Tag: Australian Wildlife

Laughing Kookaburra

Lately, a bedraggled Kookaburra has been sitting in trees near the house in the afternoon.  When we first spotted it, the bird’s tail feathers were completely missing, and it looked like it had been in some kind of skirmish.  Even now, with half-grown tail, it looks very scruffy compared with many beautiful Kookaburras I have … Continue reading Laughing Kookaburra

Black Kite

I was at the opposite end of the house to Richard when he called out ‘What’s that brown thing in the dam?”   Never too far from the camera, I caught a distant shot of a large bird, which we initially thought was a Wedge-Tailed Eagle.  This large bird of prey was taking a bath in … Continue reading Black Kite

Royal Spoonbill

Today was a day for unexpected visitors.  When I returned home at lunch time today, I found a Spoonbill walking around the dam.  I actually stumbled across the bird when looking for orchids.  Luckily it didn’t fly away, and I rapidly backed away from it, raced inside and grabbed my camera.  By the time I … Continue reading Royal Spoonbill

Australian White Ibis

When we awoke this morning, a small number of Australian White Ibis were wading in, and walking around the dam.  We didn’t actually count them, but there were about six or seven all in different locations. It is hard to tell if these were a family of ibis, or a flock of individuals.  Males and … Continue reading Australian White Ibis

Austracantha Minax (Christmas Spider, Jewell Spider or Six Horned Spider)

Sitting on the twine that supports our broad beans in the vegetable garden was a colourful  and  (we thought) unusual looking spider.  My internet research, verified from several differnt sources, including the Museum of Victoria, tells me that this spider’s scientific name  is  Austracantha Minax.   It seems to have several common names including the … Continue reading Austracantha Minax (Christmas Spider, Jewell Spider or Six Horned Spider)

The Fairy Wrens and the Cat Enclosure: A happy story

In an earlier post, I worried about disturbing the Superb Fairy Wren’s habitat in our back yard. I also worried about our cats killing the wrens if they were able to find a way into the newly constructed cat enclosure.  Most of all, I lamented that I would no longer see their cheery form hopping … Continue reading The Fairy Wrens and the Cat Enclosure: A happy story

Jacky Dragon

Around Victoria today, the soaring heat made it impssible to do much outside.  It even seemed too hot for the cats to be bothered doing much, until Clio ran past us with something large dangling out of her mouth.  My first view of the Jacky Dragon was the underside of the tail and one leg … Continue reading Jacky Dragon

Jetty Buddies: Pied Cormorant and White Faced Heron

I was fascinated to see two very different water birds sitting side by side on the jetty.  A wader, the White Faced Heron has long yellow legs and a long sharp beak.  It’s feathers are fluffy as they are not immersed in the water when the bird fishes. In contrast, the Pied Cormorant has short … Continue reading Jetty Buddies: Pied Cormorant and White Faced Heron

Swamp Wallaby

Our Christmas present this year is a photo of a  Swamp Wallaby! We’ve sighted a #kangaroo or wallaby from a distance twice before, and have seen scratchings in the ground, so we knew they were around.  However, like many Australian mamals, kangaroos and wallabies are nocturnal creatures.  We owe this photo to an early clock-radio … Continue reading Swamp Wallaby

Taunting Kookaburras: Photographing our environment

Every night, just when the light is too low to capture them on film, I hear kookaburras laughing in the trees.  It sounds like they are taunting me because try as I might, I simply can’t get a good photo of one.  During the day, the kookaburras call from neighbouring properties, or the opposite end … Continue reading Taunting Kookaburras: Photographing our environment

Eastern Spinebill

A  pair of Eastern Spinebills, also nectar feeders,  can squeeze through the lattice fence into the fernery.   Thankfully, this pair seems to have mastered the process of getting out of the cat enclosure as well as  breaking into it. The cats don’t seem to have noticed their presence, which is a huge relief!   … Continue reading Eastern Spinebill

The Ballet of the Australian Wood Ducks

After the hot weather we received last week came s few storms.  A dead tree was close enough to our house that, if was uprooted, it may crush the decking and lounge room, so we took preventative action and cut it down.  The Australian Wood Ducks seem to have adopted the trunk as a stage … Continue reading The Ballet of the Australian Wood Ducks