BIRD NEWS:21

Back to my house in England, Chackie decided to reinvestigate the windowsill as a cafe site, but did not get beyond the tree. However, this gave me the opportunity to get a better shot of her than I have in some time.

The middle of March continued Post-Paris, and I took a few shots from the kitchen window of sparrows on the path near my veg plot. Mostly, they were busy hunting for food, either natural or provided.

Over the past week, since my return, the robin has been mostly absent as has the thrush. I assume that now it is spring, neither will make a regular appearance until late next fall - although the robin is likely to pop out from time to time, especially when feeding its young.

The blackbirds are active and ravenous. There are two pairs, as last year. One pair is nesting in the prickly tree between our house and next door, whilst the other appear to be nesting in the tree outside my window - which also has other occupants...

Ditty and partner dove appear to have decided to use my tree as a hang-out spot and possibly a nesting place. A dunnock has also been seen entering the lower regions of the tree with straw in its beak, as well as a second dunnock nesting below the prickly tree. i am yet to catch up on the pigeons, but none seem to be nesting in the main tree as yet - maybe it is already too overcrowded!

BIRD NEWS:20 - Pigeons In Paris

Paris was my first vacation in almost a decade, apart from various day trips and relocating overseas back in 2009. I was only taking a long weekend away, but hoped to spot some birdlife. Yes, Paris did have birds although not as many as Sussex, Wollongong, or even Sydney.

Whilst others in the location were 'only' taking shots of the 'just to the left' Eiffel Tower, I 'also' took a shot of this fellow. I have posted both the regular and close up shots for you, so you can see both Paris and the pigeon.

In the suburban location at which I was staying, I had a pleasant view from the window. Birds sighted include one of those 'big black birds' (rook/crow/raven), a magpie, and a pair of pigeons. The latter I managed to catch on camera - although you might not be able to tell unless you saw them land on the barrier of someones' deck and realized that they were not blobs but birds.

As the hung around that bar for a while, I assume the owner of the apartment feeds them. Yes, this next shot is back in the city of Paris - and yes it is the famed Champs El. street with the L'arc Du Triomphe - but can you spot the pigeon? Alas, neither can I - although I do recall there having been one somewhere when scurrying through my bag to extract the camera...

BIRD NEWS:19

The second week of March began and this month I do not expect to visit Naboo and Bluey until late if at all, due to taking a weekend trip to Paris. The weather was sunny and a few degrees warmer, resulting in many of the birds commencing nesting activities in sync with the frogs egging the pond.

As my Paris trip approached, I wondered - what were French birds like? I had read that there were pigeons in Paris - with the usual love/hate relationship from human citizens. What other birds dwelled there, though - and were there pigeons at the sites I would see?

A few days before leaving for my weekend away, I took a few shots of the birds in the yard - or tried to. This was supposed to be a shot of Ditty the dove investigating the tree as a possible nesting site - but as Naboo, she was somewhat too fast for my camera.

The day before my travels, I dug over the veg plot - so the soil was loose for the birds to find their own food whilst I was absent. However, I did prepare a large tray filled with goodies to leave on the bird table for them, also.

BIRD NEWS:18

Curio took a break from collecting material for her next nest, and had a drink.

As I write, it is now the final week of February, 2015. I have not been doing much, apart from shopping and work, due to having had a cold over the weekend. Having a fairly lazy Tuesday of semi-recuperation, I happened to look out of the window - then hasten to grab my camera. A group of starling had clung to a tall stick at the top of a neighbor's tree and the shape resembled a half-dead giant bird in silhouette. I grabbed the camera - and shot.

Here is a shot of Mr Bob, taken during the first week of March. This week is the start of spring in some eyes, including my own, and actually the weather was sunnier, if only a degree or two warmer. Indeed, the birds - as well as frogs - have been in spring mode for a week or so now.

Curio is often seen with a beakfull of dried grass hovering about the yard - then diving into the tree between our yard and next doors'. While I have seen no nesting activity for the robins, Mr Bob has been hanging around and peeping in the window at me from time to time whilst ever hungry.

Our doves and pigeons have been 'selecting trees' half-heartedly.

BIRD NEWS:17

At the end of February's third week, I managed to catch a shot of Curio collecting dried grass. Alas, my camera batteries died on me as she perched on the rose arch with a beakful, prior to flying into the prickly berry tree next the kitchen window - BUT it appears the birds, akin to frogs, assume it is now spring.

I changed the batteries. Chackie landed on the bird table to munch some semolina cake and seed - the debris in the yard got in the way, as did the rose arch, though. I therefore changed to the coffee hide from kitchen to try to get a better shot...

 

Before long, Curio was at it again - darting about the yard searching for nesting materials. Yet this time, she did not perch close to the kitchen window with a beakful of debris, so I did not get a decent up-close shot.

BIRD NEWS:16

You might just spot the sparrow on the tree in this shot! (This blog host does not leave the photographs large enough for good viewing, so you might have to click on the picture to see it better.) We are now in the third week of February 2015, approaching Losar and past Valentine's Day. I felt lazy one day and lay down on my bed with camera nearby. I was treated to multiple appearances. Firstly, Sing and Song arrived to munch suet pellet and seed on my sill. 

In return for the food, Sing and Song set up a duet whilst one remained on the sill and the other on the roof overhang above. You can see and hear them HERE on this video I shot.

I then captured a sparrow with a chunk of suet pellet in his beak. She had returned to the tree to eat it after diving to the sill to snatch it up. This was closely followed by a red blurr - Mrs Bob.

A day later, I peeped out the kitchen window while baking and spotted someone investigating next door's bird box - spring is in the air, folks!

 

BIRD NEWS:15 & US bird post

Naboo temporarily peeps out from hiding as if to say 'have you finished with that pink box yet?' Well, I did put it away - only to take it out again later.

HERE and HERE are a pair of short videos I took of Bluey and Naboo. I think it is quite obvious from the video how fast Naboo is when a camera is pointed in his direction. Hopefully this will be apology and explanation enough to those hoping for me to provide a GOOD shot of him.

I waited patiently, and shortly before leaving took the camera out again - Naboo had 'gone to bed' in his sheet-bag, so I hoped he was tired enough to stay still for a few shots, which he was - just!

 

Finally for this post, HERE is the link to a US blog that has pictures of a dove that is just like our Ditty. I find it interesting to know that they have the same species of dove in the US as GB, because in AU the doves I was aware of had spotted necks instead of bars.

BIRD NEWS:14

Three last shots to share of those beach birds before I move on to familiar colorful friends at Lancing. This month, Bluey behaved more or less well. Bluey cannot resist allowing me to get at least one good picture before hiding...

Naboo however, was hyper-active and did not stay still enough for me to get a very good shot at first.

 

Bluey looked on - alternating between regarding Naboo dashing to and fro and ducking out of camera-shot at the last moment and the camera holding me.

 

Updating you on what has been happening in the back yard at home as an interlude, not a lot is a good summing up. Ditty and partner flew around the trees for a day or two as if hunting for a new nesting site and a pair of sparrows have been in pre-mating mode. I am hoping my friend brings her ladder around so we can cut back the tree branches that are too close to the house BEFORE any nesting occurs though.