Rewards of a minor, but major, improvement in my bird hide

Not the prettiest enhancement, but the prototype has proven the concept. Shadecloth was too visually porous, so the birds scattered when i walked up to the window.  Now I can be in situ, camera ready, unnoticed.  Concept needs developing.

The star benefit was being able to watch not just one, but two, adult male Satin Bowerbirds skirmishing. Up behind a bush by the fence, so no photo, but they were there. Trust me. Hopefully I will get them both in a photo soon.

I will have to do something about the glass, so I will look in to that (daad!), but in the meantime, proof of concept is certainly positive.

Already I have learned that, unusually for birds, they seem most active late morning.

The figs, which for reasons so far unkown, did not ripen at all this summer, are manna for the Currawongs and Bowerbirds in particular. This morning there were, in addition to about 8 Pied Currawongs, also 3 Grey Currawongs, very infrequent visitors to here. They are slightly greyer in the chest, but also have the faintest white tips around the ends of the wings.

The Currawongs and Bowerbirds are clearly competitors for similar things, like the figs and the olives.  The water was popular.

The Currawong seemed to know I was there,

and seemed to be saying, this water better be good:

Although there were at one stage, as noted above, two male Satin Bowerbirds, this male was there for about 15 minutes:

There were up to 7 birds there at one time, with a mix of older females and/or juveniles (male birds change slowly from the greenish appearance to the satin of the adult male at age 7), plus a couple of very young quite bright green birds.

I put those Correa in only yesterday to encourage attendance, but the birds also clearly like the flowers, although I haven’t seen them taking other correa flowers. They certainly take bean and pea flowers, and emergent seedlings, so I now own lots of bird net so I get my share.

There is clearly a heirarchy, and immediately after this subservient submission, the older bird had the flower:

Moving the birdbath continues to reap its rewards. I think this is an adult female.

Michael Monaghan

April 2020