Newly arrived Down Under we encouraged the exotic, colourful birds to feed in the garden. It didn’t take long to make friends.
But, it was bad mistake…………….
……………we had never met a bird quite like this left-handed/footed, sulphur crested cockatoo. When it and its accomplices started to peck the garden furniture it was time for action. They’ve been known to strip the wood from window frames down to the glass. A child’s water pistol helps deter them (as recommended by the local council) but they are persistent and won’t disappear overnight; and don’t think your waste bins are secure.
Even large buildings are not immune from their attention. Polystyrene is a favourite.
Today, October 16 2025 started with clear blue skies. The rain gauge was empty. For several days during this (Australian) winter it has been full to overflowing. The tree overlooking us was without its usual cockatoo lookout.
It seemed safe to scatter some bird seed in the house for the rosellas, who usually arrive for breakfast, but who are probably nesting. The first flock of twelve ducklings has arrived.
Unlike the British mallards these wood ducks nest in the trees. Within a day or so of hatching (practically as soon as their down is dry) the tiny ducklings are tipped out of the nest by their parents. They then float to the ground. Most seem to survive. Back to the bird house……
…….where the cockatoo appeared out of nowhere. It looked at me with its round, marble like eye, taunting me to act. It took three squirts of the water pistol before it decided to call it a day.
Today is a red letter day for bird enthusiasts. The Guardian newspaper runs an annual poll to find the most popular bird. It’s run in collaboration with BirdLife Australia, which works tirelessly to save the most threatened wild bird species. The 2025 winner is……………the Tawny frogmouth.
The actual voting process seems complicated and even the organisers admit that it can be on partisan (i.e. state) lines. The final choice seems unremarkable with so much colour available. Frogmouths are nocturnal birds and, as night hunters, resemble owls. They rest on branches during the day and are remarkable in how they avoid observation or detection. Try identifying these four, emulating broken branches.
In second place was Baudin’s black cockatoo, named after the French explorer. This seems a surprising choice as so few bird enthusiasts will have seen one, endemic as they are to the far south west of the country. Found nowhere else in the world it is listed as Critically Endangered with maybe 5,000 surviving, but that’s a guesstimate.
We could carry on, but non-bird lovers may well switch off. It’s worth a look at number three, if only for its name. The charismatic gang-gang cockatoo, another endangered species, is known for its call, which is unforgettable! It sounds like a rusty, creaky hinge with a rising inflection!
After a day of playing hide and seek with a raucous cockatoo it was an agreeable diversion when a young, fluffy kookaburra paid us an evening visit and seemed reluctant to go.
Another Down Under diary 