Gregory's gallery (1)
Portraits of birds taken in and around Oaky. Please note that thumbnails link to large files. Chris has written notes about each of the local birds and these follow the thumbnails.
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King Parrot |
Barking Owl |
Cookoo Shrike |
Brown Thornbill |
Brush Bronzewing |
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Brush-rumped Thornbill |
Diamond Firetail |
Eastern Spinebill |
Eastern Whipbird |
Eastern Yellow Robin |
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Fantail Cookoo |
Flame Robin |
Galah |
Golden Whistler |
Grey Butcherbird |
Notes
Australian King Parrot
A distinctive, large parrot. Found all along the Great Divide. I have
seen them feeding around the visitors centre at the Three Sisters
Barking Owl
If you hear a loud “woof-woof” at night it will either be one of these
chappies or a dog. Roosts in trees during daylight. No common though.
Black Faced Cuckoo Shrike
A handsome bird, often found perched low down in a tree.
Brown Thornbill
Here is the first of a species identified worldwide as Little Brown
Jobbies or LBJs. They are a breed of little birds that flit around the upper
branches of trees looking for insects. Never staying still long enough to
identify. Impossible to photograph and all look the same!
This is a Brown Thornbill – obvious as it is brown and has a
thornbill. If you see a small bird in the trees behind Oaky it is almost
certainly one of these or then again maybe not.
Brush Bronzewing
Often found scratching away on the ground. If the light is right the
bronze wing feathers are dazzlingly iridescent.
Buff-rumped Thornbill
Another LBJ identified by its buff rump. If you are lucky.
Diamond Firetail
A striking finch and like all finches has a seed cracking bill and
distinctively colourful.
Eastern Spinebill
Another distinctive bird with its long slender bill. Seen a few times around
Oaky, particularly on walks around the tops of Kanangra Walls.
Eastern Whipbird
A difficult bird to see as it flits through undergrowth but easy to
identify by the male’s distinctive whip-crack call echoing through the forest.
During the breeding season the call is a whip-crack followed immediately by a
“chew-chew-chew”. It sounds like one call but the “chew” bit is the female
close by responding to the male and letting him know she is keeping an eye on
him.
Eastern Yellow Robin
A colourful and easily seen forest bird. It perches low down or clings
to the side of trees where it stays for some time waiting for you to pass and
disturb some insects on the forest floor.
Fantail Cuckoo
Another distinctive woodland bird with its barred tail. Often heard at
distance with its repeated mournful descending trill.
Flame Robin
With its bight red breast it looks quite like its European counterpart.
Similar to a Scarlet Robin, which has a larger white head cap and black throat.
Saw one on the drive from Oaky to Kanangra Walls.
Galah
Needs no introduction. A beautiful parrot nonetheless and although the
name Galah is slang for a fool or an idiot, Galahs in common with all parrots
are neither. Intelligent, long lived; they partner for life and live in large complex
social groups.
Golden Whistler
A brilliant woodland bird with a rich melodious voice.
Grey Butcherbird
Has a rich melodious piping voice but is not called a butcherbird for
nothing. Spears prey of reptiles and small birds with its strong beak. Note the
hook at the tip of the beak to trap prey.