The cry of the cuckoo has been ringing out across my street in recent weeks. The “freeloaders” are finally back in town, if a little late. Although I have never been a fan of cuckoos and the upheaval they sow in the bird world, I found myself – possibly against my better judgment - seeking them out this year instead of the more beautiful and benign woodland birds who are tricked into rearing cuckoo young. Strangely, the cuckoo’s call at the start of spring had fallen … [Read more...] about The ‘freeloaders’ are back in town
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.
Avian superstar flies 13,560 kilometres nonstop
Somewhere out there on the mudflats of Tasmania is an avian super-star – a shorebird capable of flying non-stop for 13,560 kilometres. A bar-tailed godwit, merely named 23464, has beaten the world record for non-stop flight on an epic journey from Alaska to Tasmania. The flight of the godwit was tracked over an 11-day period as it crossed the Pacific to land at its final destination in Anson Bay, north-east Tasmania. As revealed by the satellite tracking device attached to … [Read more...] about Avian superstar flies 13,560 kilometres nonstop
A song and dance over birds
A group of children were invited to spread their wings and shake their tail feathers earlier this month – to gain an appreciation of birds. I unwittingly found myself a part of the action when I stumbled on the nature program on my daily ramble through the Waterworks Reserve. But I was soon in harmony, if not in step, with this initiative led by environmental educator and dance teacher Alejandra Osorio Iturriaga. I’ve been involved in many education projects over the … [Read more...] about A song and dance over birds
When magpies swoop, it’s personal
It’s swooping season for aggressive birds as people invade their nesting spaces. The biggest culprit is the magpie which gets a bad press at this time of year but the latest research into these aggressive birds suggests there is more to their behaviour than meets the eye. Although magpies have always had a penchant for mischief, a study published in the journal Australian Field Ornithology reports they have taken this to a new level – outwitting the scientists who set out to … [Read more...] about When magpies swoop, it’s personal
Butcherbird in tune for bird count
A grey shrike-thrush in my garden was singing its “Joe Witty” song so loud that I thought it was in the house. I awoke with a start, my bedroom still in virtual darkness in the half-light of dawn. This was a year ago and the shrike-thrush had chosen a perch close to my open window to broadcast ownership of its territory which comprises half of my property. The song also woke all the other birds which make my garden their home and before long there was a dawn chorus in the … [Read more...] about Butcherbird in tune for bird count