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  1. #1
    Join Date
    Jan 2004
    Location
    Mackay North Qld
    Posts
    6,446

    Default We have some house guests

    I am really chuffed,

    Over the last few weeks, we have watched a pair of Olive Back Sunbirds building their nest adjacent to the laundry window.Today we glimpsed a pair of Sunbird chicks with their tiny faces hanging out of the nest, waiting for mum Sunbird to come home with a feed.

    These young uns are tiny ,maybe 35mm long, I estimate.
    It's not the first time we have hosted these charming little birds .

    Twenty years back, they have actually built inside our garage, entering through louvre windows left open for this purpose. We have always had dogs and our mutts don't take the slightest interest in them.

    The birds are known in the north for sheltering close to humans.Butcherbirds and Kookaburras take a heavy toll on them.The predator birds hopefully won't come too close as the cattledog will sort them out.

    I have tried for a baby pic but the little fellas are too darn quick ducking out of view as soon as I approach the nest.

    I will keep trying though.

    Grahame

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Jan 2004
    Location
    Mackay North Qld
    Posts
    6,446

    Default

    Well, we are nearly, all the way there.

    One baby Sunbird took to the wing today. It sat about on a tree close to the nest and chirped for half an hour.Presumably waiting for Mum sunbird to rock up and feed it.

    The other one is still in the nest and not as developed as its sibling. It is still a downy little fuzzball.

    Apparently it is not often that two baby birds get through to maturity so I am pretty happy. It is the kookas and the butcher birds that get them.I don't think they like the dogs being there.They lay under the nest as if protecting it.

    Grahame

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Jan 2004
    Location
    Mackay North Qld
    Posts
    6,446

    Default

    We are now empty nesters.

    Fuzzball and his mum have shot through with not so much as a goodbye.

    I did not see them go and was not expecting it as I thought fuzzball was not developed enough to leave the nest.

    I suppose we will see them next year.

    Grahame

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Aug 2008
    Location
    near Rockhampton
    Posts
    6,216

    Default

    We do not seem to get those birds around here Graham. They do have quite a pretty colour scheme.
    Gold, the colour of choice for the discerning person.

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Jan 2004
    Location
    Mackay North Qld
    Posts
    6,446

    Default

    Hi R.C.
    As with a lot of birds the male is more colourful. It is true of the Sunbirds.

    The one that was the mate of the nesting bird had a bright yellow breast with a deep black-blue throat that shimmered in the light like an opal.The pics of Sunbirds further north towards Cairns show a throat colour of a Cobalt blue.

    Our female had yellow up to her throat which was a little less bright than the male. Didn't see much of him during the nest build,probably down at the pub.

    He did pitch in for feeding the babies and chasing me away when I looked through the glass window at the mum feeding the babies.

    The older people tell me it is quite common for them to nest really close to humans. A friend who bushwalks has seen a local nest in the middle of a thorny bush. I couldn't say why they are in one area and not another. Possibly thier diet needs the correct blossoms.

    This is the third lot of chicks Sunbirds have raised at our place here in Mackay. The others were built over a garage bench and it meant for three weeks a year there was no work done at the bench. I don't care though as it is wonderful to have them around the place.

    I did try for a photo but haven't got the right camera.The little beggars are camera shy and blindly fast.

    Grahame

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Feb 2009
    Location
    moonbi nsw Aus
    Age
    69
    Posts
    364

    Default

    As I sit here reading these posts out side quite close is a baby Kookaburra trying to call. He hasn't got it yet but he keeps trying. These Kookas have returned from being away for a lot of years. I hear them but don't see them. The down side is they are preying on other little birds that live in our garden. I have 2 plough discs that I put seed on to feed who ever is around. Its all quite orderly. One species will come and eat then another species. The only ones that are tolerated mingling is some doves, but even they get a shift if the Happy Jacks are about. Behind the plough discs is a double concrete laundry tub with water dripping in to keep it full. It is quite a popular spot.
    I think its really special to be visited by the different birds. Cockeys, Gallahs, Happy Jacks, (Apostle Birds) Doves, Pigeons, King Parrots, Rainbow Lorekeets, Kurrawongs, Magpies (who eat seed), Wrens and Wattle Birds. They are not here all together they seem to come in shifts. Some thing comes during the night that "hoovers" up any seed left by the day shift. I think it would be Wallabies.
    Just do it!

    Kind regards Rod

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Jan 2004
    Location
    Mackay North Qld
    Posts
    6,446

    Default

    Hi Rod,
    I feel similar to you, Rod.It is nice to know someone else enjoys the local birds.

    It is one of my simple pleasures to rise early, sit outside with a cuppa and listen to the dawn chorus of our local birds. It makes for the beginning of a nice day.

    We have Kookas, Kingfishers Magpies, Butcher birds, Spotted doves, Peewees and Wagtails.

    The Peewees, Wagtails and Doves visit our birds a fair bit but not the others.

    I enjoy the melody of the Butcherbirds but at the same time always wary.

    Butcherbirds have been known to pull a small caged bird through the cage bars.

