Wild Bird Wednesday 700 - Tawny Frogmouth

The Tawny Frogmouth (Podargus strigoides) is native to Australian and can be found throughout much of the country.  They can be found in almost any habitat type, including forests and woodlands, scrub and heathland vegetation. 

It is a big-headed, stocky bird which is often mistaken for an owl due to its nocturnal habits and similar colouring. However, it is more closely related to birds such as true nightjars.  They can measure from 34 to 53 cm long, but they are rather variable in size.

Tawny Frogmouths makes use of cryptic plumage and mimicry to camouflage themselves. They strategically perch on low tree branches during daylight hours, often being sitting very close to the tree itself.  They often strike a 'head up' pose with the beak inclined upwards at a distinctive angle.  To further increase the quality of their camouflage they often choose to perch on branches that have broken sections - where their combination of plumage and stance can make them very hard to see.

These three birds were sitting on a low branch near Glenrowan in North East Victoria.  Sal found the birds first and momentarily forgetting their names said 'There are three of those birds that pretend to be trees here!'. I suspect that this may become their standard name in our family!

These are just remarkable birds.

I suspect they would make good Christmas tree decorations - although I suppose they may be a little too hard to notice!  Best wishes for the next few days.

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Bay of Fires.

The Bay of Fires or Larapuna is a remarkable coastal region in northeastern Tasmania. It is famous for its pristine white beaches, turquoise waters, and unique orange-hued granite rocks covered in red or orange lichen.  The area was named The Bay of Fires by Captain Furneaux in 1773 after seeing many Aboriginal fires in the area.

Geologically the area is very similar to Wilsons Promontory in Victoria, Flinders Island in Bass Straight and the Freycinet areas of Tasmania.  If you have been to the Prom, the Bay of Fire will feel very familiar - but the Bay of Fires is just much larger, wilder and (in my experience) less crowded.

It's a remarkable place.

Sal and I did a five day glamping and lodge based walk through the area that started and ended in Launceston.  The food and drinks provided were great.  Despite some good walking, I suspect it was not a weight loss week!

There is a deep history of indigenous in the area, going back maybe 60,000 years.  In some parts of the dunes shell middens are being exposed, ant it's remarkable to think that both the shells and associated burnt wood and stone artefacts appearing on the surface could pre-date Stonehenge, the Pyramids in Egypt and the human colonisation of North America.

In some places nature plays tricks on you and gathers huge numbers of pippi shells into small, isolated coves. You would be tempted to think such deposits are human in origin, but it all just a trick of the tide.

A great few days walking - with the best company I could ask for.  SM

 

Wild Bird Wednesday 699 - House Sparrow

The status of the House Sparrow (Passer domesticus) as an invasive pest in Australia means that it is not really a very popular bird in many agricultural and environmental circles.  Both of these groups of critics have a reasonable point, as the House Sparrow damages crops and can outcompete native species for nest sites.

An interesting aspect of how this species is viewed is its role as a 'canary in the coal mine' for levels of environmental pollution. Their close living / cohabiting with humans makes changes in their population levels an effective method of identifying changes in environmental pollutants such as lead and fluoride.  This sensitivity to pollution may explain why their populations are declining in some parts of the world.

House Sparrows were introduced to Australia between 1863 and 1870. They were first released in Victoria, but later releases also occurred in Sydney, Brisbane and Hobart. The species quickly established itself in urban areas and throughout eastern Australia.  The House Sparrow remains absent from Western Australia where strict control biosecurity measures are in place for the species.

The House Sparrow is 14 -16cm long with a wingspan of 18 - 25cm.  They are a very social bird, almost always occurring in loose family groups.  They are also enthusiastically vocal if not particularly vocally gifted.

The male House Sparrow has white cheeks, with a grey band on its head, a red-brown (chestnut?) back of the head and a black bid.  The female is a plainer bird, with greyish brown head cap and a pale stipe behind the eye.  When looked at closely, but sexes have rich brown colouring in the wings.

These birds were feeding around a cafe area in North Eastern Victoria, near Wangaratta.

As ever, to join in with WBW click on the link below.  Hope all is well, SM

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Wild Bird Wednesday 698 - Curlew Sandpiper

The Curlew Sandpiper (Calidris ferruginea) is a small / medium-sized wader with a characteristic black down-curved bill. 

It migrates to Australia from its breeding grounds in Siberia. In the past the Curlew Sandpiper was a common visitor during the Australian summer, congregating in large flocks, sometimes numbering thousands of birds, however, population numbers have declined significantly in recent years, almost certainly due to loss of habitat on its migration / flyway routes.

The Sharp-Tailed Sandpiper, Red-Necked Stint this species make up the vast majority of the small and medium sized waders present in Victoria during our summer.  I'd really like to see any of these species in their northern habitats in their breeding plumage.  One day.

This bird was feeding in some rather viscous looking water in a muddy section of the Werribee Sewage works.  What I find interesting is that I was never able to see (or photograph) it with an item of food in its beak.

There were considerably more birds feeding in this patch of mud than just this single bird - but this one was the most obliging in terms of proximity!

As ever, to join in with WBW click on the blue button below.  SM

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