Botany Nerds Ahoy
Beautiful bird photos AW!
Not quite as fancy, but nice to see this little one having a feed. Not the only one loving the star jasmine perfume.
basesix wrote:letter-winged kite for me.
I'd love to see a flock of them on a dead tree.
somewhere round cameron corner.
dreamt it once.
Basesix. Nice. I’m yet to see a Letter- Winged Kite, very often fooled by a Black Shouldered Kite, it’s all about the black carpel bar.
Just leaving Girramay NP , Queensland recently, came back to the highway, about to turn left to head south and right above me at the intersection I looked skyward to see the underside of a raptor, first impression, Red Goshawk, took in more GISS (general impression of size and shape) to see what was a Square Tailed Kite, chuffed beyond chuffed.
Bird trivia.
Only two Australian raptors that hover, Nankeen Kestrel and Black Shouldered Kite.
You’d think a Letter Winged Kite would do as a Black Shouldered Kite does, but no, no and no. AW
blackers wrote:I lekk it! I lekk it a lot. Hope you see some fun things AW. Still on my bucket list
Blackers. Hi pal. It’ll happen, you’ll get there some time. AW
Sprout wrote:Beautiful bird photos AW!
Not quite as fancy, but nice to see this little one having a feed. Not the only one loving the star jasmine perfume.
Sprout . Hi mate. You’ve trumped the fancy , there’s no doubt. Kicking goals with that photo. How’s things ?
Beautiful Lime Swallowtail Butterfly ( Papilio demoleus) on a (Trachelospermum jasminoides )Star Jasmine.
Quite exotic/erotic imbibitions emanating from that Lepidopteran to others of the same ilk.
‘No aphrodisiac, truth , beauty and a picture of you’. ( Tim Freedman) great stuff. AW
@ AW
Brachychiton rupestris (bottle tree)
Have you grown them down here in Vic near the coast?
I found some nice sized ones at a real good price
Pic: just an example of what they grow into
indo-dreaming wrote:@ AW
Brachychiton rupestris (bottle tree)Have you grown them down here in Vic near the coast?
I found some nice sized ones at a real good price
Pic: just an example of what they grow into
IndoDreaming. Hi mate. Hope you and your family are well.
Yes, they grow fine here in Victoria and on the coast.
There’s ample trees the size of the ones in that photo in Bacchus Marsh, I’ve got one here at home.
Most Brachychiton species will grow in Victoria , B.discolor, B.acerfolius, B.rupestris , B.australis.
Fifty years ago I wouldn’t have said that, but climate and milder Winters has definitely had an impact on survival rates in once unfavourable geographic locations.
Some of the more extreme tropical ones I wouldn’t bother with.
Brachychitons are a real favourite of mine. Another organism totally kitted out for survival.
I’d buy them if they are a good price.
Converse to planting those plants in cooler months, they establish best in the hotter months in slightly heavier ground than you would expect. Planted into real sandy soil wouldn’t be so good, they need nutrient and water closely held in heavier partly clay soils.
That’s how they survive, good at preventing extreme water loss.
All the best. AW
Cheers, yeah i knew they grew in Vic i saw one on Monday in a nursery garder just wasn't so sure about close to coast salt etc (im pretty close to the beach get that surf mist)
Wow surprised on the soil thing, interesting, thanks for the info
AlfredWallace wrote:blackers wrote:There is a great section in Davey Attenborough's "The Life of Birds" on the birds of paradise. A great read for plain language explanations of bird species characteristics and evolutionary selection of such like.
Blackers. Hi mate. How’s things ?
So true mate, David explained it very well. One of my colleagues was on Waigeo island a few years ago and got the full works performance on the lekking stage, he explained he was mesmerised, especially when the bird turns face on and upright, puffs out its black chest feathers to then see them all turn green.
I so hope I get to see one or more.
I don’t have any favourite birds, I love them all, intrinsic evolutionary design intrigues me.
But I’d love to see a Wallace’s Standard Wing ( Semioptera wallacii). AW
Was at Dorrigo recently and a male Paradise Riflebird flew into a tree only 5m away. It was working its along the branch with subtle glimpses of the electric blue breast feathers when it turned towards me, opened its bill and revealed its bright yellow mouth then gave a full dinosaur like call. Very impressive.
Distracted wrote:AlfredWallace wrote:blackers wrote:There is a great section in Davey Attenborough's "The Life of Birds" on the birds of paradise. A great read for plain language explanations of bird species characteristics and evolutionary selection of such like.
