As I had been away on Saturday I could not do my usual walk on Red Hill Nature Reserve. I was also busy on Sunday morning at ANBG with a group from the course I attended looking at some things there, I will post about that soon. I am writing this post out of order so I can get my photos up on Canberra Nature Map. This post is not just about my morning walk but, as I was walking to Deakin later in the day, I took my camera with me then as well. It was a very full day with a number of Gang-gangs, bowerbirds, the Brown Goshawk and photographing some insects. I really enjoyed myself and I hope you like the photographs.
Walking to Red Hill I saw this group of Australian Magpies (Cracticus tibicen) along the way. This species of bird have adapted so well to urban living. The three birds were completely comfortable on this urban street, with them all about to fly onto a low branch. They were joined on the branch by a Noisy Miner with both species of birds happy to share the branch. Some studies say these two species of birds, despite their strong territorial defence against all species of birds do get along with each other.
Three magpies preparing to fly
The same three magpies with a Noisy Miner, left, all sharing the same branch
This Crimson Rosella (Platycercus elegans) was high on a dead tree and its feathers looked a little worse for wear, possibly from age. It was flying around and eventually flew off to the north.
The Crimson Rosella taking off
In recent weeks I have heard Australian Wood Ducks (Chenonetta jubata) back on Red Hill with the females making their repetitive, single note call. I am wondering if some pairs are trying for a second clutch. This pair were on top of a street light near Alfred Deakin High, so not really a breeding location.
A male, left, and female, right, on a street lamp
Initially this morning both this male and female Gang-gang Cockatoo (Callocephalon fimbriatum) were outside the hollow I have seen them at before. The female was high in the tree calling while the male was lower and silent. After a few minutes, when I was watching them, the male went into the hollow while the female remained outside calling. The female only moved down slightly when a Red Wattlebird landed on the tree but there was no interaction between the different birds. She just kept calling. I moved further down the path in case I was showing too much attention to the hollow, when I was further away I looked back to see the male emerge. Both the male and female then flew off to the north-west.
The male Gang-gang Cockatoo about to enter the hollow
The female Gang-gang high in the tree
This is the Red Wattlebird (Anthochaera carunculata) that got the female Gang-gang’s attention. I like this shot as you can see its tongue flicking out of its mouth. It did this a few times while it was perched on the branch.
A flock of Australian White Ibis (Threskiornis molucca) in a lovely v-formation flew over Red Hill while I was out.
There were a lot of Eastern Rosellas (Platycercus eximius) on the hill, as there often are.
This pair of Galahs (Eolophus roseicapillus) were further around the northern side of Red Hill in a tree. They were moving around trees but landed long enough for me to take a series of photographs. They were initially a distance apart but came together for some mutual preening. I thought there may have been a nest nearby but they did not show any interest in tree hollows.
The galahs mutually preening with the female on the left
Further around from the Galahs to the east was a tree with three Gang-gang Cockatoos (Callocephalon fimbriatum). There was a pair up high, with the male making occasional noises and the pair was carrying our mutual preening. There was also a lone male on the lower branches constantly calling but it was not being challenged by the male higher up.
The Gang-gang Cockatoo pair high up in the tree
Another view of the pair
The lone male on a lower branch
In a tree towards the water tanks there was a single, possibly female, Satin Bowerbird (Ptilonorhynchus violaceus). It stayed high in the tree and I did not hear any other bowerbird. I did occasionally hear the typical metallic like call these birds make as I was approaching the tree but I could not see if it was this bird calling.
The lone Satin Bowerbird
I was able to photograph a group of about five White-winged Choughs (Corcorax melanorhamphos) who were walking through a sunny patch towards where I was standing. While I was photographing these choughs there was a call from further up the hill, possibly from a Noisy Friarbird, and all the bird life changed their behaviour. The choughs took to the trees, looking around them; the one I was paying attention to flinched at a shadow of another bird. I wondered if they knew that call signalled an aerial threat, as a little further up the hill I was attracted by some noise where I saw two friarbirds agitated by the presence of a Brown Goshawk. I was intrigued by this sudden, very abrupt change in behaviour of all the birds around me, as if they knew the meaning of the friarbird’s call.
A White-winged Chough walking in a normal style while looking for food
The same bird in a noticeably more alert position on a low tree branch with its head indicating the origin of the bird call that caused the birds to change their behaviour
The Brown Goshawk (Accipiter fasciatus) was high in a eucalyptus with two Noisy Friarbirds making alarmed calls at it. The goshawk also continued to call. The friarbirds did not swoop the goshawk but were moving on the branches around it. Eventually the goshawk flew off to the south with both friarbirds following it, although I only saw one friarbird return.
The Brown Goshawk calling out
I noticed this possible raptor nest on the north side of one of the water tanks. The picture has an obliging currawong for size comparison. Logic says it is the nest of the Brown Goshawk but this is not near where I was swooped previously by what I assumed to be a nesting goshawk.
A possible raptor nest
Further down the south side of the hill were a group of about four Sulphur-crested Cockatoos (Cacatua galerita) on the ground feeing. The sun was behind them, so not ideal for photography, but I could not resist this shot.
Walking on a little further I passed under a lone female Gang-gang Cockatoo (Callocephalon fimbriatum) sitting quietly on a branch. I could not see a nesting hollow but at present Gang-gangs sitting quietly on tree branches may be an indication of a nesting hollow nearby.
The quiet female Gang-gang Cockatoo
Almost back in Hughes I was hoping to see a Satin Bowerbird (Ptilonorhynchus violaceus) and I was so happy there was one where I know a group live. This female was initially in a tree but spied a grasshopper on some leaves, flew past the leaves to take the grasshopper on the wing, landing on this log just beside me. I was so happy it landed so close and that my camera was able to focus on it. She then flew off to the south, high into a tree by the golf course.
The female Satin Bowerbird just after consuming a grasshopper
Heading out after lunch I saw this male Gang-gang Cockatoo (Callocephalon fimbriatum) sitting on a tree branch. There was no sign of a female but there are indications this pair is nesting nearby.
A lone male Gang-gang sitting quietly on a branch
This was my first photograph of a Superb Fairy-wren (Malurus cyaneus) in the strong daytime sun after midday in a Canberra summer. I was memorised by the blue of the bird and how well it stood out. I understand this is not a pigment, the blue in a bird is caused by tiny pockets of air trapped in the filaments of the feather acting as prisms for the natural light focusing the blue light only. I do not understand the science but I appreciate the magnificent result.
I love this shot of a male Superb Fairy-wren
While up on Red Hill I once again attempted some telephoto lens macro photography with this Stencilled Hairstreak Butterfly (Jalmenus ictinus). There were several of them flying around this plant.
I also noticed this Common Hover Fly (Simosyrphus grandicornis) moving slowly close to the ground, flying between low growing plants.
There was this Green Caterpillar, but I cannot identify the species. I will post this picture to Canberra Nature Map as I am sure somebody will be able to tell me what species it belongs to.
There were also a number of Common Brown Butterflies around.
This hive location of European Honey Bees have been previously reported by the amazingly productive JackyF but I liked this picture. At least four of the bees around the bottom part of the hole seem to be noticeably larger than the other bees, with hairier thoraxes and slightly darker abdomen bands.