The air was still and calm, typical of winter, and the silence in the forests was made complete by an absence of birdsong. So the song of a robin came as a welcome surprise as I tramped a trail on the lower slopes of Mt Wellington. It’s often like that in late autumn and into winter. The chorus of spring and summer slowly dying as birds that have reared young do not have to be so protective of their territories, and broadcast the fact. Sometimes, though, when birds … [Read more...] about Scarlet robin’s fiery feud
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.
Learning from the past
To look to the future we must look to the past but a recently released book, Mateship with Birds, tells us that when it comes to wildlife, humans do not necessarily learn from experience. The book by A H Chisholm was actually first published more than 90 years ago and it is staggering to note that his concern for the demise of bird species, particularly parrots, still has resonance today. With human history the mistakes of the past can be rectified. Colonialism, … [Read more...] about Learning from the past
Secret places amid mud and reed
A magical, mystery tour took me to some far-flung corners of a magical world on a beautiful winter’s day last month. Not so much far-flung for me – being a half hour’s drive from home – but far-flung for birds travelling from one side of the world to the other. Tasmanian bird-watchers were making their annual winter wader count and I took the opportunity to discover some of these hidden places along southern Tasmania’s shores where waders that normally fly to the northern … [Read more...] about Secret places amid mud and reed
Shelter from the storm
CITY parks offer not only a green oasis for birds escaping the concrete and glass of man’s world, but for people finding the stresses and strains of the urban jungle too much to bear. On summer afternoons, watching the welcome swallows swooping over the greensward of the Parliament Lawns I have always been surprised at the large number of people, like the birds, seeking refuge there. The notion that “parks are good for city dwellers” was first advanced by town planners in … [Read more...] about Shelter from the storm
Blue crane a star performer
The heron took centre stage, like a ballerina on opening night. Grace, balance and beauty. A delicate dance by a delicate creature that appeared to float on air. The stage on this occasion was patch of immaculately mown lawn at a winery/restaurant near Richmond. And the backdrop, the scenery, was the sweeping vista of the Coal River estuary as it reaches the sea. Pirouetting and leaping into the air, the white-faced heron hunted worms just below the surface of the grass, … [Read more...] about Blue crane a star performer