BIRDS OF THE AREA.

Am worried about losing our bird life and other wildlife due to the increasing loss of trees - especially native trees.  Significant trees which are kept until after developers and the like have built - then somehow the 'significant' part  disappears and trees go..  Trees that were well, are now 'sick'.  Or they were safe until the building was erected.  Funny that one - why give permission to build knowing that the tree is/was there?  So many excuses.

 Read in last week's Guardian that the council has big plans to replace or put in new native trees over the next 20 years or so.  Not too much in our area though.  Raglan Avenue in particular. Nothing. The street trees here are full of thorns, and seeds anywhere and everywhere within reach, and they also come up from underground and these are hard to get rid of.  Not good for walkers, joggers, cyclists or residents.  Was informed years ago that it was a former mayor who liked the trees - he had them on his property - yes property not suburbia - and it was because of him the trees were there.  The plants have become pretty feral now and as many people who come and go in the area do not know how invasive the plants are, allow them to grow in their properties.  Of course, this is creating even more of a problem for the future.

This photo is of an empty block of land on Raglan Ave.

A State Bank house was demolished some time ago and as soon as there is empty land, the seedlings come up - from the street trees off Raglan Avenue.    Walk around the neighbourhood and seedlings and trees of this horrid species can be found in places they should not be.

It is a pity that the council has never thought that a major thoroughfare like Raglan Ave is important enough to the council to have decent trees lining the pathways.  But, can't see it happening in my lifetime.

BIRDS

I remember hearing a kookaburra in the big gum tree out the front of my place some years back and it was so wonderful.  Haven't heard that sound around here for decades now.
We have lost a large number of old and young native trees, especially gums which birds love to be in, to roost in, let alone  other native birds and animals who use the holes etc for living areas.

 A lovely lady who works in Edwards Park on South Road encourages more trees and outdoor seating areas, thus giving workers an outdoor environment to enjoy.  She also has arranged for  boxes up high in the trees in the very tall gum trees.  The large gums and other tall trees, plus many other shrubs, bushes and plants throughout the complex and along the railway at the back are a haven for birdlife and other wildlife.

When the magnificent old  trees were removed from alongside the railway line - a lot of these were due to the electrification of the railway. Plainly and simply - get rid of the trees as - well - there could be problems to the wonderful electric trains!!    Our government didn't need to worry about any problems that could have been caused by the trees -as the trains still stop often.  Now in 2019 most of the trees along Railway Terrace have gone or will be gone this year as the cyclists get their new bike lanes.  To be honest, it is a dire direction we are going in - not only to lose all the benefits trees bring to the world for humans, but for wild life it is a step to extinction for some creatures.

2009

 These two pics show the difference in tree line - esp in distance.

 2016

Density living - all the 3-4 square dreary coloured boxes where there once was a  single house and land.  When first built and sold there are the obligatory  plants out front - no back or side yards.  However, it seems that these units 'grow' vehicles not plants. Cars which are never put into the garages and cars that are too long for the driveways. No trees as there is so little room to grow and gardens mean work!

At the moment I have two seed bowls out the back and the small birds are coming in and staying long enough for me to see and hopefully soon, to photograph.   Yes, some are sparrows but there appears to be a couple of other groups coming in as well.   



One of the largest group are the rainbow lorikeets, especially in the bottle brush tree in my front garden.  They are noisy and sociable and oh so colourful and cheerful.  When they move on to another tree in the area, they still can be heard chattering and chasing and fighting.

The last year there were not too many of these black birds in my home area, but this one was showing 'he' was still important!.  Very noisily too!

Believe this is an Eastern Rosella with the red head and bib and blueish back feathers. They seem to be the birds who make some sort of ringing noise - like a phone.  Inner tail feathers appear a pale blue. I love watching them when one will sing loudly while shaking the tail from side to side.

Funny about the honey eater in picture.  Normally they dive and fly around so quickly. This one was on the Buddleia   bush  a foot or two away from where I was seated, and I quietly asked the bird to stay still, so I could photograph it on the flower, and to my delight it did. Hence the above.  There seem to be two different sizes of this group and I still am waiting to get photos.

Below is a smaller and mainly green musk parrot. This has a red 'mask' across the head.  It also sings like a phone to my ears. Also at times, there may be a Common and/or Adelaide Rosellas.  The hardest ones to find or see are the all green parrots. They also seem to sense I want to take a photo, so make it as difficult for me as they can!!!
Find the bird in the bottle tree below!

Of course there are the pigeons, the one below with the great head is much better a companion than the common pigeon to my mind.  Prefer the 'woop woop' sound.

Below is one of the larger and louder wattle birds that come around with the bottle brush flowering. As with the smaller yellow and black honey eaters, I think there may be two sizes of the wattle birds as well.  Must keep watching.

The shrike loves to just walk around and is not as frightened as many other birds.

Naturally with a garden, comes the family of magpies.    This is a feeding group from a couple of years ago.  The family that comes now has a comedic 'child'.    One morning 'he' was trying to pull up a small mushroom when it popped out and he landed on his back with the mushroom clasped in his paws on his chest.   He was stunned.     Then as he has gotten older, I watch him eat by himself, but as soon as he sees a parent, he squats down into the feeding position in the nest, and squawks loudly.  When the parent moves off - up he gets and wanders around for something else.  One morning he watched his parent, then moved off, got a small leaf and began scraping it on the driveway as the parent had done to the food.   Learning!

A pigeon who insisted on driving me crazy with the mating calls day in day out.     

Other birds are the miner bird, the galah, the white cockatoo, the black cockatoo with yellow tail, budgies, willie wagtail and blackbirds.  Since first writing this the miner birds have become a pest -  nuisance. Trying to get rid of all other birds.  Dive bombing any bird they see, to try and force them away  from water or food, or simply to push them out of the area.  When someone tries to get rid of them, they become very hostile and squawk so loudly.   This awful behaviour has seen a decline in a few of the species in my area, and this combined with the council pulling up mature trees that birds have been living and eating in is worrying.  New planting of trees is wonderful I guess, but it does take years for trees to grow.   

This stick insect was very thirsty and hung around until I could let the tap drip a bit.

This poor little one really needed  a drink - the previous neighbour used to leave it dripping, but the birds now know to go elsewhere.

These guys came out to see what was going on when I stopped by.  Had seen them a week or so earlier when they seemed to be looking around for some place to live.    Now they sometimes come out  - if they are home when I call out to them.

There are other birds and animals that I just don't see or hear, so there is much to look forward to.

The skinks are sweet, and the blue tongue lizards are gorgeous. One day walking along with my old dog, he got a scare.  A pair of blue tongues had been sun baking and decided to cross the footpath right in front of the dog.  As his sight is not that good these days, dog smelt but did not see them until they were 'racing' away from him.   

Don't like the rats and mice but they are everywhere in the world.    Feral cats are a bit of a nuisance, but with the built up areas, I feel that the problem may become less especially if all councils legislate cats to stay indoors.          

The delicate money spiders and large huntsman are great to have around.  Don't like the red backs and the white tailed spiders.   I think my favourite guest was the stick insect which I found on the tap, trying to get water, one very hot day.     See above.

Have been trying to find out more of the different small brown birds which fly around in flocks, diving and dancing from heights to just above the ground. Believe some are sparrows, but there seems to be some finches and others.  These birds are so tiny and very fast.