The final pieces of the migration jigsaw still had to be put in place as the “dynamic duo” set off for their latest bird-watching safari at the Waterworks Reserve. The “dynamic duo” comprised myself and well-known birding guide Denis Abbott and, leading a walk as part of the Hobart Council’s Bush Adventures program, we had in our sights two migrant species which had so far eluded us in the spring, the pallid cuckoo and satin flycatcher. The satin flycatcher is traditionally … [Read more...] about Dynamic duo goes cuckoo
Thrush in no rush to be seen
A sweet melody told me in early spring that I had ventured into the nesting territory of a pair of Bassian thrushes on Mount Wellington/kunanyi. The song is a resonant one, designed to penetrate thick forest clothed in layers of fern frond and leaf, and without it you would never know the thrushes were about. The same goes for the nest, perfectly camouflaged to merge with the forest, like the Bassian thrush itself. The thrush is seldom seen, preferring to hide among mossy … [Read more...] about Thrush in no rush to be seen
Wattlebirds in the Mona frame
A pair of visiting birdwatchers I met at the Waterworks Reserve in early spring said they had two reasons to visit Tasmania – one was to see the biggest member of the honeyeater family, the yellow wattlebird, and the other to tour the Museum of Old and New Art. The next day they managed to kill two birds with one stone at Berriedale. By chance I saw them again at MONA where I had gone to see the British art house musical London Street, in the museum complex’s cinema. The … [Read more...] about Wattlebirds in the Mona frame
Sit tight and tune in
The blackbird might top the list as the most frequently seen bird in suburban gardens but I’ve discovered it is also very much on the radar of some of the not-so-friendly birds that also make our gardens their home. If a garden species is to fall victim to the talons of a bird of prey, or the claws of a butcherbird, more than likely it will be this elegant songster that originally hailed from Britain. The Mercury last month carried a report highlighting the importance of … [Read more...] about Sit tight and tune in
Ballet between the tides
Dodging traffic on the Midway Point Causeway, I witnessed one of the great sights of nature in early spring, a ballet between the tides. The causeway along the Tasman Highway might seem an odd place to be bird-watching but below its raised parapets is some of the best habitat a travelling birder can hope to find. Glistening ocean, sandy shore and mudflat. I had gone out in search of migratory shorebirds. Bar-tailed godwits had just arrived from their breeding grounds … [Read more...] about Ballet between the tides