Showing posts with label Spotted Dove. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Spotted Dove. Show all posts

Tuesday, January 17, 2012

On the wing, and under it

One of fluctuating hundreds of Wandering Whistling-Ducks (Dendrocygna arcuata) on the main lagoon these days takes a turn near the Tyto lookout. Plenty of Plumed Whistlers too, but usually clustered on grassy banks of new lagoons near the info centre.

Young White-bellied Sea-Eagle (Haliaeetus leucogaster) about to make brief touchdown near the lookout. Interesting that one- to two-year? bird caused no alarm among the many birds on the water, very different from reaction mature eagles usually provoke. But perhaps there’s something about eagles’ in-flight behaviour that signals either malign or benign intent.     

Nothing much malign about Spotted (Turtle-) Dove (Streptopelia chinensis), showing delicate colouring on rail in the morning sun. Not universally loved because regarded as pushy import (1860-1920), at least the mostly suburban species no longer is tagged an STD.    
Click pix to enlarge  

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...