Birds are said to act as the “canary in the coalmine’’ to warn of threats to the environment from hunting, land clearance and pollution. The same notion is now being applied to the impact of war. With the ongoing conflict in Ukraine, the worst fears of bird-lovers have been realised. Along with the colossal toll in human life which we see daily on our television screens, the country’s birdlife is also suffering. When Russia invaded four years ago I wrote a column … [Read more...] about White storks keep Ukraine hope alive
On The Wing
Passport to birdland
Birdland is a magical place where it’s possible to escape all the pressures and stresses of the environment of the city created and inhabited by one species – humans – and immerse yourself in a less one-dimensional world. Birdland is nowhere in particular, and does not have to be special or noteworthy. It could be in the wildest of wild forest, or in suburbia. It could be a pristine beach, a few hectares of eucalypt woodland, or a neatly manicured city park. It could be a backyard. That’s the magic of birds; they bring beauty and wonder to every corner of the planet, wild or untamed, and my On the Wing writing is their celebration.
Platypus steals wood duck show
A pair of wood ducks catching the last rays of a dying winter sun had the shock of their lives when a duck-billed platypus leapt from the water in the Cascade Gardens and joined them. The ducks were resting on the flat concrete sluice which carries the Hobart Rivulet to the boulder trap catching rocks and tree trunks before they can block the watercourse closer to the central city. The platypus had been swimming and diving in the substantial concrete-lined trap before … [Read more...] about Platypus steals wood duck show
Beatle Paul makes music with the birds
In the skies, the skylarks rise Above the sounds of war. Since that day, I knew they’d stay with me for ever more. Paul McCartney reveals with his latest album, The Boys of Dungeon Lane, that he has had a lifetime interest in birds. In fact, it is not commonly known that the former Beatle could be described as a “twitcher”. While on his frequent tours, including those to Australia, he takes his binoculars with him and goes birding while killing time before appearing on … [Read more...] about Beatle Paul makes music with the birds
Donalds not what they are quacked up to be
The truth has been revealed about Donald Duck. The familiar, lovable “quack” does not belong to Donald at all. It belongs to the female of the species. It appears that in the haste to describe and record birdsong in the past, virtually all songs and calls have been ascribed to males. A new book is setting the world straight however and, in an ultimate victory for women’s rights, is pointing an accusing finger at a male-dominated birding world. When we hear the beautiful … [Read more...] about Donalds not what they are quacked up to be
A wildlife show worthy of Shakespeare
“All the world’s a stage” said Shakespeare and he might well have been talking about the daily drama that takes place on my garden lawn. Among the players are Scruffy the pademelon, a wallaby known as Billy and a forest raven who goes by the name of Gloria. There’s also a turbo-chook I call Speedy. And this winter the cast of characters was joined by a troupe of grey and black currawongs down from the mountain who dodged being given stage names. Although some … [Read more...] about A wildlife show worthy of Shakespeare