Blackers. Hi mate. How’s things ?
So true mate, David explained it very well. One of my colleagues was on Waigeo island a few years ago and got the full works performance on the lekking stage, he explained he was mesmerised, especially when the bird turns face on and upright, puffs out its black chest feathers to then see them all turn green.
I so hope I get to see one or more.
I don’t have any favourite birds, I love them all, intrinsic evolutionary design intrigues me.
But I’d love to see a Wallace’s Standard Wing ( Semioptera wallacii). AWWas at Dorrigo recently and a male Paradise Riflebird flew into a tree only 5m away. It was working its along the branch with subtle glimpses of the electric blue breast feathers when it turned towards me, opened its bill and revealed its bright yellow mouth then gave a full dinosaur like call. Very impressive.
Distracted. Hi mate. Hope you’re well.
How nice, beautiful region you’re in, you’ve reminded that Dorrigo sounds wonderful up on the divide.
I have to remind myself to spend time there on my next road trip.
Paradise Riflebirds are magical, especially with their calls and the hidden colours that are revealed when a performance commences.
I share your passion the call is incredible.
I last saw them in Bunya Mountains NP , they were hanging around me and my vehicle.
So privileged to see them it’s always accidental from my own experiences. Good stuff. AW
Those chance encounters are the best, the memories are just a little bit stronger given the unexpected nature of what has just occurred.
When hiking in Donegal, I came around a corner on a rise and almost walked straight into a big buck deer. We eyeballed each other, not sure who was the more surprised, and he just ambled off down slope, leaving me to my uphill slog. Impressive animal. Over 30 years ago now, still fresh.
By the way, loving your recent photos AW, zoning in on the booty so to speak.
blackers wrote:Those chance encounters are the best, the memories are just a little bit stronger given the unexpected nature of what has just occurred.
When hiking in Donegal, I came around a corner on a rise and almost walked straight into a big buck deer. We eyeballed each other, not sure who was the more surprised, and he just ambled off down slope, leaving me to my uphill slog. Impressive animal. Over 30 years ago now, still fresh.
By the way, loving your recent photos AW, zoning in on the booty so to speak.
Blackers. Hi fella. I enjoyed your deer encounter, you’re so correct when you say those one on one encounters imprint a strong feeling on your body and mind, it’s almost scary because you don’t expect it, ultimately it’s a wonderful surprise.
I do like the way how each party just carries on with life.
I’ve one recently and one from a few years ago.
On my recent trip home from Cairns, in Girramay NP in a semi closed bit of littoral rainforest right near primary dune scrub, close to the high tide mark, on the floor I met a Noisy Pitta and it met me. It was foraging in organic matter for invertebrates, we eyed each other, then simply went our own way, I didn’t want to interrupt it’s activity and it didn’t want to see me, very shy.
Converse to that, the next day at Jourama Falls, I awake very early to the incessant calling of a Noisy Pitta, perched aerially in a tree 4m above the ground in full view of its beautiful colours.
The calling just didn’t stop, was still going when I departed mid morning.
Second occurrence was in 2023 again driving home from Cairns, in Gundabooka NP south of Bourke. I’d headed off for a big days walking looking for birds, water and snacks on board ended up walking 22kms round trip in high 30’s weather.
I’m in a Mulga forest (Acacia aneura ) loads of Red Capped and Hooded Robins, real dry country bird stuff etc. I’ve just seen a pair of Chestnut Breasted Quail Thrush on a very narrow red sand track, they departed as quick as I identified them.
I walk another 15 mins on the same track and two organisms meet head on, a huge 2m long perentie/goanna and myself, both stopped we stared at each other, not many wattles nearby in this bit of clearing, I’m thinking, please don’t run up my body as they often do when spooked, thinking we are some kind of tree.
It swayed its tails a few times , turned around and back into the grass, much relief at my end.
I love any animal encounters. AW
Hey AW quick bird question: do you know of anyone trying to translate Magpie vocalisations?
Background: after the Currawongs ate their babies last year, our local maggies have located well, fought for it, strategised brilliantly, and have 3-5 chicks (haven't seen them all but 2 are flying well). Mr Magpie has been getting vocal lately, he will recognise us, and then sing to us. The bit that has snapped me is when he is 'talking' he punctuates the vocalisation with a call I definitely know as the Magpie warning noise - but he says it as part of the conversation. He's also using it to bring the 2 new flyers closer to him, and direct them to certain trees. But in this context he's close to us, looking at us, and does not raise his sound level to one which would act as a warning broadcast to chicks or partner.
