Don Knowler

The long, hot and lazy days of summer are not without a little tension and anguish down at the Waterworks Reserve where I monitor the seasons, and the birds arriving and departing. Over the years I have developed a one-sided relationship with a family of welcome swallows and each year I wait for them to arrive and then go through the trials and tribulations of parenthood with them. I regard the swallows visiting the reserve, well at least one pair and their successive … [Read more...] about Swallows safely on their way

Tasmania left off the map again, this time when it comes to birds. That was my first thought when I read that the white ibis – which does not occur here – was leading the poll to name Australia’s favourite bird for 2017. Thankfully, bird enthusiasts taking part in the survey came to their senses and named the magpie as number one. The white ibis winning the Guardian Australia/Birdlife Australia bird of the year contest would have been a bitter pill – or should I say  … [Read more...] about Ibis listing a bitter quill

My favourite pair of boots have been out of commission all spring and summer – after a family of striated pardalotes chose them as their home. Sounds bizarre I know, but I had an inclination it would be a summer of discontent when I saw the pardalotes inspecting my worn and trusty Blundstones at the start of their nesting season in early September. The boots had been left out on the car port of my home, the footwear not going on its usual birding adventures in the winter … [Read more...] about Nesting pardalotes put best foot forward

The cormorants had to move over from their prized pontoon at Long Beach, Lower Sandy Bay. It was Australia Day and the pontoon anchored just offshore was in great demand from revellers taking a dip during and after the festivities on the lawns of the adjacent Long Beach Park. The three species of cormorant – great, black-faced and little pied –  are used to giving up their roosting and preening site from late morning during the summer months, but on January 26th the … [Read more...] about Australia Day ruffles cormorant feathers

Birds are our contact point with nature, our window on the natural world. There are mammals about, and reptiles and amphibians, but we never see or hear them. It’s not obvious they share the planet with us. Birds are all around us, each and every day. If we can’t see them, we hear them, even in the heart of our cities.  They inspire us to flight, to soar in hope and spirit. I’m quick to celebrate the idea of birds’ lives meshing with ours and I was given the opportunity to … [Read more...] about Poetry in flight and motion