Rufous Whistler

RUFOUS WHISTLER Pachycephala rufiventris

 


 

Mt Piper, Broasford this morning, the calls of rufous whistlers were everywhere amongst the trees.

It was a warm Spring morning and the birds were very busy, both males and females out in the open areas hunting.

I imagine they are still feeding young as a number of the birds I saw were carrying insects in their beaks.

Olive-backed Oriole

  LIVE-BACKED ORIOLE

 

 

Over the years I have heard the oriole calling from around the Hospital Reservoir but have never been able to catch a good view of one.










Many time I have seen a bright olive flash as, what I assumed to be an oriole, quickly moved amongst the trees. That's all.
















Yesterday I could hear a gentle caroling from the eastern edge  reservoir followed by an answering call from the further bank.


 A flurry of feathers brought my attention to a pair of wattle birds in and out of the branches of a nearby tree. These wattle birds have been very aggressive lately. They will chase any bird; magpies, sparrows and spine- bills, loudly telling whichever bird they meet, that they should not be here.



















This time it was a pair of Olive-backed Orioles. The one I could see clearly was, I think, very young. It had no olive colouring on it's back but was beautifully marked with speckles across it's breast and had a lovely pink to red beak.

What a lovely song they have.