Birds

One of the things we loved when we stayed at Mum's was watching the birds in her bird bath while we were having breakfast.   Because they kept emptying the bath so quickly, we helped Mum set up a new bath at the other end of the verandah. Because he set it up, R decided it was better than the one Mum already had.  But the birds didn't seem to agree.  So, Rodney gave them a prompt:

I'm not completely sure how, but this was the beginning of a wee bit of competition between Mum and R about who has the best birds frequenting their bird bath.  Only, our bird bath is now at our new home and not the second (now second rate!) bird bath R set up at the end of Mum's verandah.   R has delighted in phoning Mum every time we get a new bird in that he thinks she might not have had visiting her.  The biggest win for R was when we spotted Red Eared Firetails which hung out at ours for most of last Summer.   But he has been able to gloat about many other birds as well (lots of which Mum does of course have).  Somehow he still manages to get homemade lamingtons from Mum, freshly made just for him. What the????

We are dangerously close to turning into full blown twitchers I think. We've literally wasted hours just watching the birds splashing around in the baths.  Such a pleasant way to while away time when, really, we should be doing something or other in the garden. Or housework even. Boo hiss to housework I say!!   There's a balance to all things right!  Anyhoo, the birds we've spotted so far (or at least, the ones we've been able to identify) include: Red Eared Firetail, Fantails, Golden Whistlers, Scarlet Robins, New Holland Honeyeaters  (not as many as Mum has, it has to be said), Wattlebirds (not many of those), Splendid Fairy Wrens, Red Tailed Black Cockatoos (which nest in the forest across the road), Western Rosella's, Willie Wagtails, Red Capped Parrot, Varied Sitella, Silver Eyes, White Throated Honeyeater, White Browed (spotted) Scrub Wren, Western Spinebill, Yellow Rumped Hornbill and Western Gerygone. Weevil, Rufous Whistler, Grey Shrike Thrush (Western), Brown Honeyeater, White Naped Honeyeater. and Richard's Pippit (not completely convinced of that last one).  Of course there are the usual suspects in Magpies and Crows.  I love a Magpie chorus at dawn, even when they think dawn is 3 am!!. 

Photographing the birds is easier said than done.  But R has done quite well I think.  Look away now if you find photographs of birdlife boring.   I love the way they get all fluffed up after a bath and there are some great shots of that, amongst other great shots.   

Looks a bit shabby but he has just had a bath.

I'm sure there will be many more photos to come.  Hopefully one will be the elusive Red Eared Fire Tail.  But we've only seen the briefest of glimpses of those this year. So far!! Watch this space.