Urban Birding
Wickham Park, Newcastle. 2nd December, 2009.
Well its been a mad mad world this week, so I got up really early this morning, had breakfast, cuppa, and stepped out the door. The trouble was, it was raining. hmm. Why did I not notice such a thing? So I went back inside, ate my breakfast and did some stuff. Eventually the rain stopped so I took off to the local park, hoping to get some good shots of the Channel-billed Cuckoos that have been waking me up every morning before dawn.
There were a few Common Mynas in the Fig trees in the park and the magpies were singing their morning songs. I did see a Channel-billed Cuckoo but missed a photo of him. I walked across the oval to the eastern end of the park and found a male Superb Fairy-wren on the edges in the rubbish bush.
male Superb Fairy-wren
A rather bedraggled looking Silvereye was skulking in the scrub as well.
Silvereye (Zosterops lateralis)
I was quite surprised to find an Australasian Figbird on the wires near the train track. I have not seen them in the inner city before. A Red Wattlebird or two were looking for a feed near the main oval whilst I was heading towards the community garden.
The Noisy Miners seem to hang around the garden and the Common Mynas hang around the outside oval. They might have separate territories and not intrude into the others. The Crested Pigeons seem to like to hang out around the Bocca field.
Crested Pigeon (Ocyphates lophotes)
There were about 4 young Grey Butcherbirds who were chasing each other around and playing mock fighting. They were also hunting the rats that were in the compost bin. It was fascinating watching them sit above the rats, listening and watching for them to come out. This little rat poked his head out and luckily for him, was not eaten.
Rat, I think
Wickham Park bird list 2/12/09
Australian Raven
Rock Dove
Australian Magpie
Common Myna
Channel-billed Cuckoo
Spotted Turtle-dove
Welcome Swallow
Superb Fairy-wren
Silvereye
Australasian Figbird
Red Wattlebird
Crested Pigeon
Noisy Miner
Grey Butcherbird
Black-faced Cuckoo-shrike
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