An early Christmas present arrived for wildlife carer David Joyce one night early this month. A female frogmouth he raised and released two summers ago returned to show Joyce her offspring. Joyce could hardly contain his excitement in an email he sent me with a picture of the adult frogmouth with her youngster sitting on his balcony in the near darkness. Each frogmouth that Joyce rehabilitates is given a number with the letter “T’, instead of a name. This signifies the … [Read more...] about A fluttering Christmas surprise
Watching the blues away
BIRDS are the great escape from the strains and pressures of daily life, or at least they have been for me my entire life. So when a close friend was feeling low and bereft I suggested we take a stroll into the world of birds to take his mind of things. My friend had in recent days seen his only son leave for university study in England and was coming to grips with that feeling all loving parents eventually come to know, “empty nest syndrome”. Taking to the golf course had … [Read more...] about Watching the blues away
Peregrines put on a show
A group of international wildlife tourists received a bonus during their $13,000 trip to Australia – the sight of a family of peregrine falcons going about their business in southern Tasmania. The peregrines became a talking point for the tourists even though technically speaking they did not see them in the flesh. En route from the state’s north-west to Bruny Island, their coach made a call at the home of their guide, wildlife biologist Nick Mooney, to view a live ‘‘feed’’ … [Read more...] about Peregrines put on a show
Trouble when ‘Joe Witty’ comes calling
The old adage “beware what you wish for” has come true for a family in Bellerive who invited a grey shrike-thrush to call. A family learned the “Joe Witty” call of the shrike-thrush and mimicked it when it was out and about in their garden. However, the call seems to have been so effective that the shrike-thrush believes the song originates from a rival and not a human having a little fun. At first the family could not identify the bird that arrived at a window at 5.20am … [Read more...] about Trouble when ‘Joe Witty’ comes calling
Orchids share the spotlight
The world of birds can lead you to all sorts of strange and wondrous places but I never thought I would be sneaking off from a drinking session with my journalist mates to go in search of orchids. I made my excuses down the Salamanca strip, turning my back on a rather fine ale, Itchy Green Pants at Jack Greene’s bar, to rediscover the parson in the pulpit in the Waterworks Reserve. Parson in the pulpit is the common name for a stunningly beautiful orchid, Glassodia major, … [Read more...] about Orchids share the spotlight