    Grahame

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Jun 2007
    Location
    Ipswich QLD
    Age
    68
    Posts
    1,996

    Default

    Grossly dissapointed not one photo over 7 days.

    We've also had visitors the international and interstate sort on 2 legs cousin and wife from UK and mate from Sydney

    I should mention the few lizards I suppose.

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Jan 2004
    Location
    Mackay North Qld
    Posts
    6,446

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by wheelinround View Post
    Grossly dissapointed not one photo over 7 days.
    I nearly posted one of the nest and the empty space where Mrs Sunbird was feeding the chick.

    As I said I don't have right sort of camera with a Tele lens.The first photo is near as I can get and shows Mrs Sunbird late afternoon. Second is when nest appears empty,when mums away shopping, but fuzzball had his head pulled down.

    I soon as I went near with the phone camera Mrs Sunbird changed to warp speed and was out of there!




    WP_20180118_11_19_26_Smart.jpgWP_20180118_17_53_56_Smart.jpg

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Jun 2007
    Location
    Ipswich QLD
    Age
    68
    Posts
    1,996

    Default

    Thanks Grahame

    This fellow was released into the park only to return a day latter but stayed in the back yard


  11. #11
    Join Date
    Nov 2007
    Location
    Near Rockhampton
    Posts
    270

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by Grahame Collins View Post
    I am really chuffed,

    Over the last few weeks, we have watched a pair of Olive Back Sunbirds building their nest adjacent to the laundry window.Today we glimpsed a pair of Sunbird chicks with their tiny faces hanging out of the nest, waiting for mum Sunbird to come home with a feed.

    These young uns are tiny ,maybe 35mm long, I estimate.
    It's not the first time we have hosted these charming little birds .

    Twenty years back, they have actually built inside our garage, entering through louvre windows left open for this purpose. We have always had dogs and our mutts don't take the slightest interest in them.

    The birds are known in the north for sheltering close to humans.Butcherbirds and Kookaburras take a heavy toll on them.The predator birds hopefully won't come too close as the cattledog will sort them out.

    I have tried for a baby pic but the little fellas are too darn quick ducking out of view as soon as I approach the nest.

    I will keep trying though.

    Grahame
    Coincidentally the day after you first posted this Grahame, my partner and I went to view a house for sale. I was somewhat surprised to see the same bird nest hanging precariously in a windy location on the verandah. There was no sign of any occupants.

    Fast forward 6 weeks and were in the process of moving in.

    Today we were lucky enough to see this.
    sunbird.jpg

    A sunbird making a quick exit.

    I had thought the breeding season was over but will watch the nest for any activity.

    John

  12. #12
    Join Date
    Jan 2004
    Location
    Mackay North Qld
    Posts
    6,446

    Default

    Absolute top photo John,

    I do have a real soft spot for the sunbirds.That one is a female, the male has a cobalt blue area around the throat

    It seems almost inbred for these little birds to set up camp near we humans.

    They must know somehow that most of us, will protect them from predators when we are close by.

    Grahame

  13. #13
    Join Date
    May 2011
    Location
    Murray Bridge S Aust.
    Age
    71
    Posts
    5,942

    Default

    On our house, we have an alcove that I've put a roof over, as the summer sun hits the window and heats the kitchen. We have a couple of doves that decided that SWMBO's shelving with succulent plants would make a great nesting spot, SWMBO was not impressed with that idea, so muggins me was coerced into making a shelf for them to create their nest on. The nest wasn't all that safe, so a wicker basket was installed, creating a cosy spot for them out of the wind and rain, if it's too hot, the other half sprays the roof to keep it comfortable for the chicks.
    There have been about 6 lots of chicks raised in that spot, and a current lot will be leaving the nest in about 4-6 weeks at the rate they're growing.
    Looking out our kitchen window
    They're really friendly also, we can walk to within a metre of them when they feeding on the ground, also the cat sits in the window and watches them, and they watch him!!
    Kryn
    To grow old is mandatory, growing up is optional.

  14. #14
    Join Date
    Nov 2007
    Location
    Near Rockhampton
    Posts
    270

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by Grahame Collins View Post
    Absolute top photo John,

    I do have a real soft spot for the sunbirds.That one is a female, the male has a cobalt blue area around the throat

    It seems almost inbred for these little birds to set up camp near we humans.

    They must know somehow that most of us, will protect them from predators when we are close by.

    Grahame

    Unfortunately I can't take the credit for the photo

  15. #15
    Join Date
    Nov 2007
    Location
    Near Rockhampton
    Posts
    270

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by Grahame Collins View Post
    Absolute top photo John,

    I do have a real soft spot for the sunbirds.That one is a female, the male has a cobalt blue area around the throat

    It seems almost inbred for these little birds to set up camp near we humans.

    They must know somehow that most of us, will protect them from predators when we are close by.

    Grahame

    Unfortunately I can't take any credit for the photo. I asked my partner to try and get a photo of the bird in the nest and this what she shot.
    If you look closely at the top of the nest you can see some colored beads. They have built unto a hanging decoration of some kind. I'm not sure if the previous owners placed this to encourage them to nest here but they seem very tolerant of close by humans.

    John

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