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By Sue Woolley
OUTSIDE our four walls is a wonderland of nature constantly enticing me. I walk daily in the local Wonthaggi area, and make the walk more interesting and fun by counting and recording the birds along the way, enjoying their antics and looking out for those elusive less common birds. Exercise for the body and the mind!
It’s a fascinating and rewarding hobby that involves quite a bit of detective work. First, you need to look for birds and then try to recognise them from their shape, size and colour. You will be surprised how many birds you already know, such as kookaburras, galahs, fairy wrens, rainbow lorikeets, blackbirds, cockatoos and robins.
OUTSIDE our four walls is a wonderland of nature constantly enticing me. I walk daily in the local Wonthaggi area, and make the walk more interesting and fun by counting and recording the birds along the way, enjoying their antics and looking out for those elusive less common birds. Exercise for the body and the mind!
It’s a fascinating and rewarding hobby that involves quite a bit of detective work. First, you need to look for birds and then try to recognise them from their shape, size and colour. You will be surprised how many birds you already know, such as kookaburras, galahs, fairy wrens, rainbow lorikeets, blackbirds, cockatoos and robins.
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By Liane Arno
IT WON’T take many guesses for you to work out why we named our newly purchased home, Blackberry House. The blackberry canes completely covered the quarter acre block.
They crept up over the enormous fig tree in the back yard as they sought the sun and crested at around 4 metres off the ground.
On quite a steep block, we looked out from the back verandah and thought that the blackberries stopped at the shed we could see poking out the back. A shed we thought was on the next door property – but no, it was on ours – but there was no way we could reach it without machete in hand! It was something out of Sleeping Beauty.
IT WON’T take many guesses for you to work out why we named our newly purchased home, Blackberry House. The blackberry canes completely covered the quarter acre block.
They crept up over the enormous fig tree in the back yard as they sought the sun and crested at around 4 metres off the ground.
On quite a steep block, we looked out from the back verandah and thought that the blackberries stopped at the shed we could see poking out the back. A shed we thought was on the next door property – but no, it was on ours – but there was no way we could reach it without machete in hand! It was something out of Sleeping Beauty.
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By Catherine Watson
A FRIEND first alerted me to David Hartney and his newsletter. “There’s a chap here who’s a birder and photographer,” Jenny wrote. “I think you should have a look at what he’s doing.”
She emailed me several editions of Cape Chatter, which David has been compiling since he arrived to live at The Cape just over a year ago.
Cape Chatter is full of brilliant photos and descriptions of the wildlife – particularly the birds – around the eco village. In the most recent edition, number 18, David comments that he’s just recorded his 99th bird species in less than 12 months
A FRIEND first alerted me to David Hartney and his newsletter. “There’s a chap here who’s a birder and photographer,” Jenny wrote. “I think you should have a look at what he’s doing.”
She emailed me several editions of Cape Chatter, which David has been compiling since he arrived to live at The Cape just over a year ago.
Cape Chatter is full of brilliant photos and descriptions of the wildlife – particularly the birds – around the eco village. In the most recent edition, number 18, David comments that he’s just recorded his 99th bird species in less than 12 months
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In troubled times, Patsy Hunt turns to the comfort of a garden alive with birds.
I The residents
March 20, 2020 – If you have a supply of water and a garden that provides a food supply the birds will come.
March 20, 2020 – If you have a supply of water and a garden that provides a food supply the birds will come.
III The visitors
May 15, 2020 - The koalas are gone from Cowes, writes Patsy Hunt, but so far the birds are hanging in there, thanks to people who still treasure their gardens.
May 15, 2020 - The koalas are gone from Cowes, writes Patsy Hunt, but so far the birds are hanging in there, thanks to people who still treasure their gardens.
V Occasional visitors
July 17, 2020 - Patsy Hunt celebrates occasional visitors to the garden: the silvereye, the brown goshawk, the yellow-tailed black cockatoo and the powerful owl.
July 17, 2020 - Patsy Hunt celebrates occasional visitors to the garden: the silvereye, the brown goshawk, the yellow-tailed black cockatoo and the powerful owl.
II The regulars
April 17, 2020 - When the sound of a chainsaw jangles the nerves, Patsy Hunt returns to the comfort of her garden and the birds that call it home.
April 17, 2020 - When the sound of a chainsaw jangles the nerves, Patsy Hunt returns to the comfort of her garden and the birds that call it home.
IV Birds that make a splash
June 19, 2020 - You don't have to be an expert to appreciate birds, writes Patsy Hunt. Enjoy their beauty, their tenacity and their ability to enjoy life despite all the threats they face.
June 19, 2020 - You don't have to be an expert to appreciate birds, writes Patsy Hunt. Enjoy their beauty, their tenacity and their ability to enjoy life despite all the threats they face.
VI Look to the skies
Aug 13, 2020 - Look to the skies near Rhyll and you may spot a white-bellied sea- eagle, writes Patsy Hunt in the final part of her series on Phillip Island birds.
