Gorgeous Birds

These days I don't see as much of the grandkids as I used to, so I take an interest in the other families around the beach. 

The photo collage gives you little glimpse of some of our neighbours.  There are many, many more who prefer to be heard and not seen.  In fact the air is usually so full of birdsong that I rarely put my music on.  Back in town I often had music playing as an alternative to listening to air and road traffic noises.

You already know my favourites are the Brahminy Kite family. Their baby is now flying, but I haven't seen him in action yet.  The Nankeen Night Heron regularly roosts in the top canopy of our biggest mango tree.  He would prefer to be closer to the sea, but was probably forced to improvise following Cyclone Yasi and the lack of foliage left on most trees.  Blue Winged Kookaburras regularly wake us up with their strange half laugh.  They are also called Barking Kookaburras, but whoever came up with that name must have had a strange dog.

Spangled Drongos are an enigma.  Someone said they are called Drongos after silly people, because they fly south in the winter (i.e. for northern hemisphere readers - our south is the coldest part of the country) making them appear silly.  Some other 'expert' claimed that silly people are labelled Drongos after the birds. Which came first? I don't know.

Like I said, it's just a glimpse.

It really is a bird watcher's paradise as long as you want to watch the feathered variety.  The only non-feathered variety is a migratory species usually referred to as the Grey Nomad.  They are very common at this time of year, sometimes forming huge flocks that create problems for traffic and National Parks rangers.

They don't tolerate the heat of summer and when the weather warms up they all return to their nests.