Dandenong Ranges Nature Photography » Birds

Other cockatoos

Kathie Thomas — Sat, 28 Jan 2012 21:55:54 +0000

Below are three other types of cockatoos that I’ve seen. The top ones, are Gang-Gangs and there was a family in our garden one day last year. Only time I’ve seen them. A neighbour rang to say he could see them in our trees and to get outside quick, with the camera. The babies flew off but I got the parents.

The others are a female red-tailed cockatoo and a Major Mitchell (the pink one) both seen at Healesville Sancturary.

Yellow-tailed black cockatoo

Kathie Thomas — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 23:57:17 +0000

Continuing with the cockatoos, the Yellow-Tailed Black Cockatoo seem to be more present this year where I live. I hear them every day calling as they fly overhead. I don’t remember hearing them that much in past years.

Below are shots that have been taken in our garden, or at Lysterfield Park in the past year.

White cockatoos

Kathie Thomas — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 21:19:09 +0000

A flock of cockatoos fly overhead (and I can tell you it would have been noisily – they’re rarely quiet) and below that, a silhouette of a cockatoo in a tree with its crest up.

Posing cockatoo

Kathie Thomas — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 20:20:00 +0000

Anyone would think these birds were experienced posers. They’ll happily sit for you (when in an area used to human contact) and let you take their photo.

Focus on Cockatoos

Kathie Thomas — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 21:09:17 +0000

There are a number of types of cockatoos here in Australia. White ones, Black ones with different colouring, one that is pink all over – all have different calls and they tend to live in different areas. Here, where I live in the Dandenongs, the locals consider the white ones to be pests. To some extent they are – they’ve certainly increased in number and flock to where there is food. They screech loudly and scare off other birds – they are quite large. But, for all that, I find them very funny too – I would say they’re the comedians of the birdlife.

Below this cockatoo watches me as he feeds.

Kookaburra closeup

Kathie Thomas — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 21:02:26 +0000

They have such beautiful colouring, these birds. Similar to gum trees really. Love the dappled feathers underneath too. And their beautiful big eyes.

Kookaburras on the line

Kathie Thomas — Sun, 22 Jan 2012 22:39:13 +0000

We have a small family of kookaburras living on our property and sometimes you see them together. Here two of them survey our backyard from our washing line.

Kookaburra

Kathie Thomas — Sat, 21 Jan 2012 22:37:28 +0000

These are such comical looking birds at times – they look down along their beak at you. I love watching them. They watch the ground intently for their next food item but they also watch around them too. They perch up in trees, on signposts, washing lines, anywhere really. And I love to hear their laugh early in the mornings and in the evenings too.

Australian Magpie

Kathie Thomas — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 22:57:32 +0000

I’m still stuck inside but I do have quite a good view outside my office window and am able to watch the birdlife when it shows up. Not that it always stays still long enough for me to capture it and I have a limited width of viewing for following them with my camera. However, this magpie obliged me by foraging in the garden in front of the window. He was aware of me but once sure I wasn’t coming any closer, he continued with his business. Below he is checking me through the window to see if I am going to move any closer, then he continues his business of looking for food and walking around the garden.

Close up of King Parrot

Kathie Thomas — Mon, 16 Jan 2012 21:42:20 +0000

When you go to Grant’s Picnic Grounds in Kallista you can get up close and personal to the birds. The kiosk sells birdseed to the tourists and visitors. In these shots I’d taken a family member from interstate to visit the grounds and experience getting up close and personal to these beautiful birds. I believe this bird is a juvenile.