RSPB Garden Bird Watch

[Amari]

I have lots of sparrows here and find that the Mock orange (Philadelphus coronarius) is tremendous for providing a safe roost overnight. It's the incredibly tough and tangled stems that seem impenetrable to cats, and the birds know well to congregate in it...(plus the sparrows feed on all my fruit., they like it here)

Believe it or not, SWMBO and I were walking along the road this morning and c. 300m from my apiary we heard a kookaburra!
Shirley not? - but yes!

A neighbour has for many years bred and traded in birds of prey esp owls. He is rather secretive and lives behind high thick Leylandii hedges so none of us have been invited in - scared of animal-rights folk I guess. For a few years now we've been accustomed to returning from visiting family in Melbourne and awaking here at home to the familiar laugh of the kookaburra.

We've not heard the chuckle for a couple of years now but suddenly it's returned - confirmed too by others.

Last year an eagle owl escaped. Maybe a few kookaburras might follow as well? Mind you, we'd have to take care at a sausage sizzle: a few years ago we were on a 4WD safari in the Kimberly, sitting round the camp fire. A blue-winged kooky was perched on a post. Quick as a flash it stole a sausage from the plate of my neighbour....

 

[Michael Palmer]

We have a resident Barred Owl that comes for a visit. Sits on the fence by the bird feeders acting bored. Even at night we can tell she and her mates are close by...by their calls. Sounds like "Who cooks for you, who cooks for you all". And for the first time ever...While walking the dogs at night I heard three Great Horned Owls calling, and answering each other. Hoo Hoo Hoo, Hooo Hoo. Haven't seen them yet.