I had a rare interaction with my resident house sparrows last month when I had to beep the horn to prevent them being squashed under the wheels of my car. The sparrows use the crushed mudstone of my drive as a dust bath and never bother to move as I come and go on foot, knowing I’ll give them a little space and respect. The car, though, is a different matter and although sparrows have no doubt over the eons learned to recognise friend and foe among the human population, the … [Read more...] about Sparrows deserve our respect
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.
The day of the eagle
A wedge-tailed eagle which posed a threat to a German schnauzer in my sister-in-law’s garden has returned with a vengeance – this time to disrupt the family’s plans to sell their home. In June I wrote that the eagle had carried off a baby wallaby from the property overlooking the Tamar north of Launceston and then eyed the schnauzer which Judith Stanton was minding while its owner, her son and his family, took a holiday. This time the swooping eagle was not looking for a … [Read more...] about The day of the eagle
Cuckoo announces spring
The trilling, far-carrying song of the fan-tailed cuckoo announced to all in the Waterworks Valley in Dynnyrne that the spring was on the way. Snow might still be coating kunanyi/Mt Wellington on a chilly winter’s day but I knew from that morning on the march to the season of warmth and rebirth was inexorable. The cuckoo, or at least the individual leading the way, came early this year, Thursday, August 9. I keep records of such things and usually the cuckoos are not heard, … [Read more...] about Cuckoo announces spring
Death in the chicken coop
The annual battle against rats and mice invading gardens and homes in winter has had a tragic side-effect – birds of prey have been killed by rat poison. The damage that rodenticides are causing to our owl populations, specifically, was highlighted in an ABC news report last month but the problem has been ongoing for a number of years. When wildlife biologist Nick Mooney first raised the issue locally about a decade ago I did a quick survey of the raptors in the … [Read more...] about Death in the chicken coop
A land without birds
A dystopian future for our native birds was spread out before me on a recent trip to New Zealand to attend the wedding of my great niece. What I saw in New Zealand was in sharp contrast to another outdoors wedding I attended, by coincidence, a few weeks later in Launceston. Although this tale of two weddings might have had a common, happy theme in seeing two young couples setting out on a new course in their lives, it raised questions to cloud my day. This was nothing to do … [Read more...] about A land without birds