Out There

Bird Watch
Out There is home to a host of birds. The variation is dazzling to a person used to the monoculture of city birdlife. I have identified over 40 species since we started going outthere. Some of them appear below.

Wedge-tailed Eagle Female-90cm Male-1m The most spectacular and largest bird by far is the Eagle or "Wedgie". We have three that soar above our property regularly. A huge shadow sweeps across the fields as they pass. One sunny afternoon we watched a pair hunting rabbits on our property but usually they just glide by at a great height on upswept wings. Bird Watch We now have four eagles
Peregrine Falcon Female-38cm Male-48cm We have observed this falcon nesting in the cliffs of the Canyon. It is a spectacular flier and we have seen it engage an eagle in an aerial battle. The hapless eagle ventured into its territory. Usually so graceful, the eagle only just managed to escape the precision dive-bombing of its smaller, swifter cousin
Nankeen Kestrel Female-31cm Male-35cm A pair of these small hovering falcons have a nest in an old, dead tree over the fenceline of our property. They are common hunters over our fields with their distinctive rapid flickering wingbeats. They soar on flat wings with tail spread, hovering frequently with tail fanned and dive for their prey like fighter pilots.
Laughing Kookaburra 46cm These noisy birds are plentiful and sing in chorus in the mornings and evenings. Their chuckling laughter can be heard echoing through the hills. They like to sit above our frog pond staring down hungrily.
Yellow-tailed Black-Cockatoo 60-69cm Flocks of these noisy birds fly out of the National Park at sunrise and return at sunset.They fly with slow measured rather ungainly wingbeats screeching all the way.
Black Faced Cuckoo Shrike 33cm Apparently this is one of Australia's commonest birds but I have never seen one in Sydney. I wonder why? Meeoww.
White-Eared Honey Eater 18-22cm These birds are residents and are often seen looking for insects in the trees around the caravan.
White-Browed Wood Swallow 19cm A flock of these birds arrived one afternoon at Lade Downs. At first I thought it was lots of different birds because there was a broad range of colour variations. The juvenile is speckly, the male is brown and the female is a beautiful cinnamon colour.
Richard's Pipit 15-17cm A pair of these birds live on the Blasted Plains, a desert like expanse at the centre of our property. They have a beautiful call and a curious undulating display flight. They make their nest on the ground.
Grey Fantail 16cm These active little birds are flycatchers. When I was raking the grass around the caravan a flock followed me around gobbling up the insects I disturbed.
Willy Wagtail 20cm Wagtails can still be seen in Sydney but ours are bigger and brighter than the poor little shabby ones in suburbia.
Eastern Yellow Robin 15cm This pretty little yellow breasted bird is a common visitor.
Scarlet Robin 13cm We often see these tiny birds on the property. From a distance they look like a bright red dot.
Superb Fairy Wren 14cm This bird really lives up to its name. It is the most striking iridescent blue. They live in the Blackberries and venture out to feed. (another good reason not to spray poison on and burn the blackberries)The male invariable comes first hopping boldly about. He is followed by his little brown hens. They are common residents.
Pacific Black Duck 47-61cm After a storm and our usually dry dam fills with water and a pair of ducks quickly take advantage. There is nothing more homely than a dam with a duck on it. Usually they live in the river below our caravan.