Aug 13, 2020 - Look to the skies near Rhyll and you may spot a white-bellied sea- eagle, writes Patsy Hunt in the final part of her series on Phillip Island birds.
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Pamela Jacka has a ringside seat for the adventures of a young magpie and butcherbird.
By Pamela Jacka
WHILE watching some tennis, I saw out of the corner my right eye a vision of a magpie hurtling down my path. Well, I don’t think I’ve seen a bird hurtle down a path before. It was then I realised that it was being helped in its hurtle by the young male cat from next door!
I flew out my front door (no pun intended) and saw one of the magpie parents loudly admonishing the cat, who had dumped his catch on the driveway next door. Young Billie/Billy (as in Billie the Kid) was lying prostrate on the next door driveway, swearing rather loudly. I carefully folded her/his wing against its body and noticed that its right foot was in its mouth. I don’t think I’ve seen a magpie with foot in mouth disease but who knows!
By Pamela Jacka
WHILE watching some tennis, I saw out of the corner my right eye a vision of a magpie hurtling down my path. Well, I don’t think I’ve seen a bird hurtle down a path before. It was then I realised that it was being helped in its hurtle by the young male cat from next door!
I flew out my front door (no pun intended) and saw one of the magpie parents loudly admonishing the cat, who had dumped his catch on the driveway next door. Young Billie/Billy (as in Billie the Kid) was lying prostrate on the next door driveway, swearing rather loudly. I carefully folded her/his wing against its body and noticed that its right foot was in its mouth. I don’t think I’ve seen a magpie with foot in mouth disease but who knows!
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By Miriam Strickland
Photos: Pauline Wilkinson
WE HAVE been adopted by a family of magpies. An adult male started visiting in late winter two years ago, and occasionally we’d toss a bit of extra something his way; a few crumbs, a bit of cheese, a worm-sized bit of mince before it disappeared into the meatball mix. So of course he started appearing more often.
Photos: Pauline Wilkinson
WE HAVE been adopted by a family of magpies. An adult male started visiting in late winter two years ago, and occasionally we’d toss a bit of extra something his way; a few crumbs, a bit of cheese, a worm-sized bit of mince before it disappeared into the meatball mix. So of course he started appearing more often.
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By Nola Thorpe
THE backyard bird count organised by Birdlife Australia in October each year is over for 2018 with a total of 2.6 million birds counted and 82,780 lists submitted.
Although it says “backyard” you are able to do a 20-minute survey anywhere in your local area. I was able to just sit on my back veranda and watch the bird world go by. I was never lucky enough, though, to log the flock of some hundreds of little corellas that fly over in the early morning or late in the afternoon.
There is a wonderful app that can be downloaded onto your phone or tablet which has a timer and a field guide to make the whole process very simple
I was able to submit sightings from My Backyard, The Wonthaggi Cemetery, Tank Hill, Wonthaggi Wetlands, The Rifle Range and McMahon’s Reserve.
As it was only for 20 minutes it didn’t take much of your day. It’s a great way to spend a bit of time appreciating the wonderful birdlife in this area.
THE backyard bird count organised by Birdlife Australia in October each year is over for 2018 with a total of 2.6 million birds counted and 82,780 lists submitted.
Although it says “backyard” you are able to do a 20-minute survey anywhere in your local area. I was able to just sit on my back veranda and watch the bird world go by. I was never lucky enough, though, to log the flock of some hundreds of little corellas that fly over in the early morning or late in the afternoon.
There is a wonderful app that can be downloaded onto your phone or tablet which has a timer and a field guide to make the whole process very simple
I was able to submit sightings from My Backyard, The Wonthaggi Cemetery, Tank Hill, Wonthaggi Wetlands, The Rifle Range and McMahon’s Reserve.
As it was only for 20 minutes it didn’t take much of your day. It’s a great way to spend a bit of time appreciating the wonderful birdlife in this area.
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Cape Barren geese, The Nobbies, June 2018, Photo: Paul Cummings
On a recent visit to Phillip Island, Paul Cummings sighted this Cape Barren goose family between the Nobbies and Summerlands beach. The nest from which the chicks had recently hatched was still lined with down.
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They seek him here, they seek him there … Nola Thorpe goes in search of a rare bird.
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By Nola Thorpe
May 6, 2017
BACK in the 1980s, when we bought our current house, the bathroom windows were the usual bathroom frosted glass but because I really like to see through my windows we had them replaced with clear glass. Privacy was not an issue as the bathroom is well down the side of the house with a high fence between us and the next door neighbours. Anyway we installed good blinds and any one sneaking down the side of the house would first have to negotiate with a very noisy dog.
May 6, 2017
BACK in the 1980s, when we bought our current house, the bathroom windows were the usual bathroom frosted glass but because I really like to see through my windows we had them replaced with clear glass. Privacy was not an issue as the bathroom is well down the side of the house with a high fence between us and the next door neighbours. Anyway we installed good blinds and any one sneaking down the side of the house would first have to negotiate with a very noisy dog.