Feeding Birds - Good or Bad #5 & last post for the survey

Well the National Bird Feeding survey has finished.

For the last week of the survey I moved Headley to the water of the Tranquillity Pool, to give the researchers a different photo perspective. And what a bonus both them and I got.

As well as some sensational photos, I had two new visitors, but more on them later.

23/8/16

Tapas Bar
Today’s Menu; Rice & sliced Grapes.
During the 20 minutes; Today's attendees were Mal the Noisy Miner, New visitor #1, Red the Red Wattlebird and Brad & Shiloh the Satin Bowerbirds.

Mal the Noisy Miner popping in for brekkie

before going off to do what Noisy Miner's do.

Hassle the shit out of everyone.

The bird on the left I Red, so named after his big red wattles.

The bird on the right is his latest beau.

Last years partners to Red was Little John.

They raised a Koel chick earlier this year.

Tunnel Vision

Red's new girlfriend really has some heart.

Not bad. Staring down a Pied Currawong..

She didn't budge an inch.

Unlike Red, who knows when discretion is the better part of valour.

Brad enjoying a very wet grape.

MINE!! ALL MINE!!

DIDN'T YOU HEAR ME!!

MINE!! ALL MINE!!

Visitor #1 was a Pied Currawong.

The Look that gave Headley nightmares for nights.

My next door neighbour’s palm has gone into berry. This has attracted a group of Currawongs. About 6.
They perch in the tree behind my place, and take turns flying over to pick berries. This flight path takes them directly over the Tapas Bar. They totally ignore it, which I find amazing.
Well a a couple of weeks ago I watched one annoy the hell out of what looked like a raw potato. Where the potato came from is a mystery.
This morning as I was sitting Headley in the Tranquillity Pool, I had fashioned some raw potato into a seat for Headley. His mount is underneath him, so he can’t sit on a flat surface.
Well just after, a Currawong flew down to the fence. He was queued up waiting his turn at the berries. Sitting on my veranda some 5 meters away, I grabbed a cube of potato and tossed it next to the Tranquillity Pool, hoping he would fly past Headley to check it out. He did better.

A Pied Currawong enjoying the fruits of my labour.

Now as luck would have it, one of those chunks landed in the Tranquillity Pool. What a photo I got. So I went down to the Tranquillity Pool to get closer & repeated. Well, I’ll let you be the judge. None of the splash photos weren't submitted in the survey.

Not a bad throw......

From 5 meters away.

A more controlled attempt;

An Implosion

An Explosion

An Ice Sculpture.

The Olympic Swimmer

The Tranquillity Pool. The Pied Currawong was the only one to visit, and gave me some great photos.

After hours were pretty quiet as well.

26/8/16

Tapas Bar
Today’s Menu; Sliced grapes, diced banana & rice.
During the 20 minutes; Today's attendees were Red's girlfriend, Mick & Mal the Noisy Miners, Pedro, both Brad & Shiloh and mystery quest #2. A Silver Gull.

Red's girlfriend & Shiloh sizing each other up.

Mal's mate Mick said he was flying in,

and would he like a catch up?

Mal says "no worries mate,

I'll get us a table at the Tapas Bar"

"Make sure it's on the water Mall"

Mirror Mirror on the water...

Who's the prettiest Pee Wee...

To never falter.

OK. YOU come up with better

Shiloh making a colourful entrance

Brad does like his grapes

Shiloh multi-tasking.

Enjoying a grape & seeing off Red's girlfriend.

Both Shiloh & his dad are partial to a bit of Banana.

Visitor #2. A Silver Gull.

This guy landed on the back fence. After yesterdays success with the potato & the Currawong

And having some left over potato, I tried again.

That caught his attention. He flew over and took interest

in a slice of grape one of the Bowerbirds dropped.

The Tranquillity Pool. Shiloh was the only one today.

Having a long cool draft

Not really

Birds can't suck in water like we do

They need to fill their beak with water and tilt their head back.

Except Doves & Pigeons. They're like us.

Not many animals can btw.

After hours were good. There were fights, plenty of drinking & sex.

The body language speaks heaps.

Shiloh's heckles raise on the back of his neck.

Direct eye contact.

Changes stance and gets......

A quizzical look

She even went eye to eye with the Judge

The Judge is drinking. Drinking like we might.

Good opportunity for Red's girl to grab a feed.

I once had someone ask me....

Have you ever had bad sex?....

NO! I replied.

But I've slept with plenty of women that have.

28/8/16
Tapas Bar
Today’s Menu; Sliced grapes, diced banana & rice.
During the 20 minutes. Being the last report, I decided to mix it up a little.
I started by hand feeding my Kookas, then set the Tapas Bar. Bitey & Bully the Kookaburras turned up for the hand feed. As did Stan the Grey Butcherbird Brad. For the Tapas Bar, Shiloh, followed by Red, Mal, Stan, then Bully & Button the Kookas. Pretty good last report.

Bitey enjoying some BBQ Chook neck.

His appreciation

He stroked my face with Gossamer Wings.

Stan the Grey Butcherbird

A real bandit

Brad. We know his preference......

As with Shiloh.

The Golden Snitch

Red's girlfriend

Red.

The rice is Mals size.

All he can do is lick the grapes.

Decisions, decisions.

What will take his fancy?

The meat of course.

Grey bookends.

This chunk of meat had Buttons name all over it.

He needed to get it first as Bully was hot on his trail.

A poor second prize.

Bully with the scraps.

The Tranquillity Pool. The Judge & Mal turned up for a drink, but unfortunately Headley was pointed elsewhere.

After hours the only photo worth a mention was this.

The predator is up there.
Circling. Waiting.
At last, and unsuspecting Wattlebird approaches the Tapas Bar.
The hunter needs to take its quarry on the wing. On land, he would never succeed as his quarry is many times his size.
Silently he drops. Wings tucked in. He is a rocket....
Levelling off at the last second, he will get only 1 attempt at this.
He must grab his quarry on the beak to avoid being injured or even killed by it.
Today Mal the Noisy Miner is successful, and flies off with the hapless Wattlebird in tow.

Well, that's the survey over. I've sent a copy of each of these 5 posts to Grainne. She's heading this project up.  My goal at the start of this survey was not only to participate, but to give detailed background that a photo doesn't give. I'm sure they've found it interesting. They have also been treated with some great photos. I'll look forward to their next survey.

Well that's it for now folks.
Stay safe & well.
Here's a video of me playing with Bitey
https://youtu.be/sN5-8lKZrGc