It's as if he's telling us the story of his day! "And then the kids flew off so I did the warning call and they came back to me."
Wouldn't it be wild to be able to decipher the whole vocalisation?
Bonus: 8 black cockatoos 2 days ago, flew over low and went for a snack in a low tree of some kind.
velocityjohnno wrote:Bonus: 8 black cockatoos 2 days ago, flew over low and went for a snack in a low tree of some kind.
red or yellow? we have both here, reds excite people, I LOVE the yellow-taileds.
(and epic question, getting to know birds is fun, by my backdoor is now and empty nest, the male grey shrike-thrush only did a guttural alert, like a welshman or german, whenever I walked past, to alert his mate, the female would totally try to make contact and work out what my intentions were via conversational whistles)
Yellow I believe.
velocityjohnno wrote:Yellow I believe.
VJ. Hi correct.
On our coast as you already know, Yellow Tailed Black Cockatoos.
Bird Trivia.
In WA, Carnaby’s and Baudins Black Cockatoos are the White Tailed equivalent to our Yellow Tailed Blacks.
Regarding your Magpie voice recognition . Yes, there are bird people studying calling, we’ve had a young female student periodically presenting at our club on her research and progress.
Magpie carers also have great insights into calls and a common language.
But let’s not forget, Australian Magpies are very good mimics.
So what you think is some kind of verbalisation is in fact just mimicry.
Rightly so, they are an interesting bird to study because they are cooperative .
Blessed to have such a connection.
They do sound like they are trying to communicate but I think it’s just us folks having a few anthropomorphic moments. AW
We had a small gang of yellow tails blow through here the other week. Awesome birds. Love to make a mess and a racket.
For anthropomorphic he does space ship lazer guns and long whistles like the wind!
For him and Mrs Magpie, they are both individuals with their own temperament, their own personality, preferences in behaviour. Over time you get to see it. They fight hard to keep their territory too, don't be fooled they are battle birds, exceptional flyers. The amount of times they've been wounded this season - mostly by other magpies, once Mr Magpie got really beat up, he couldn't walk on one leg for a few weeks, and is still slow on it, on colder mornings. We suspect they are a young couple and this is their first lot of babies which have left the nest.
blackers wrote:We had a small gang of yellow tails blow through here the other week. Awesome birds. Love to make a mess and a racket.
Blackers. Hi mate.
Don’t you like it how they a have a bit of a taste test first when checking out trees for large seeds.
Often find perfectly formed branches with short 30cm pieces excised and just cut and fallen to the ground.
Corellas, Sulfur Crested Cockatoos do the same. Often big gum trees will have a heap of biomass underneath from a visit by a large number of birds. AW
I'd love to read anything your researcher has on their communication AW.
velocityjohnno wrote:I'd love to read anything your researcher has on their communication AW.
I’ll track it down for you. I know in our clubs database we have shitloads of magpie science papers and previous guest speakers PowerPoint presentations .AW
mm @vj. people like you, me @AW, others, we've gone a little too far (my opinion) in being ANTIanthrpomorphic..
there are certain truths and shared things as fellow animals, no need to chuck out the Gamma-Aminobutyric Acid with the Bambi-Eyes.
(my grey shrike thrushes by the back door chose the spot cos a there's big bald bear nearby, and certainly appreciated said bear letting them know he was feeling mellow by gently whistling...)
That would be so good, the Ms and I would love that. She gets into their behaviour even more than I do.
velocityjohnno wrote:For anthropomorphic he does space ship lazer guns and long whistles like the wind!
For him and Mrs Magpie, they are both individuals with their own temperament, their own personality, preferences in behaviour. Over time you get to see it. They fight hard to keep their territory too, don't be fooled they are battle birds, exceptional flyers. The amount of times they've been wounded this season - mostly by other magpies, once Mr Magpie got really beat up, he couldn't walk on one leg for a few weeks, and is still slow on it, on colder mornings. We suspect they are a young couple and this is their first lot of babies which have left the nest.
Very interesting. As you know, they have steadfast ,clearly discernible and strict boundaries , step over the imaginary line, Kapow. AW
basesix wrote:mm @vj. people like you, me @AW, others, we've gone a little too far (my opinion) in being ANTIanthrpomorphic..
there are certain truths and shared things as fellow animals, no need to chuck out the Gamma-Aminobutyric Acid with the Bambi-Eyes.
