Australian (NSW) birds - update 27th Sept. 2020

My brother from Australia sent me through a lot more photos of the birdlife in his area of New South Wales;   some are same species you have already seen from his previous photos (but different shots)  and there are some new bird species we haven't seen as well.    As there are a lot of pics I will download them in batches a few at a time;   fortunately he has named the species for us which makes my life a lot easier  lol      Having seen these photos,  I think a trip to Australia is now moving up the list    ha ha !!        

You will have seen the recent news of serious and extensive bush fires currently around Australia (particularly NSW and Victoria) which has had a serious impact not only on humans, property, habitat but also the wildlife.    We were living there (but holidaying in UK) when the last devastating/fatal bush fires occurred in Victoria (Black Sunday - February 2009)  which destroyed my brother's previous residence in Victoria;    so I will start with a photo of his old house from 2009  (he had moved from there just over a year before this fire took place and after he moved to NSW)  but knowing his old house so well it was sickening to see there was nothing left of it - except the remnants of the washing machine and the bathtub.     I remember when Mike and I re-varnished the decking area for my brother which gave such superb views of the Yarra Valley beneath and there was nothing left as the fire has swept up from the valley below with such ferocity.  These fires spread so quickly you have to ensure you evacuate well in time as even a car often can't outrun the speed of these fires as they are so often accompanied by strong winds :(     

You can probably make out the view we used to have down to the Yarra Valley beneath...…   it was even more spectacular when you stood on the decking towards the back of the property.

  

Now for more pleasant memories and the New South Wales birdlife:  

I have to start with this enchanting little Wren that just made me smile when I saw it  !!        A Red-backed Fairy-wren

the always popular Kookaburra which is a member of the Kingfisher family of birds.

Dollarbird    -   it looks oddly out of proportion ! 

Blue-faced Honeyeater 

Cuckoo-shrike  

Eastern Rosella 

Eastern Spinebill 

more to come after a cuppa  !!    there will be eagles, ospreys, godwits and other amazing birds ……..

  • Thanks Nige, because my brother lives in the northern part of new south wales which is almost sub tropical so he gets a good variety of birds (plus migrant birds) which I could only dream of seeing but will definitely put plans on the list to visit once we settle into our new apartment. Not sure we'll get there this year as lots to do once we move and not sure travel is such a good idea at the moment ! Hopefully more birding in UK first :) It's nice that Hazel in France gets to see the Black-shouldered Kite, very envious of all these sightings but glad we get to see the photos.
  • Spectacular looking birds Hazy, wouldn't mind one of those Lorikeets on my Bottle Brush, and a White Bellied Sea Eagle flying over:-) Titch would be very jealous of the Eastern Yellow Robin, what a flash of colour to see at the bird table.
  • I'm just catching up with a few threads, Hazel, and send many thanks to your brother for taking the photos and to you for posting them for us. I'd love to see a Black Shouldered Kite over here--perhaps one day. Also, special thanks to your brother and you for the Ospreys--that last pic does look very Osprey-like. I wonder if it is partly the light making the right side of bird's head (on the left when looking at the pic!) look paler in that photo than it actually is; the left side of the bird's face does seem to have the dark feathers at the back of the eye. Or perhaps Aussie Ospreys (Ozzie Ospreys?!) have paler feathers there naturally although the other photo looks as though Aussie Ospreys do have that dark band/arc behind the eye. You may know that some taxonomists have given the Australasian Osprey separate species status and name it the Eastern Osprey, Pandion cristatus, rather than using cristatus as the traditional subspecies name for the Australasian Osprey as only one part of the global Osprey species Pandion haliaetus. Since Aussie Ospreys apparently do not migrate, you stand a chance of seeing them whenever you go there.
  • Thanks Gaynor and Ann,
    @ Ann, yes the Ospreys are classified as separate Eastern species and that must be what our mystery bird is as it doesn't seem to fit anything else and with the light being strong out there maybe that's why there doesn't seem as much brown eye feathering. These birds are about 12 miles down the road from him as I think they were relocated from a huge river bridge (Clarence River which was even nearer to his house) when the Pacific Highway had to upgraded and widened. He's certainly a lucky lad to see all these gorgeous species and I think I may have got him into more bird watching LOL Wait till I get out there with my camera and drag him along !! Just hope we get settled into the new place quickly and then I will have to sort out new passports, etc., Hopefully this dreaded Coronavirus won't affect travel too long term.    We already got a good dose of disinfectant spray on the aircraft before we landed at Ozzie airports so goodness knows what would happen now   lol 

