Birds of Melbourne

Birdwatching is a wonderfully transportable activity. My recent holiday in Melbourne allowed me to spot some interesting birds. Although most were familiar to me. I only had my little point and shoot camera, not Mr Wicker's fancy camera, but still did ok I think.

A family of Australian Wood Ducks (Chenonetta jubata)
enjoying the Treasury Gardens

A female Magpie Lark (Grallina cyanoleuca) collecting mud for nest building. 

Red Wattle Bird (Anthochaera carunculata)
perched on a Gymea Lily

On my search for the 50 Mali statues I found this rather utilitarian looking pigeon keep.

I wondered why it would be there. Turned out to be part of Melbourne's pigeon management strategy. Pigeons are often a problem worldwide of course. In Paris. In Sydney. And in Melbourne.

Quite clever I think, better than trying to poison them or catch them.

Lorikeets appear to have taken over Melbourne CBD in recent years. Their noisy squeakings were everywhere. I didn't remember them as so prominent. Turns out I was right, they've moved back in increasing numbers.

Rainbow lorikeet (Trichoglossus haematodus)

Speckled Dove (Streptopelia Chinensis)

White-plumed Honeyeater (Lichenostomus penicillatus)

Quite a good bit of biodiversity for a city I think. Of course I haven't shown you sparrows, sea gulls, magpies, or Indian mynas which were also all over the place. 

Saturday Snapshot, is a wonderful weekly meme from at home with books