The scarlet robin sitting on the fence gave me a nod of approval. At long last I had finally got around to bringing some order to a totally overgrown and dishevelled garden and my uprooting of weeds and spreading mulch had provided some rich pickings. My wife had pointed out the robin, bowled over by its striking, fiery breast and contrasting black and white plumage on its back and tail. Surprisingly, it was the first we had ever seen in the garden although in spring I had … [Read more...] about Black currawongs win the day
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.
Brain power in the treetops
The subject of birds – or more precisely bird intelligence – was very much in the frame when the Hobart Bushcare Walking Book Club took to the hills high above the city on a recent outing. Each month the club’s members consider a title related to the world of nature, and the latest tome for the walk and talk was a book about avian intelligence, The Genius of Birds by Jennifer Ackerman. When it comes to animal intelligence, birds have long been considered well down the … [Read more...] about Brain power in the treetops
A symbiosis between body and soul
The forests slumber, they are in their long winter dream. They are not totally silent and comatose, of course. The resident birds still sing, but in a cold, muted fashion, intent only on maintaining contact with each other and warning of danger. The robust songs to declare territory and attract mates will come later. I always liken the dormant forests to sleep in humans. We can’t survive without seven or eight hours of shuteye to recharge mind and body. It is the same with … [Read more...] about A symbiosis between body and soul
Once common birds at risk
Author Rachel Carson’s dystopian vision of a silent spring is rapidly being realised, according to a global survey which pays particular attention to our falling bird populations in Tasmania. The report on the state of the world’s birds reveals a biodiversity crisis largely driven by land clearance and intensive farming, with once-common species now at risk. One in eight bird species is threatened with global extinction, says the State of the World’s Birds report, a … [Read more...] about Once common birds at risk
Pathways through the cosmological landscape
The equinox came and went this autumn and I didn’t even notice. Funny that, because I’m always confused by a moment in time divided equally between night and day. I’m not alone because sometimes birds forget to migrate during the equinox in mid-March and start to sing, because they think it’s spring. Not so the longer division of day and night, the winter solstice on June 21 this year, which records the longest night at the same time the northern hemisphere is recording the … [Read more...] about Pathways through the cosmological landscape