Greetings As I’ve mentioned before, birding can be made up of a continuous collection of magic moments. On April Fool’s Day [1 April] it was the Peregrine Falcon at telegraph pole height; indeed, it was a day on which we encountered five different raptor species. Yesterday was another magic moment. As often is our wont, at day’s end we settled down on the verandah with a glass of shiraz to absorb and admire the approaching twilight. The seeds and lorikeet mx had been scattered; the regulars, the Galahs, Crested Pigeons, Bar-shouldered Doves, Magpie-larks, Noisy Miners and the male Common Bronzewing, had gathered at Café Avian to enjoy a last minute food bonanza. It was Fay who first spotted the Red-winged Parrot. It came from seemingly out of nowhere although of course it had probably watched proceedings closely from the nearby Angophora. As cautious as it is silent, the male flew cross to the Grey Gum in the Middle Compound. It was accompanied by a female Australian King-Parrot. It remained in situ for several minutes before it ventured down to the ground where it fed on the proffered lorikeet mix. All else stopped. We inhaled; wine glasses were lowered gently to the table, long-lens camera lifted, ready for the opportunity to fire. All idle chatter ceased; all chatter stopped as we concentrated on the magnificent red wing of the male Red-winged Parrot. Then the female was there, a little further away from the house but clearly making her way towards Café Avian. These are uncommon visitors to Allen Road, to be savoured whenever they grace our property with their unexpected presence. They stayed long enough for me to get in a few shots, albeit in rapidly fading light. The alarm call of the nearby Noisy Miner startled the parrots and they were gone. Julian Cheers
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Greetings Denise I quite agree, life is grand as long as there is fine wine and good coffee in the offing BUT most of all as long as the birds continue to grace my binoculars. All the more as at the moment an open hole [some 10 mm in diameter , 3-4 mm deep] restricts my birding to the verandah or from the open window of the car. Those Partridge Pigeon may well tempt Fay and I to make a return visit to the NT [back in the 90s Fay was adopted as a member of the Melville Island people]. Cheers Julian P.S. you’ll find a photo of the male at http://birderatlarge.blogspot.com.au/2015/04/red-winged-magic.html
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A great bird, and a wonderful moment. Over a nice glass of red and at sunset in good company – what more could one want! Here at Darwin River our Red-winged Parrots are rather cautious. Not so our three “magic” birds – Northern Rosella, Partridge Pigeon and Grey-crowned Babbler. While sitting in our outdoor barbecue area either with the glass of wine or good coffee, we are often joined by one species or the other. They come down to feed on the lawn, the first two nibble at what looks to be Commelina or related species, and the other on the myriad invertebrate life that inhabits the grasses. Isn’t life grand! Denise Lawungkurr Goodfellow PO Box 71 Darwin River, NT, Australia 0841 043 8650 835 PhD candidate, Southern Cross University, Lismore, NSW. Founding Member: Ecotourism Australia Nominated by Earthfoot for Condé Nast’s International Ecotourism Award, 2004. With every introduction of a plant or animal that goes feral this continent becomes a little less unique, a little less Australian. On 3 Apr 2015, at 4:16 am, Julian Bielewicz < osprey@bordernet.com.au> wrote:
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