A Lone Babbler - Sole Traveller or Seeking New Mates?

What is a sweet, cute looking babbler doing, all by herself or himself? 

Babblers always move in close knit family groups, barely straying from each other.  Ron was quite surprised to find this young bird perched in the tree, with no sign of any of his clan members around.  The bird seemed quite happy, not scared, even hopped down for a bit and was friendly enough to be photograpahed.  Certainly the bird seemed to know us.

Babblers turn to magpies for protection from the hawks, but this one didn't seem to be hiding or acting fearful.  Given the usual busy-ness of babblers, it was quite unusual to find a single bird, unaccompanied for so long. 

Perhaps she/he was leaving home, looking for a new clan to join or seeking a mate.  We didn't see the bird again, so she must have continued on her way. It is quite interesting to observe that even what appears to us to be highly nervous, vulnerable birds, are quite self-assured in their own life journey.

Take a look at the slideshow below for more.

(click on the 'next' button to forward through the slides).
Previous Image 1/5 NextSeeking new mates?

 

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Babblers Love The Magpies

The Babblers are vulnerable to attacks from larger predatory birds like hawks and eagles. While they would fly off at the slightest hint of disturbance, we noticed that they seemed to like hanging around the magpies. 

When they were still young birds, around the age of eighteen months or so, we would often find Maggie the magpie along with his adopted sisters Cindy and Tammie watch over the babblers. Tammie in particular loved to spend her afternoons walking in their midst. She would look like a sergeant-major, ordering them about telling which one to go where, and they looked absolutely happy to follow her instructions. The babblers loved being around the magpies.

A few months ago, a hawk chased one of the babblers and they all flew out of the fields straight to the trees where the magpies were sitting and perched themselves close to them. The magpies made a racket and chased the hawk away.  The magpies like protecting the babblers.

You can read more about the babblers and see a slideshow in the Birds I View gallery of this website under Grey-crowned Babblers

 

Babblers Trusted Our Dogs

Babblers are small, flock birds that often fall prey to predators.  Their size and vulnerability however does not stop them from making friends with other species.

The babblers loved our dogs, because they knew they were safe when the dogs were around. Both Scotty and Benny would chase any hawks that tried to land on the gate or trees in our yard.

Once when the dogs were indoors, a hawk managed to catch one of the babblers. The dogs heard the cry and went running out, but it was too late. For a long time after that, the babblers would only come out in the open if Benny was out there keeping guard. He would sit and watch over them while they hopped about looking for insects in the grass around him. Ron felt Benny was proud of the confidence the birds had placed in him. Sitting amongst the birds keeping a watchful eye Benny looked like he was holding court.

You can read more about the babblers and see a slideshow in the Birds I View gallery of this website under Grey-crowned Babblers

 

Butcherbirds Invite Us To Visit Their Nest

Larry and Harrie our favourite Grey-butcherbirds have always been keen to show us their nests.  We got to meet them  through Vicky magpie when we would trek into the bush to see her.  The first year Larry and Harrie's' nest was on a tree that grew at the edge of the gully and we had a pretty good view (see logo above) as  we  walked across to  Vicky's tree. The following years they moved their nest to the midst of some thick growth on the other side of the gully as their original nest got covered by vines growing on the branches.  We were unable to find their nest from either side and had to wait for their chicks to fledge before we could see them.

This season (2007) Larry and Harrie have stopped coming to the edge of our yard as there seems to be some new arrangements between them and Vicky.  But Larry and Harrie would always call us from the distance and say hello.  During the storms many of our birds lost their nests and first clutches. We were concerned for Larry and Harrie, knowing that their fate would most probably have been similar. Suddenly Larry and Harrie stopped calling or replying to our calls.  Weeks passed and we were really worried as to what might have befallen them.

After another fortnight of bad storms bringing a cold spell and heavy rains, when we couldn't see Josie for several days and feared the worst, we trekked into Maggie's patch to look for Josie. Unable to find any sign of her and getting no happy response from her parents or siblings we were on our way back, when Larry called out several times from the next paddock at the edge of the gully.  We answered and he replied. We realised that he was talking to us and wanted us to know he was around and had something to show.  Encouraged, we decided to go and see if we could find Harrie and their nest.  As soon as we started to move in their direction, Larry's call became very excited.  We rolled under fences and started to look around the gully, to see if we could spot their nest.  Larry called us from a tree opposite.  Unable to see their nest and delighted to hear their call, we decided to trek all the way across and see if we could spot more. The birds were overjoyed at seeing us walk downhill, cross the gully and walk up to their tree.  Along the way we found that the wildflowers had taken advantage of recent rains and filled the previously dry, drought-stricken terrain with such beauty and colour. Nature has such an amazing way of rejuvenating itself. These weeds as we commonly call them, replenish the soil with much needed nutrients as some farmers are discovering (see Peter Andrews book: ''Back from the Brink: How Australia's Landscape can be Saved').

As we got closer, Harrie flew over to the nest so we could see where to go.  The nest was well hidden behind the branches and we had to walk a fair way to the other side to get a better look.  The two birds flew back and forth and posed for us, so thrilled that we had gone all the way to see them. 

We pondered about their actions. On one hand they had not been not calling us or replying to our calls for weeks.  But on this clear day, they saw us in the paddock and called out to us. Their joy on seeing us approach was undeniable. One could hear their excitement in the tone of their call and the new sounds that they made. When we started to return, they changed their song again to a new softer call.  Both birds singing a 'thank you'. 

Take a look at the slideshow below for a peek at the birds and scenery.

