MCG witnessing a great game between Essendon and Carlton.

The teams warm up at the "G". Thanks Rich for a great night and a fun result!

The footy experience continued with a half time kick at the local country game on Saturday (Phillip Island)

GO BOMBERS & Bird on!

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Rainbow lorikeets nest-building

I have learnt not to ignore the sound of beak on wood.

Hearing the sound of something working away at a branch or bark had me scanning the canopy at Candlebark Reserve the other day. In my mind I'm always about to see Crested shrike-tit!

On this occasion I eventually found the source of the noise which was a pair of Rainbow lorikeets (Trichoglossus haematodus) taking it in turns to work on a potential nesting site.

Rainbow lorikeet, Candlebark Reserve. "Lorikeet A"

"Lorikeet A" continues to dig away at the hollow releasing small bits of chewed up wood below.

"Lorikeet A" clambers out while "B" inspects the progress

"Oh you've missed a bit"

"Lorikeet B" adjusts things while "A" preens (always fascinated to see the Rainbow lorikeet black underwing)

"Aahh, I hate getting sawdust in my eyes"

In Victoria we are well supplied with tree hollows of this size and the Rainbow lorikeets seem to do well. It is the larger hollows of older growth forests that are sought by the larger cockatoos and owls which are causing trouble for these birds.

Sharing with Wild Bird Wednesday

Bird on!