Up close with the birds in the backyard

They may be fairly common, but some of the birds that come to my backyard have lots of character. Here are some photos I've taken recently.

Magpie-lark

Crested Pigeon

Galah

Black-faced Cuckoo-shrike

Australian Ringneck

White-plumed Honeyeater

Photos of Magpie Larks, or MudLarks, beings larks in the mud

The puddles have just about dried up west of Alice Springs now, but I took these photos before the puddles disappeared. There were 31 of these Magpie Larks in the group, one of the biggest I've seen. I was sitting quietly off the road, and they didn't seem to mind me being there. Hope you enjoy the photos.

Magpie Lark

Brown Goshawk, Cockatiels and others in the backyard

The cicadas are loud and prevalent in Alice Springs at the moment, but they also provide a good food source for some of the birds. This immature Brown Goshawk had a nice little meal from some of the backyard trees.

Brown Goshawk immature

Also had some others in the dead tree in the front yard

Cockatiels

Galah

Magpie Lark

Yellow-throated Miner

Black Honeyeaters, juvenile Collared Sparrowhawk and other bird photos from today

The day finished with a little birding time with my son Moses. We travelled to the junction of Rainbow Valley and the Stuart Highway in the afternoon and had a nice hour or two, Moses chasing Red-capped Robins in the bushes, but the excitement for me besides spending the time with my son was the Black Honeyeaters. After the plethora of the Pied Honeyeaters last week, it was a strange single "Peep" call that alerted me to their presence, and then Moses managed to spot one a little way down the Rainbow Valley road. At first sight, a distance away, I thought it may be a Hooded Robin, but the "Peep" call made it definite and then closer photos showed the beak of the honeyeater, and then the little black V on the chest confirmed it if I had any further doubts.

Black Honeyeater

Just before we left home, the Magpie Larks were going bananas in the park behind our house. I followed the noise and saw a young Magpie Lark jamming itself up against one of the fences on the other side of the park being attacked by a bird of prey of some sort. I called Moses out and then the bird of prey flew off, only to return to a tree in our backyard! I am fairly sure this is a juvenile Collared Sparrowhawk, but if anyone thinks it definitely is a juvenile Brown Goshawk, I'm happy to change the title

Collared Sparrowhawk juvenile

and a few others from the backyard today

Little Crow

Magpie Lark

White-plumed Honeyeater