(click on the 'next' button to forward through the slides).
Previous Image 1/26 NextVisiting Grey Butcherbirds Larry and HarrieWe hear Larry's call from the gully

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Currawong-Magpie Friendships

   Currawongs tend to collect in our region during the winter months. After their babies are old enough to feed themselves they wander off visiting other places. They seem to follow the seasonal natural fruits and flowers that grow on top of their favourite gum trees. But the young ones do remember you and do come down to introduce themselves the following season when they return.  Hari-Kari was one of young Maggie's friends and the first currawongs to join our bird family.  Hari-Kari would join Maggie and his sisters Cindy and Tammie for a meal.  He became very friendly and would run errands for me.  One of his currawong friends would lean against a branch and whistle every time I went out.  I wondered which human he had picked up this trick from during his wanderings!

      Molly, the Grand Matriarch magpie of the valley, would give out the night call at sunset each evening. The currawongs would echo the ‘bed time bell’ call throughout the valley till all the 'day' birds retired for the night. Once after all the birds had retired into the trees and all had quietened I wanted to check which tree Cindy and Tammy (magpies) had chosen for the night, so I  called out to them. They didn’t reply, but Hari-Kari came out of his tree, flew over and told me to go indoors in an anxious tone as if he wanted me to understand that it was late and dangerous for all good birds to be out that hour. He then quickly flew back into his roosting spot. So cute!

    The following year, Hari-Kari and his mate had two kids Karivon and Karitu.  Hari-Kari's mate was quite shy and would only come out to grab a bite or two for the chicks.  When the chicks were old enough to feed themselves the family left. We didn't see Hari-Kari again, but Karivon and Karitu return each year. They are quite bold, confident, remember us and the other birds. They can become quite cheeky towards the older birds.

     One of the juvenile currawongs last year looked like he/she had been adopted by Vicky magpie. The young currawong would follow Vicky everywhere and seek Vicky’s permission before eating. There were many other currawongs around, so even if this bird had lost its parents, why had it returned to Vicky?

You can see more slideshows about the Currawongs in the Birds I View gallery and watch them in action at the The Sticky Beak gallery of this website.

 

Lynell's Maggie - A Reader's Tale

Reader Lynell sent us this story and pictures:

It’s so nice to find a site that features Magpies. I just wanted to share some photos of my Maggie. We actually had a Mum & Dad live here for the past 3 years. 

The first year watched one baby grow up and leave. The second year they had Twins…2 babies, one got pushed out of the nest by the other & was still a bit young. It could fly but not a great distance. I rang Wires to see if the would help, they told me to attach an empty ice cream container to the tree & put the bird back in it, so that Mum & Dad could feed it. My partner did that but the baby wouldn’t stay, it was probably too frightened. I rang Wires back & they said that there wasn’t anything I could do, to look tomorrow & see if it was still there……of course it wasn’t. The cat down the street probably thought he had a wonderful dinner.

So that left one baby & it when it finally came out of the nest, we bought some mince & started to help Mum & Dad feed it….. we wanted it to grow up strong & healthy as we were just devastated with the loss of the first baby. Mum & Dad have been friends with us ever since, if they hear our car come down the street, they run to us! If you’ve ever seen a Magpie run, it’s the funniest sight, their little legs go 300 miles an hour.  Very Cute!!

We’d open the front door to find 3 magpies on the doorstep, which was hilarious! We also have  two cats who don’t bother with the birds at all, the Maggies let out a call to let me know our Cats are out in the front yard.

Once the baby left, Mum & Dad didn’t seem to come around so much anymore. We waited this year for them to have another baby but no such luck. I still keep tiny little packets of mince in the freezer for when I see them, this afternoon I went to open the front door to let a visitor in, when Maggie came running up to me all on it’s own. I’m a bit worried as to where it’s partner is, but will keep a look out for it in the next few days.

Here are some photos of my Maggie, I don’t know whether it’s a boy or a girl, but it’s very tame as it eats out of my hand. When it’s had enough mince, it gathers a big ball of mince up & runs across the yard to hide the ball for later on….just in case it get’s hungry I guess!

Kindest Regards,

Nellie

-------

Take a look at the slideshow below for Lynell's pictures 

Thank you Nellie for sharing your story and pictures.

Gitie
Ed.

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Unusual Playmates - Butcherbirds and Noisy-Miners Play Tug-o-War

Did you know that baby birds of different species play games together?

Eddy and Freddy were the first pair of pied-butcherbird kids to grow up in our yard (Jan 2003). They looked like fluffy cotton balls, dipped in soft colour at one end, as they rolled over and played tug of war with each other. Absolutely the cutest pair of chicks, only a few weeks out of the nest. They looked like they were born to fulfil one creed - life was made for joyful, fun and play. And they were not going to waste a moment in any other thought.

Renu (born September 2002) was the juvenile noisy-miner about four months older than Eddy and Freddy. But in size Renu was much smaller than the butcherbirds. While Renu had plenty of friends in his own family (miners being cooperative birds), he could not resist the infectious joy of the butcherbirds. When Eddy and Freddy would tumble along the grass wrestling with each other, Renu would hop over to them wanting to join in. One day when Eddy and Freddy were playing tug-o-war with a twig, Renu came over for a look. Eddy picked up the twig and gave it to Renu. The three of them started to play together. They were best friends and we had months of the most delightful entertainment watching them play.

Interestingly neither Butch nor Cass (Eddy and Freddy's parents) nor Mr and Mrs Minnie (Renu's parents) had any problems with their kids interaction. They enjoyed it as much as we did.  Renu had the advantage that he could play with both Pied-butcherbirds Eddy and Freddy as well as the grey-butcherbirds Larry and Harry.  The two butcherbird species do not share the same territory, while the Noisy-miners territory overlapped both species.  In the picture below Larry and Harry can be seen with Renu.

 

You can read more about butcherbirds and noisy-miners in the Birds I View gallery and also watch slideshows in The Sticky Beak gallery of this website.