At our bird-bath yesterday
By Judy Evans
@JudyEv (326275)
Rockingham, Australia
September 5, 2016 8:24pm CST
From my spot in front of the computer I look out to a bird bath and sometimes have the opportunity to take photos of the various birds that come to drink and/or bathe. There is always great excitement if a newcomer appears and I thought I had another one when I took this shot.
But judging by my bird book it is a western rosella which I've written about quite recently. If you click on 'western rosella' in the green block above this text you'll be able to click on the other post to see the bird in much brighter colouring.
Australia has a large range of rosellas and parrots. Many of the differences are very subtle. We have a friend who is a bird freak but he is away at the moment so I can't call on his services.
The western rosella is confined to south-west Western Australia. Its fancy name is Platycercus icterotis and it grows to 25-30cm (9-11 inches). There are two forms and the green-backed one frequents wetter areas. This little chap spent some time quietly feeding round the bottom of the bird bath then something scared him and away he went.
My latest idea is to place a feeding table near the bird bath. Hopefully the birds will stay longer and I'll be able to get better photos.
23 people like this
24 responses
@much2say (53944)
• Los Angeles, California
6 Sep 16
What a pretty bird with all those colors! We have some parrot descendants in our neighborhood from a bird amusement park that used to exist nearby way back when . . . they were freed when the park closed down. But none as colorful as this fellow!
3 people like this
@much2say (53944)
• Los Angeles, California
6 Sep 16
@JudyEv This was probably nearly 40 years ago that they closed . . . so you can imagine the packs of birds generations that exist today. I don't think this was the best place to just let them go either, but apparently they are thriving somehow.
1 person likes this
@epiffanie (11326)
• Australia
6 Sep 16
I love watching birds diving in and out of our birdbaths in the garden .. so nice to watch ..
2 people like this
@epiffanie (11326)
• Australia
7 Sep 16
@MattMeng like angels? .. you mean because of their wings?
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@JudyEv (326275)
• Rockingham, Australia
6 Sep 16
These don't migrate in the strict sense of the word. They would have a region that they stick to.
@Plethos (13560)
• United States
7 Sep 16
@MattMeng - they dont have to cross oceans to migrate. sparrows are tiny and are almost everywhere, same for crows. i also didnt see you live in australia, so im guessing they are a native bird and maybe they just go from one part of the island to the other.
1 person likes this
@LadyDuck (459635)
• Switzerland
7 Sep 16
@JudyEv Yes, I clean up the husks, they scatter the empty shells of the seeds everywhere. I have to place the camera to get photos, the feeders are too close to my windows, they are scared if I try to take a photo. I took a photo of the dove last morning while she was waiting on the metal wires of our car port.
1 person likes this
@Jessicalynnt (50525)
• Centralia, Missouri
6 Sep 16
I have pondered putting out a feeder, would love to be able to sit and watch the birdies
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@Jessicalynnt (50525)
• Centralia, Missouri
6 Sep 16
@JudyEv no cats, but a fierce puppy, so things would need hung lol
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@JudyEv (326275)
• Rockingham, Australia
7 Sep 16
@Jessicalynnt I know many in America have hanging feeders. I forgot about them in my first comment. I have a fancy hanging one but the birds never seem to go near it. I'm thinking my table is a better idea here.
1 person likes this
@crazyhorseladycx (39515)
• United States
7 Sep 16
how colorful! yepperz, a feedin' station nearby'd no doubt seal the deal :) i must confess to havin' better luck with bird photos'n past years. this year aint been so great, lol.
1 person likes this
@crazyhorseladycx (39515)
• United States
7 Sep 16
@JudyEv i hear ya, ms. judy. i've lots 'f pics 'f the diff'rent birds hangin' out by the pond, bathin' 'n those waitin' their turn. hard to get a good focus'n 'em to get great pics 'f such. ugh, 'n i jest scared a tanager off the waterfall whilst sneakin' to snap a shot.... dang 't, lol.
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (326275)
• Rockingham, Australia
8 Sep 16
@crazyhorseladycx It's the focus that is the problem. If you zoom in there is the problem of camera shake. Do you remember Sheila Wilson (Naturelover) on Bubblews? I think on her blog she says she sets up the camera on a tripod focused on the bird table then basically sits and waits. I could probably do that from inside our office.
1 person likes this
@moffittjc (118611)
• Gainesville, Florida
6 Sep 16
I like that you have such colorful birds in Australia! I wish we had more colorful birds here (well, ones that live in the wild anyway). I guess I can't complain too much, we do have pink flamingos! lol
1 person likes this
@moffittjc (118611)
• Gainesville, Florida
7 Sep 16
@JudyEv I don't know where flamingos are native to, but we have them in Florida (although their population has dwindled quite a bit due to habitat loss). Yes, my neighbor has a macaw. There aren't any wild ones in Florida that I know of, unless somebody's pet birds escaped or were released into the wild and have successfully started breeding.
1 person likes this
@acelawrites (19273)
• Philippines
6 Sep 16
You have lots of beautiful birds in your country. You are doing good in putting some water for their drinks or bath.
2 people like this
@JudyEv (326275)
• Rockingham, Australia
6 Sep 16
I guess every country has their own lovely birds and plants. We don't have macaws here unless maybe they are up in Queensland in the tropical areas.
@Jeanniemaries (8237)
• United States
6 Sep 16
I love those colors! It looks like he was painted!
2 people like this
@JudyEv (326275)
• Rockingham, Australia
6 Sep 16
He is not as bright as some but still very handsome.
@PurnaSharma (2557)
• Guwahati, India
7 Sep 16
I like watching bird bath,specially when they shake their body to get off water and their body seems as in vibrate mode.
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (326275)
• Rockingham, Australia
7 Sep 16
They fluff themselves up and look really tough - well, some of them do anyway. I've added a photo of our robin all wet. The robins stay in the water for a little while but a lot just pop in and out.
@cindiowens (5120)
• North Myrtle Beach, South Carolina
6 Sep 16
What a beautiful bird! We don't have those in the wild here.
1 person likes this