(my grey shrike thrushes by the back door chose the spot cos a there's big bald bear nearby, and certainly appreciated said bear letting them know he was feeling mellow by gently whistling...)
B6. There’s a Bear in There and a chair as well, there are people with games and stories to tell, open wide, come inside it’s PlaySchool.
Are you the bald bear ? AW
been shaving my head since I was 23 @AW.. was getting too vain with my dreads..
my girlfriend cut all me hair off with scissors on Robe beach, my head cracked, oily skin flaking everywhere for a week, made me realise how feral our scalps are.. been doing self-clips, every 2 weeks ever since, wahl clippers on 0. easy as, bro.
got a wicked mason ho wig though, sometimes wear it backwards when I'm feeling jaunty ; )
Sorry about the quiff quip then B6. Always shooting my mouth off. Can see why you find Gentle Ben alluring.
basesix wrote:been shaving my head since I was 23 @AW.. was getting too vain with my dreads..
my girlfriend cut all me hair off with scissors on Robe beach, my head cracked, oily skin flaking everywhere for a week, made me realise how feral our scalps are.. been doing self-clips, every 2 weeks ever since, wahl clippers on 0. easy as, bro.got a wicked mason ho wig though, sometimes wear it backwards when I'm feeling jaunty ; )
You are one classic, clever dude. Port Mac doesn’t realise the treasure that’s hidden away in the rear of town up against the bush.
With that Mason wig on you’d be a real Ho Dad.
You must have a Wahl of a time . AW
all good @blackers, i just ice-cubed my nipples, currently standing in front of a fan, mane flying (just in socks n jocks) singing 'living on a prayer'. life's good. (son's a bit over me).
(xAW, watch the detectorists when you get a chance,
the theme song is for us rare, underrated peaches, heaps of us on SN)
basesix wrote:all good @blackers, i just ice-cubed my nipples, currently standing in front of a fan, mane flying (just in socks n jocks) singing 'living on a prayer'. life's good. (son's a bit over me).
(xAW, watch the detectorists when you get a chance,
the theme song is for us rare, underrated peaches, heaps of us on SN)
That white Sox description, very much a Top Gun performance. Who’s Goose ? AW
- underrated ear peaches ;)
https://m.
AlfredWallace wrote:blackers wrote:We had a small gang of yellow tails blow through here the other week. Awesome birds. Love to make a mess and a racket.
Blackers. Hi mate.
Don’t you like it how they a have a bit of a taste test first when checking out trees for large seeds.
Often find perfectly formed branches with short 30cm pieces excised and just cut and fallen to the ground.
Corellas, Sulfur Crested Cockatoos do the same. Often big gum trees will have a heap of biomass underneath from a visit by a large number of birds. AW
haha AW, I don't.
I've got a banksia tree over hanging my driveway and the full pods the cockies reject and drop are a bit of a nuisance for the 2WDs, they don't squash easy and can make braking on them fun. And forget the noise they make bouncing off the concrete. You also want to time your run in or out the place when they're having a chew, I've had a few bounce off the roof or around me when on foot.
Utter bastards, can't wait till they return though. ;)
Living on a prayer? You are one sick puppy....... Enjoy, and dog help your son. :)
fark me... FAAAARK... that just crunched 'grippy little toes' as the best ever band name...
nov 2nd 2024... epic night!!
"underrated ear peaches"
- Kohn Slorence
(no caps cos that's how he rolled, back in 2024.... byarffffffff....)
bit of a rude word, not needed in a shrubbery thread, sorry, unreal last 2 tunes posts @blackers,
tubeshooter wrote:AlfredWallace wrote:blackers wrote:We had a small gang of yellow tails blow through here the other week. Awesome birds. Love to make a mess and a racket.
Blackers. Hi mate.
Don’t you like it how they a have a bit of a taste test first when checking out trees for large seeds.
Often find perfectly formed branches with short 30cm pieces excised and just cut and fallen to the ground.
Corellas, Sulfur Crested Cockatoos do the same. Often big gum trees will have a heap of biomass underneath from a visit by a large number of birds. AWhaha AW, I don't.
I've got a banksia tree over hanging my driveway and the full pods the cockies reject and drop are a bit of a nuisance for the 2WDs, they don't squash easy and can make braking on them fun. And forget the noise they make bouncing off the concrete. You also want to time your run in or out the place when they're having a chew, I've had a few bounce off the roof or around me when on foot.
