Exotic and unique birds are so commonplace in the suburbs of Hobart that we tend to take them for granted. Foreign bird-watchers spend thousands of dollars to come to Australia to see our birds and we often do not give them a second glace. I’m as guilty as everyone else when it comes to being blasé about our birds. That thought occurred to me recently when yellow-tailed black cockatoos called from the eucalypts towering over my home and I couldn’t be bothered to go out to … [Read more...] about Beauty in the neighbourhood
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Birdwatching treasure in Tasmania
A dusky robin perched on one of the gate posts leading into the Waterworks Reserve near my home. It stopped me in my tracks because I had spent the previous week searching for the species in the foothills of Mt Wellington after a friend who leads bird-watching tours of international birders had said it had been difficult to find for the “twitchers”. During the spring and summer – when bird tours to Tasmania are at their peak – I always make a note of where I see … [Read more...] about Birdwatching treasure in Tasmania
When we were born in time
How many years must a mountain exist before it is washed to the sea? The Bob Dylan hit of yesterday was blaring from the car radio as I started on the twisting, winding drive down from Mt Wellington, at the end of another uplifting day of bird-watching. I was thinking not so much of how long our precious mountain will be around before it is turned to grit and sand but of the here and now and what a vital refuge the mountain provides for wildlife so close to a major city. It … [Read more...] about When we were born in time
Gardens have a vital role to play
The role of the garden ecosystem was thrown into focus with the first-ever Backyard Bird Watch, organised by Birdlife Australia last spring. During the week-long event thousands of bird-watchers and bird lovers compiled lists of bits spotted in gardens and forwarded them to the birding organisation so a census could be compiled of birds visiting urban and suburban areas nationwide. I took part in the survey, spotting about 40 birds in a garden which I have carefully turned … [Read more...] about Gardens have a vital role to play
Birds put a value on your home
The symphony of birdsong in the backyard can be enough to lift anyone’s mood, but research into house prices suggests it may also be a sign that your home will be worth more, too. And house-hunters would do well to listen out for the melody of the grey shrike-thrush and golden whistler to gauge the quality of the neighbourhood. A study in the United States has found houses in areas rich with birdlife sell for an average of US$32,000 more than those with fewer birds. And … [Read more...] about Birds put a value on your home