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The last few days have really warmed up out here
and larger flocks of birds are in the the homestead and cottage gardens. While
we always have about 70 odd species around the homestead, the groups are larger
about this time of year as a lot of the surface water has dried up.
I thought that some might be interested to hear of
some I have seen as I go about the chores of watering and mulching both
gardens.
I see about 20 little Double-barred finches several
times a day along with the same number of Zebras , They're usually drinking from
the pools of water left by the sprinklers or flitting about in our tamarisk
trees which are just starting to flower.
For the last 3 days I have seen a few Variegated
Fairy Wrens over in the cottage garden[while I was sitting on the verandah
having a break].
Two Australian Ringnecks[we call them Buln-bulns]
have nested in a large gum tree just outside my back door and have had a
terrible time with a few galahs harrassing them mercilessly, however the galahs
haven't been around for a week or so, so hopefully the chicks are
hatched.
Every day I walk down to the shearers quarters and
every day I see 2 to 4 Bourke's Parrots, always coming from the same direction
and alighting in the same ironwood tree before heading off in another
direction[also the same].
While down at the quarters I usually see some
Red-rumps, and this is the first year that we have seen them as far West as
'Bowra' , probably because of the great season we've had.
In the cattle yards where we've been feeding
cattle, just in front of the cottage, there are always flocks of
Corellas,Cockatiels and Top-knot pigeons.
There are more Mulga Parrots around the house
environs at the moment, aren't they the dearest little birds?
While we always have lots of Major Mitchells,
yesterday afternoon there were so many sitting in a half dead Cypress Pine that
it literally looked like a pink and white tree.
The White-plumed honeyeaters are really busy and
have their beautiful nests and babies everywhere, the one outside this window
has a fascinating array of material in it, including hair from our
dogs.
A Pardalote has nested in a little hole smaller
than a 50c piece in the side wall of the cottaage. One did last year also and
I'm wondering if it's the same one.
I'll finish now but this was just to give a bit of
an idea of how lucky we are out here, in seeing on a daily basis, without even
looking, no binoculars to boot, these beautiful birds.
It's now about 6:30p.m. and the Brolga's are
calling. You can just about set your clock by them or by the
Kookaburras.
Julie McLaren.
"Bowra"
Cunnamulla, Qld. 4490.
PH. O746551238
FAX.O746552368
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