Birds

It is great to see so many native birds on our property. Some are common, others a bit less likely to be seen in a suburban block. We have planted so many trees over the years that we are seeing some of these birds more and more often now.

Elegant parrot
Red-capped parrot
Red-capped parrot
Redcapped parrot
Redcapped parrot
Male Splendid Fairy wren
Female splendid wren
Female splendid wren
Male splendid wren in the veggie garden
Male splendid wren in the veggie garden
Splendid wren
Male Splendid fairy-wren (photo by Lucky Mac Photography)
Splendid wren
Female Splendid fairy-wren (photo by Lucky Mac Photography)
Splendid Fairy Wren-Female
Rufus whistler

Some of the visiting birds have wreaked havoc, like the Heron and Little Bittern, who on separate occasions killed or ate every koi and goldfish from the outdoor ponds as well as piercing the plastic liner! While we are pleased to see native birds, we would actually prefer the heron to leave our fish alone!

White-faced heron
How many fish can I spear?

Equally as wonderful, but also destructive,  are the Wedge-tailed Eagles which have caused concern now and then as they look for an easy dinner. This one killed and ate a duck and the rooster before we realised what was causing the deaths and kept the poultry in their pens for a while!

Watching from a safe distance
Eagle in flight
Eagle in flight
A pair of eagles watching the poultry

We hear the very elusive Fan-tailed cuckoo, but very rarely see it!

Fantailed cuckoo
Fantailed cuckoo
Fantailed cuckoo
Fantailed cuckoo
Crested pigeons

A pair of galahs nested in a hole in this tree for the last two years.

Galah pair getting the nest ready
Galah protecting its nest from the rainbow lorikeets (one in the fork of the tree, one to the right)
Galah family
Galah family

It is always exciting when the cockatoos come to visit, whether those with white tails or these, the Red-tailed Black Cockatoo. They make a lot of noise, eat the honky-nuts (and make a big mess in the process), and often stay over night.

Red-tailed black cockatoo
Carnaby's cockatoo
Carnaby’s cockatoo
Carnaby's cockatoos
Carnaby’s cockatoos
Scarlet Robin
Grey Butcherbird catching insects in the orchard
Rufous whistler
Rufous whistler
Rufous Whistler
Red-eared wattle bird
yellow rumped thornbill
Photo by Lucky Mac Photography
yellow rumped thornbill open wings
Photo by Lucky Mac Photography
Yellow-rumped thornbill
Yellow-rumped thornbill (photo by Lucky Mac Photography)
Kookaburra
Kookaburra (photo by Lucky Mac Photography)
New-Holland honeyeaters having a bath
New Holland Honeyeater
New Holland Honeyeater (photo by Lucky Mac Photography)
Australian Wood duck pair high in a tree with a kookaburra!
Pacific Black duck on the ‘snake lake’
You looking' at me?
You looking’ at me? Australian Wood duck
Rainbow beeeater
Rainbow beeeater
Bronzewing
Bronzewing
Black-faced Cuckoo Shrike
‘Twenty-eight’ parrots in the birdbath

Even the lovely little Silver-eyes soon destroy a nice bunch of grapes if they aren’t netted!

Silver-eye, sharing the grapes
Magpie
Kookaburra calmly watching the fish in the ‘billabong’ while being harassed by two willy wagtails!
Pacific Black duck in the swimming pool!
Pacific Black duck in the swimming pool!
best duck in pool
Wagtail nest
Wagtail nest
Grey fantail
Grey fantail
Noisy baby silvereye
Noisy baby silvereye
Western Gerygone
Western Gerygone
White browed scrubwren?
White browed scrubwren?
Male splendid wren
Male splendid wren
Kingfisher
Kingfisher
Red capped parrot
Red capped parrot
Nest- perhaps a thornbill?
Nest- perhaps a thornbill?

Birds in Backyards is a great site to get more information on many birds found in Australia.