PIPERS, PARROTS AND PIGEONS.

This robin is one of my favourite birds and we have one that inhabits the scrub in our backyard.

I call it the piper at the gates of dawn*, being the first one to start off the morning chorus.

It's also usually the last bird to call in the evening.     

Eastern Yellow Robin

Some fresh seed in the feeder brought in a couple of unusual visitors, a pair of King Parrots, which I've only seen fly over our place occasionally. These two weren't shy and I assume they may have utilized some other feeders in the neighbourhood. 

Australian King Parrots - males.

Another bird to drop in for the first time a few days later was this large pigeon. The news must be getting around that there's a free feed at the our place!

White-headed Pigeon

These are normally a shy, rain-forest dwelling, fruit eating species and it may be the case that these birds have also become more confiding around human habitation, especially with the destruction of their natural habitat and their reliance on the introduced Camphor Laurel tree.

This cousin of the above mentioned bird was spotted by Clare sitting on the roof of our van out front.

A beautiful, pure white racing (or feral) pigeon that on closer inspection was bleeding from wounds in it's breast and rump. Maybe a raptor attack? We have three species of Goshawks on our backyard list.A distinct possibility! But most probably a Peregrine Falcon, the bane of pigeon fanciers worldwide.   

This was one lucky bird and in an attempted rescue operation it flew off when I tried to throw a towel over it. It took off strongly and disappeared into the distance hopefully to survive another day. 

The culprit may have been one of these magnificent killers, a Brown Goshawk. This one I saw recently at the Cooroy wetlands scaring the wits out of the nearby feathered inhabitants.

Brown Goshawk - female.

This bird was also spotted at the wetlands, singing for all its worth and obviously not too worried about killer raptors!

Olive-backed Oriole

*http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Piper_at_the_Gates_of_Dawn

OVER THE BORDER

Clare and I headed off to Lismore in northern New South Wales back in early October, for a family re-union with her rellies. We stayed in a local caravan park and in between the various family gatherings we were able to get out and about the local area for a bit of sightseeing.

On a drive out to New Italy via Coraki we stopped for some raptor watching among the rolling hills and farmlands. This kite very kindly flew on to a high perch close by and gave us stunning views through our binos. 

Black-shouldered Kite.

  

On the way back to Lismore that afternoon the weather became unsettled and we could see some activity ahead.

Our return route was leading us straight towards some decidedly unfriendly looking skies.

We were approaching the storm front at an angle and soon caught up to the towering face of the 

monster. In the end it was it was all show and not much blow, thank goodness! 

 

The morning of that same day we had stopped in for a walk in Rotary Park Rainforest Reserve at Lismore Heights, hoping to see some bush birds.There weren't too many feathered fliers but plenty of furry ones. It looked like a colony of fruit bats had taken over the area for their daytime roost and the noise and smell of hundreds of these much maligned creatures was quite overpowering. Nevertheless we did the circuit without any mishaps and even saw a few birds including some nesting White Ibises.

      

Grey-headed Flying Fox

Just hanging around.

A WEEKEND BREAK

Had a chance to spend a couple of nights away to try out our newly acquired caravan. We stayed at a little van park along the Tin Can Bay road about 25km from Gympie, in S.E.Queensland.

Our site at Standown Park, Goomboorian.

One of the locals gave us a good looking over not long after we pulled up. 

Galah.

There was a small dam on the property with a pair of ducks loafing around and not too concerned about my presence.

Australian Wood Ducks

I have seen this species nesting high up in tree hollows and although having never witnessed it, marvel at the way the chicks survive their "parachuting" jump to the ground below.

Female

Male

They obviously weren't scared off by this other resident of the dam.

Crocodylus Plasticus

I went for a drive through the pine plantations of Toolara State Forest nearby and by following a mud map supplied by the van park manager, found my way to some lovely lakes hidden away in an area of beautiful natural bushland.

Scribbly Gum

On our way home we stopped for a cuppa at Lake Alford Park in Gympie where we watched some of the activity on and beside the water.

Pacific Black Duck and Dusky Moorhens.

Black Swan and cygnets.

The swans were unafraid of our presence, obviously habituated to the park visitors and virtually came right to our feet, maybe expecting a handout? The cygnets were quite clumsy on solid ground and preferred to flop down on their bellies to graze on the grass.