Birds from the Bush.

[Rimeriter]

During past months we have been pleased to have a variety of visitors from the bush.
An occasional Kookaburra. A few Pee Wees. A couple of Currawongs. But of a mob of Magpies, which chortle around sunrise, only three remain and one has conned his tucker every morning lately -

Maggie comes to Town.

He had flown across the mountain, because the water’s runnin’ low,
parched lands were increasing day by day.
He travelled to the city where the rivers were in flow,
found them pleasant and decided he might stay.

It was the Georges, where he landed, to have a look around,
found a lake with tall timber at its edge.
Sighing She-oaks spindled branches waving gently in the breeze
while along the low embankment, sign of sedge.

High branches with green foliage, somewhat similar to home,
this place might be nice to have a rest.
Flying high on pleasant updrafts, watching all within his view,
he could see feathered others in their nest.

No sign of predators or fire, left behind the Western Ranges,
where drought is causing animals to die.
Soft morning sun from dawn to dusk, green and grassy is the land,
cotton clouds framed by a pale and blue hued sky.

He found a backyard garden, just at the river edge,
with a birdbath and low foliage on the scene.
Tank water, right for drinking and for bathing,
then a space to spread his wings to stretch and preen.

But little sign of roadkill, or other food of choice,
that was until a human came out through her door.
She spread red meat upon the grass, some soft, some very stringy,
more like dead ‘roo or Wallaby’s hardened paw,
which needed his strong beak, to rip and tear to shreds
as he once did when in his western range.

He then began to sense, this is not so bad at all,
even though it began as, very, very strange.

When once he had ‘settled in’, with competition thin,
he began his strange but friendly magpie ‘talk’.
So then each and every day, when his human would appear,
he’d fly to her feet to say good morning
with a gutteral magpie - ' grawk ‘.

©. Rimeriter 28/4/12.

[Dennis N O'Brien]

The magpies have always been survivors haven't they? but I've noticed
a lot of other birds (and animals for that matter) seem to be adapting to the
encroaching suburbs which is a good thing.
Have got the odd "Grawking" magpie around our place.
Well done Jim.

[Rimeriter]

Dennis, "thank you" for your positive comment.

As you mention, many other 'bush' creatures have had to seek refuge from both drought then floods.
We are pleased, now that we cannot travel as often, that some come to visit us.

A family of wrens make a twice daily travel in, then through our immediate area. We think they may have nested
and raised a family, possibly in our denser bushes or those along the river bank, at some time.
At times a few ol' black crows announce their presence.

"onya" mate.
Jim.

[Terry]

Hi Jim,
Our place is almost overrun with wild life; undoubtedly due mainly to its state of neglect.
There are many birds that visit the birdbath and/or feast on the native plans that now grow wild here.
Lizards and gecko's are everywhere, as mentioned our garden is more like a bit of out of control bushland these days.

I often think it's only as we get older that most of us start to really appreciate the wildlife around us.

Good one mate.

Terry

[Rimeriter]

"Thanks" Terry, you are lucky to have a Gecko.
Skinks are common here and now and again a Blue Tongue emerges from our sullage trench.
Jim.

[Maureen K Clifford]

Much enjoyed Jim - like you I am lucky to have lots of birds come and visit despite the two girls - my rescued crows are still occasional visitors, not as often as they were before they found mates, there is a resident Kookaburra that I have taken heaps of photos of as well as a family of Superb wrens - generation 5 at present - then of course the mynahs, maggies, finches, lorikeets et al. Being so close to the river I suspect has a lot to do with it - although my yard is getting a bit rainforest in appearance now. And then of course there are also the nocturnal bats. They too are beautiful with their sweet little furry faces

We don't see them so much now after I took out the palm trees - prior to that there were always a lot of them eating the palm nuts and spitting the pips all over the yard, and then the dogs would get them and chew on them and I was concerned about the girls getting Hendra virus so had the palms removed.

It is always lovely though to see the birds.

Cheers

Maureen

[r.magnay]

"....lucky to have a gecko!"...bloody water bags on legs, they are the curse of my life, they get into switchboards, air cons etc. looking for a feed or shelter or something, then they proceed to climb over bus bars and terminals until they inevitably get fried, often causing a water induced explosion in the process, they crap over the switchboard and generally make a hell of a mess. Why don't we seal the boards up better you ask, the cunning little buggers sit in the void between the weather seal and the lip on the door where they can't be seen, then as soon as you open the door they scoot in and hide behind the gear tray where they cannot be retrieved!...lucky to have a gecko! how bloody many do you want!

[Terry]

Apart from all that they're cute little beasties aren't they Ross!

Terry

[Rimeriter]

Maureen - Please remind me, which river are you nearby ?
We only have lorikeets fly over. A mad dash of colour, their distinctive calling, then - they're gone.
Fortunately, we only see fruit bats on the wing also, even though a small colony resides near a creek which feeds into the Georges close by.
Our local council sponsors a community group which tend to their welfare in some way..

Ross - the trials and tribulations to have a gecko as your mate
could mean your always 'on the ball', never just too late.
So think back to those ladder pegs all up the wooden pole
now cherry pickers have graduated into another role,
let's hope a baby crocodile does not graduate into
the soft life of a gecko far from your local zoo !!

Jim.

[Maureen K Clifford]

Jim I am right on the banks of the Bremer. Well 4 houses of it a bit too close to comfort recently.

Ross is that right about geckoes????? I have at least 6 in my place and love them and I see them in and out the back of the AC unit all the time. I have never have any cockies or spiders or indeed moths or silverfish and I figure that the geckoes solve that problem and I really love them. How can one protect electrical wiring from them short of eliminating them which I doubt I could do anyway as they live outside and seem to come in at night.

Living in an old Queenslander one of my greatest fears is fire - are they likely to cause something like that??? Now I am really worried especially since I have started using the heating side of the AC again.

Cheers

Maureen