Utter bastards, can't wait till they return though. ;)
Tubeshooter. Hi mate.
So true, I’d say that more than any other tree, Banksias cop it the most.
Here on Banksia marginata on my roadside verge revegetation , they smash them.
On the coast around Torquay, Jan Juc, Ocean Grove they smash Banksia integrifolia.
I understand that the woody fallen debris and the follicles that house the seeds can be very hard.
Messy buggers. AW
AlfredWallace wrote:velocityjohnno wrote:For anthropomorphic he does space ship lazer guns and long whistles like the wind!
For him and Mrs Magpie, they are both individuals with their own temperament, their own personality, preferences in behaviour. Over time you get to see it. They fight hard to keep their territory too, don't be fooled they are battle birds, exceptional flyers. The amount of times they've been wounded this season - mostly by other magpies, once Mr Magpie got really beat up, he couldn't walk on one leg for a few weeks, and is still slow on it, on colder mornings. We suspect they are a young couple and this is their first lot of babies which have left the nest.
Very interesting. As you know, they have steadfast ,clearly discernible and strict boundaries , step over the imaginary line, Kapow. AW
What's been interesting is seeing how the boundary lines have been pushed, rivals are constantly making incursions trying to take ground. Our local couple have got some pretty good trees, it's prime territory.
We are all intelligent inquisitive folk.
It all started with a tadpole fossil.
Free speech, well, it’s just, free. AW
Hey VJ, have you seen any glass eels this year?Coming towards the end of their inland migration time.
Haven't been doing that walk as much recently - will check. But none when I did go there.
Another thing happening now would be the gannet hatching out at portland, would like to see that.
I reckon you were lucky to see them in numbers that time, it's such a random migration. Agree, the gannets would be awesome.
I hadn't seen that Bluey since my last post 4 weeks ago. More cleaning out under the house, of which were a bunch of pots. Last one in the stack and there she is at the bottom of this pot which is at least 30cm tall with another pot on top of it. How she got in there is beyond me, anyway she's curled up at the bottom covered in dust, god knows how long it had been there. Pretty gutted I thought she was dead.
Drag the pot out and she pops her eyes open and moves a little, stoked! (Do Blueys hibernate? Don't think so?) I rest the pot under some trees and put some water bowls down, some apple and raspberries cut up too. Maybe 10 minutes after I keep cleaning up under the deck, there she is having the biggest drink ever knocking back some fruit. A bit of water and glucose and she was off to do whatever Blueys do.
(We inherited the shitty weed matting, it's next on the list to make disappear)
Sprout wrote:I hadn't seen that Bluey since my last post 4 weeks ago. More cleaning out under the house, of which were a bunch of pots. Last one in the stack and there she is at the bottom of this pot which is at least 30cm tall with another pot on top of it. How she got in there is beyond me, anyway she's curled up at the bottom covered in dust, god knows how long it had been there. Pretty gutted I thought she was dead.
Drag the pot out and she pops her eyes open and moves a little, stoked! (Do Blueys hibernate? Don't think so?) I rest the pot under some trees and put some water bowls down, some apple and raspberries cut up too. Maybe 10 minutes after I keep cleaning up under the deck, there she is having the biggest drink ever knocking back some fruit. A bit of water and glucose and she was off to do whatever Blueys do.
(We inherited the shitty weed matting, it's next on the list to make disappear)
Sprout. Hi mate.
Great story and outcome.
Yes, reptiles can drop into low torpor mode when required. Evolutionary survival skill.
Like snakes, crocodiles, alligators, caimans, monitors etc. they can devour a very substantial meal and survive for weeks or even months without eating again.
During a low torpor period, the metabolism is basically shut down to near nothing, heartbeat barely ticking over. AW
Amazing! Thanks AW.
Flat out like a lizard drinking.
Nice work Spout. ;)
Lol tube ya cheeky shit. Great thraed.
@Sprout "I rest the pot under some trees and put some water bowls down, some apple and raspberries cut up too. Maybe 10 minutes after I keep cleaning up under the deck, there she is having the biggest drink ever knocking back some fruit. A bit of water and glucose and she was off to do whatever Blueys do."
In my book that's worth more than lighting a few candles in a church. Sprout, patron Saint of the Skinks
She's awesome Sprout.
Currawong babies out of the nest today.
Old mate should have taken the left at Albuquerque.
Seems a keen interest for some, so why not.