OK, who else has Grey-crowned Babblers in their garden? About 10 metres
from the house? Oh, the joys of living in Gowrie Junction. Thirty-one birds
in the dawn chorus a few days ago, several families of Superb Fairy-wrens
living around the house, Orioles calling all day ...
The Babblers can be heard in the surrounding farmland perhaps three days
out of seven. This morning they were across the dirt road and flying to a
corner of the house garden, but this afternoon, they were at the garden
bird-bath, across a few metres of lawn from the house. We managed to turn
the hose on which, fortunately, was already in the bath, so it filled right
up. The Babblers thought that was great, walked in and splashed about.
There were nine, I think, "That's three that side of the birdbath, and
three the other side, and there's two more, no three, on the branches
leading down ... Well, I think there were nine, anyway." I tried to focus
on eyes, but most seemed brown, so immatures. There were at least two with
yellowish eyes, but of course there may have been more. I think my previous
counts have been seven and eight maximum.
I can't think why they don't come here every day! Plenty of native trees
and shrubs, rather 'untidy' with lots of low branches, bits of logs and
branches on the ground, with more chip area than lawn. I was thinking of
putting up a sign, "This desirable residence, suitable Babblers". Perhaps
they need a large territory, and indeed they do range all over the farm.
A lovely start to our holiday. We leave tomorrow for western NSW. Hope to
meet some of you there!
Gloria Glass
NW of Toowoomba, Qld (27o29'S, 151o52'E)
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