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Donald Knowler

Dancing on the Edge of the World

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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.

Lovely honeyeater flies beneath the radar

May 4, 2025 Don Knowler

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

On The Wing

Ancient beacon of hope for urban wildlife

April 27, 2025 Don Knowler

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

On The Wing

Solitary grebe rides the waves

April 20, 2025 Don Knowler

On the choppy waters of the bigger of the two reservoirs of the Waterworks Reserve I could see a tiny, rounded shape bobbing among the waves. Although I didn’t have my binoculars with me, I knew immediately what the bird was. An Australasian grebe had arrived on southerly winds overnight. The grebe – dwarfed by the black and wood ducks on the wide expanse of water – cut a solitary figure, looking exposed, and I wondered how long it would remain before moving on to its usual … [Read more...] about Solitary grebe rides the waves

On The Wing

Heron makes a meal of science

April 13, 2025 Don Knowler

It’s a battle of wits between a heron and a school of whitebait in the shallow waters of Cornelian Bay. A contest in which two lifeforms compete using their mental abilities and quick thinking to gain an advantage, to win, or lose. For the fish, it’s just being wary, a matter of life or death. With the white-faced heron, it emphasises intellectual prowess, strategic thinking, and the ability to react quickly and cleverly to a given situation. Most importantly, the shrewd … [Read more...] about Heron makes a meal of science

On The Wing

Crescent honeyeaters emerge from the shadows

April 6, 2025 Don Knowler

There’s hidden beauty in the bottlebrushes. The crescent honeyeaters have arrived from their breeding grounds in the high country and the only evidence of their presence in my garden is the familiar “e-gypt, e-gypt” call I start to hear from early autumn. The “crescents” usually tend to be eclipsed by the more aggressive new holland honeyeaters in the suburban environment. and they can easily be mistaken for the bigger family member because they both show striking yellow … [Read more...] about Crescent honeyeaters emerge from the shadows

On The Wing

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PUBLISHED BOOKS

The Shy Mountain

shy mountain

Silent and brooding, the Shy Mountain does not have to speak her name. We know she’s there, watching … [Read More...]

The Falconer of Central Park

Although written more than 30 years ago, The Falconer of Central Park has remained popular ever … [Read More...]

Riding the Devil’s Highway

Tasmania might be known internationally as the home of the Hollywood cartoon character, Taz, based … [Read More...]

Dancing on the Edge of the World

Dancing on the edge of the World by Donald Knowler

Dancing on the Edge of the World is a collection of essays that had their genesis in the “On the … [Read More...]

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Recent Posts

  • Lovely honeyeater flies beneath the radar
  • Ancient beacon of hope for urban wildlife
  • Solitary grebe rides the waves
  • Heron makes a meal of science
  • Crescent honeyeaters emerge from the shadows
  • The seasons are a-changing
  • Magpies separate friend from foe
  • Life’s a beach for ‘odd couple’
  • Musk lorikeets a fun-run distraction
  • Explosion of gold on a summer’s evening

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