^°'igf2"''] Austin, Bird-Life near Home. Al 



Bird'Life near Home. 



By Thos. p. Austin, R.A.O.U , Cobbora, N.S.W. 



It is wonderful how quickly birds find out protected localities. 

 While sitting upon my verandah for about half an hour one after- 

 noon, it occurred to me to make a note of the species which came 

 into my small flower garden in front of the house. Only a few 

 yards away were three Rosella Parrots {Platycercus eximius) and 

 two Parrakeets {Psephotits hcematonotiis) feeding on the berries of 

 an African boxthorn bush^ while hovering around within a few 

 feet of my chair was a pair of Restless Flycatchers {Sisura 

 inquieta). A pair of Black-and-White Fantails {Rhipiditra tricolor) 

 was busy feeding young, which had only a few days ago left 

 the nest, built under the verandah in a grape vine. Then came 

 along a very proud pair of Blue Wrens {Malurus cyaneus), with 

 three very tiny young birds, which had left the nest, built in a 

 creeper on the side of the house, only that morning. Two 

 Honey-eaters (Ptilotis penicillata) were feeding in the grape vines 

 4 feet above my head, while a pair of Magpie-Larks [Grallina 

 picata) were flying to and from a small dam about 80 yards 

 away in front of the house and a yellow box tree in the back yard, 

 where they had a nest and young. 



In the orchard at the side of the house was the nest of a pair of 

 Yellow-rumped Acanthizas {A. chrysorrhoa), and in a peach tree a 

 few yards away a Spotted-sided Finch {Staganopleiira guttata) was 

 busy with incubation duties. The next to put in an appearance 

 was a beautiful little male Mistletoe-Bird {DiccBitm hirundinaceum), 

 then a small flock of Chestnut-eared Finches {Tceniopygia castanotis). 

 Not far away, outside the garden fence, were several Magpies 

 {Gymnorhina tihicen) hunting for food, and a knowing old Raven 

 {Corone australis), probably on the look-out for an egg of one of 

 my Bronze Turkeys. 



During the last two seasons many species of birds were observed 

 breeding within a quarter of a mile of my house. At the 

 dam in front of the house Microtrihonyx ventralis and Hypo- 

 tcenidia philippinensis were studied. The young of these two 

 species running along the edge of the water much resembled black 

 mice. In the water, attached to the drooping branches of willow 

 trees, were the nests of the Grebe {Podicipes novce-hollandia). 

 Some few years ago, when there was only one pair of these birds 

 here, the nest was robbed, and six days later the birds had a new 

 nest built and the first egg was in it. They sat upon their eggs 

 throughout the day, only leaving it when disturbed. Their young, 

 until able to feed themselves, were very noisy. There were always 

 a few pairs of the Black-fronted Dottrel {Mgialitis melanops) about 

 the edge of the dam. Last year a bird was sitting on a nest on 

 the edge of the buggy road, just outside the garden gate, 12 

 yards from the verandah. Unfortunately, a horse trod upon the 

 eggs. 



On the other side of the garden a pair of Warty-faced Honey- 



