Showing posts with label Australian Ibis. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Australian Ibis. Show all posts

Wednesday, November 25, 2009

Muscovy Ducks make goose of me


How's this for making a goose of oneself? Posted above picture of female on BirdingOz under title 'ugly goose' because pair of the birds turned up yesterday, engaged in vigorous mating, and my ancient brain forgot there existed any such thing as a Muscovy Duck (Cairina moschata) and asked for species ID. Doh! Wouldn't want to see the birds establish themselves, yet the head does hold some colourfully grotesque fascination. Doesn't it?


Here's another head full more of character than beauty. This Australian Ibis (Threskiornis molucca) appears to have a Cheese Fruit (Morinda citrifolia) habit. The solitary bird patrols plantings along the northern boundary to Tyto in its search for 'ripe' (also known as Vomit Fruit) falls. Not to my taste, though I'm partial to Camembert and Brie.


Heading towards a pleasing finish, a pair of Wandering Whistling-Duck (Dendrocygna arcuata) glide across a still morning's mirroring waters on the main Tyto lagoon. Though kitsch ducks on walls come in threes, in nature pairs are paramount.

Lament for southern Black-throated Finches

Hollow logs for at risk birdies? Nature's nest boxes if you please Oh, such a clever wheeze So gather in twos and threes? Hundreds you w...