  • Hazel, Do you have a moving in date yet? You must be looking forward to arranging your things in your new place. Yes, let's hope the dreaded new virus does not produce problems for everyone, that the fires stop in Australia and that you will see you brother (and Aussie's gorgeous birds) very soon.
    I just heard on tonight's news that a man from Haslemere (who has not been abroad!) has now been diagnosed with the virus. Haslemere is not far from us and we spent 2 hours last night at an event where there was also a couple from Haslemere present. The rest of the audience was from a dozen other local villages. If the couple present at the event know the man concerned (unlikely, but you never know--Haslemere is not very big) then that is how infection proliferates exponentially. And on Saturday we go to a party for a 29th of February birthday boy and 70 people will be there from not only all over the UK but from several other places around the world. My fingers are crossed (but I do know that is no protection against viruses!)
  • Unknown said:
    Hazel, Do you have a moving in date yet?

    We should complete purchase on 27th March (it should have been yesterday but developer delayed due to general access/undercroft parking not being up to their expected high finish standards)  but we will keep this rental on until end April whilst we get the wardrobes/carpets/window blinds, etc.,  fitted.   Everything seems to have long lead up times when ordering !     It will give us time to get our heads around less storage and thin down our household effects once they come out of store.      We had only our 5th look round (in 14 months) on Thursday as access is restricted due to H & Safety, hard hats, hi-vis required !    They have show apt. open now (appointment basis) so we saw they had finished the main entrance foyer and were suitably impressed  lol      Regarding Covid19, we were shopping a couple of weeks ago in local store where one of the recently released quarantine people were in store - he thinks he's a celebrity when most of us were heading for the other end of the aisle  lol      I guess only time will tell just how this virus pans out.         Enjoy the birthday celebration.

    Had to laugh just now as I notice I had written Corvid19  instead of Covid 19    LOL !!!

  • An amazing collection of beautiful Australian birds, Hazel. Enjoyed your wonderful photos very much.
    My best wishes & greetings, Mart

  • A few more photos taken by my brother in northern New South Wales, Australia .......       I had to take them off Instagram so smaller file size

    Sacred Kingfisher

    Tawny Grassbird

    Pair of White-breasted Woodswallow 

    White-breasted Woodswallow juv

    Beach Stone Curlew...Brooms Head rarely seen south of Cairns apparently...

    Great Egret

    White-cheeked Honeyeater

    coastal Emu 

    Cattle Egret 

    close up of a Tawny frogmouth 

    White-bellied Sea Eagles 

    Spotted Harrier 

    White-naped Honeyeater

    Spangled Drongo 

    Fairy-wren

    Raven and Wedge-tailed Eagle

    Little Grassbird   

    Rainbow Bee-eaters 

    Eastern Osprey 

    That's it for now but if I find any more I'll upload them here ............       sadly Covid19 has put a hold on our plans to visit Australia  :(     

  • He's just showing off now Hazel lol.... do the two Tawny Grassbirds look different to each other, or is it just me? All stunning birds tho, and beautifully captured
  • More absolutely unbelievable birds, such colour it makes me dizzy just viewing them, can you imagine the thrill you would get seeing them through your camera lens. My friend in Margaret River (Perth) has sent me a pic of the Fairy Wren they had in the garden, that tail is longer and more pointed than our Wren I think. Your brother is very talented Hazy, thanks for posting.