Well, yesterday was the last day of spring, not that you'd know it from the chill and damp days behind us. It's been less the force that through the green fuse drives the flower, and more the muted chesty cough of a secret TB sufferer. Thank you climate change, and thank you La Niña. Three …
Tag: ornithology
Raptorwatch: the prequel
It may be that you have gained an impression from all this Braidwood-centric content that the raptor obsession is a new thing. You would be wrong! In fact, birds of prey have long fascinated me, and once or twice over the years have been the subject of my probing lens. Possibly the first time the …
Raptorwatch
It's winter now -- and following the freakishly wet summer we've just endured, we're experiencing some deep cold, such that Archie's water bowl freezes overnight and we keep the fire going all day. When it comes to local wildlife -- particularly the feathered kind -- I expected a bit of a dearth, with all the …
Fan tales: addendum
We've now traced the happy narratives of two bird families -- the Sacred Kingfishers and the Grey Wagtails. Now, sitting inside during another extended period of La Niña rain, I'm reminded of a less-happy story: that of the Reed Warblers. This takes us back to the heady days of spring, when trudging down the path …
Fan tales: this bird has flown
When I said these little birds grow up fast, I had no idea just how much. On sneaking up to the nest last Monday morning, I noted immediately that it was empty. Not the kind of empty you'd see when the chicks were tiny (all of three weeks ago) and no parent was sitting on …
Nestwatch 4
It’s a matter of some wonder – and a little concern – that this birdy couple has constructed its home so close to the path where you’d think it was vulnerable. I’m grateful, of course – that’s how you get to take photos without having to resort to scaffolding and ropes. It reminds me a …
Nestwatch 2
There's been a bit of rain about, including a noisy and soaking thunderstorm yesterday, so it seemed necessary to venture down the Commonwood path this afternoon to check on Ms Willie and her clutch. She's still there, incubating her birdie butt off and resolute as ever. No sign of hatchlings yet, but it's all to …
Nestwatch
'Tis the season to procreate, and once again the flora and fauna of Braidwood and surrounds is having at it with gusto. We've been fortunate to witness the courtship and subsequent shacking-up of a number of feathery species, and rather late in the day, it occurred to me that this would make interesting 'content' (to …
Small but flighty
Here’s a quick bit about birds. It’s got to the point with this blog that pretty much anything would be better than ongoing silence, so yes, it’s birds again. Tramping about the wintry neighbourhood this afternoon with Archie, I happened on a couple of Silvereyes chit-chitting about their business, and was struck by a quick …
Sweet youth of bird
Hey, I’ve missed you too. January steamed by really fast and although various things happened, in the way things do, none found themselves onto these pages. I have a couple of half-written, rather uninspired pieces that may well make their way here eventually, but they had nothing of the excitement that gets them over the …
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