The swamp harriers had delayed their migration to the mainland, or so it appeared. There they were, a small flock gliding and hovering above a pick-your-own-fruit nursery on the road to Richmond. Just a glimpse at first, before I pulled over. All the same there was something odd about this harrier flight. Not just the timing, but the fact the harriers which should have headed north were in a flock, when harriers are usually seen flying solo or in pairs. All was soon … [Read more...] about Farm takes scarecrow idea to new heights
On The Wing
Passport to birdland
Birdland is a magical place where it’s possible to escape all the pressures and stresses of the environment of the city created and inhabited by one species – humans – and immerse yourself in a less one-dimensional world. Birdland is nowhere in particular, and does not have to be special or noteworthy. It could be in the wildest of wild forest, or in suburbia. It could be a pristine beach, a few hectares of eucalypt woodland, or a neatly manicured city park. It could be a backyard. That’s the magic of birds; they bring beauty and wonder to every corner of the planet, wild or untamed, and my On the Wing writing is their celebration.
A soaring skylark hits musical high note
He rises and begins to round, He drops the silver chain of sound No bird has inspired so much poetry, literature and music than the skylark, with the cuckoo close behind. The trilling of the Eurasian skylark on open downlands is cemented in English folklore, but it can also be heard here. A member of the Pandani Bushwalking Club phoned me in early May to report both the sight and sound on the bird and also to let me know that Ralph Vaughan Williams’ classic … [Read more...] about A soaring skylark hits musical high note
Song of Smelter Robins echoes from the past
The robins, magpies, crows . . . the history of Queenstown is told not only by its hills scarred by acid-rain. There’s also the feathered motifs emblazoned on footy guernseys. On a misty morning this thought occurred to me when I saw a forest raven crossing the sky above the Queenstown Oval, “The Gravel” as the pitch is known. I was on a trip to the West Coat that did not involve birds. As a footy lover, it was a pilgrimage of sorts to see the legendary gravel oval and … [Read more...] about Song of Smelter Robins echoes from the past
Lovely honeyeater flies beneath the radar
A pair of flittering, fluttering yellow-throated honeyeaters caught the golden rays of a late-afternoon sun. They resembled fireflies flying in zig-zag flight at tropical dusk, on wings that appeared translucent in the mellow, autumnal light. The flight of the yellowthroats, though, was not a dance in silence. It had music, a musical, descending chortle, which I always call the sound of autumn. In the still air it reverberated between wattle and gum, cushioned by a carpet … [Read more...] about Lovely honeyeater flies beneath the radar
Ancient beacon of hope for urban wildlife
The restoration of Notre-Dame Cathedral in Paris has revealed the ancient cathedral as not only a cultural symbol but an urban wildlife refuge that can serve as an example of conservation across the world including Australia. More than just a cathedral, Notre-Dame is an urban ecosystem. Its towering structure and countless hidden crevices offer a sanctuary to species that have adapted to the challenges of city life. The façade’s original openings, designed in the Middle … [Read more...] about Ancient beacon of hope for urban wildlife