Can you spot the two scaly-breasted lorikeets with their lispstick red beaks? They've just taken off after a drink and a bath at the lilypot.
Our backyard has been a hive of activity as the birds prepared for winter. The currawong kids have returned in big numbers after travelling around the countryside during summer. Over a dozen young adults congregate daily, renewing acquaintances with the crows and magpies. The younger ones are much smarter than their parents and quicker to respond to the cheek they get from the noisy-miners and butcherbirds.
The galahs have been sorting out their nesting holes, while the noisy-miners have been building new nests. The good rains this year has kept the bowerbirds in the region and many of them visit for a bath. Teddy-Toms our early pied-butcherbird chicks, now fully adult with their own families have returned. The birds surprised us again. A big butcherbird conference in the old mulberry tree, saw Freddy and Terry leave, while their juvi Jerry was joined by two of Teddy-Toms kids in their area. There were no fights or squabbles, just a singing negotiation. (Last year, we saw their negotiations resulted their kid Terry joining Dimpy and Chucky; Freddy returned while Butch and Cass left.)
Their grey butcherbird cousin Larry has been trying to get his oldest Barry who comes up from the valley for a feed to stick to his territory, though Barry is as cheeky with his parents as Teddy-Toms have been with theirs.
The slides below give a glimpse of the daily scenes.
(click on the 'next' button to forward through the slides).
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Emerging Plans for the New Season - Jun 09
Cresty - tries out the new bath
the galahs too like the ceramic bowl
Jerry's a teen now
Larry's enjoying the sunshine
Gally Galah is pleased to the find green grass in June
The minnies are pleased with the sunshine
All enjoy their social get togethers
Vicky-Mindy-Monty with their best Minnie
Teddy-Toms and Freddy-Terry hold a conference
while their magpie and minnie friends potter below
Freddy-Terry leave while Teddy-Toms kids join Jerry
The bowerbird maiden
returns to her bath
the clear mornings turn
to misty winter days
Larry tells Barry its time to leave
Their pied cousins form new teams
the young crows and currawongs get reacquainted
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