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Birds do not gamble in the lottery of life. Although their movements and behaviour might appear random, they do not live on a wing and a prayer. Every move is deliberate and calculated to ensure survival for such seemingly frail and vulnerable creatures in an often hostile world. The certainties of bird behaviour have certainly been put to the test, however, by a family of Tasmanian native-hens who have made their home in an area that would appear unconducive to their … [Read more...] about The lottery of bird life

Birdwatchers are known for the checklists they keep of birds spotted during their lifetimes, but the only one that really matters to me is the tally I have from my garden. With a remarkable 52 species (not including introduced ones) I thought I had reached the limit with the sighting of a male pink robin last winter. A surprise awaited me this winter, however, returning home from a birding foray to the Waterworks Reserve. A pair of wood ducks were perched in a white … [Read more...] about Wood ducks fly into a garden checklist

The Inverawe Native Gardens at Margate hosted a gardening-for-birds workshop at the start of spring to reveal the secrets of success in luring birds to the backyard. Over the years I have kept a close watch on both the garden’s growth and development and its growing checklist of birds spotted, which has now reached a remarkable 102 species for what used to be a patch of wasteland not more than a 20-minute drive from Hobart. I once added a species myself –  a grey teal out … [Read more...] about Bird garden secret of success

In fast-paced, troubled times I increasingly look for certainties, the rituals and rhythms of life that tell you all is well with the world. Being a nature lover, my certainties are generally geared to the seasons and there is nothing as certain, or reassuring, as the arrival of the welcome swallows on my patch in spring. Over the years – 17 in fact – I have always timed them for the first weekend of September. The first sight of their erratic, joyous flight brings with it … [Read more...] about Swallows a certainty of spring

Like their cousins in Melbourne, sparrows resident in Salamanca Square have learned a crafty tick to get them a meal. Some years back a friend said that he had observed sparrows hanging about outside the McDonald’s restaurant in Swanson Street, waiting for patrons to trigger the electronic sliding doors. As soon as the doors opened, the sparrows flew into the restaurant, had a quick feed of fast-food crumbs and then waited for the doors to open again. On a trip to Melbourne … [Read more...] about Street-wise sparrows and miners