Backyard birds

Twitching type people are right in to keeping lists - its one of the reasons birding and wildlife observations remain dynamic and fun. The most boring of birds can become exciting again when you need them for your list. The following types of lists are commonly kept by birders:

• life list;
• year list;
• country list;
• state list;
• region list;
• office list;
• local patch list (regular or favourite birding location); and
• backyard list.

Years ago you had to write down these lists and keep track of them in notebooks, then things progressed to computer spreadsheets. But these days online databasing systems exist. I take full advantage of this to manage my own personal lists. Phone apps are available to record your data which sync to your online database account. No raw data handling at all! Ebird is the way to go and makes listing so easy http://ebird.org/content/australia/ 

Anyway my inspiration for this blog was a rather exciting moment over the weekend. It occurred not out at some remote national park or wilderness location but in my own backyard! While cleaning up the yard a small honeyeater flew out of the flowering grevillea, which immediately looked different to our standard honeyeaters in the backyard. I could see striations on the breast which is resemblant of the common New-holland Honeyeaters, but the bill was noticeably shorter. I was looking in to the sun so the silhouetted bird was hard to initially ID. But once it moved in to a better viewing position i could clearly see it was a Yellow-plumed Honeyeater.

Yellow-plumed Honeyeaters are not necessarily rare, in fact they can be down right pesky and abundant at times! But they are typically found east of Perth in the drier Wandoo woodlands. They are rarely reported down on the Swan Coastal Plain, I've certainly never seen one before down here, so it was exciting to get one in the back yard :)

And equally exciting was that this bird represents another addition to our backyard list - which now stands at a very respectable 54 species. Thats right, 54 species seen from our house in suburban Perth. I enjoy the fact that anywhere you go, birds can be seen. 

In our yard, birds seen fall in to five general categories. Small passerines that forage amongst the shrubs and trees, birds that forage on the open grass, birds in the drink and have a splash in the bird bath, birds in the bird feeder and fly over species.

So take note of your backyard birds, you never know when something unexpected may turn up. Below are some photos birds seen in our backyard, and our full list and status.

The cause of our backyard excitement, a Yellow-plumed Honeyeater. The bird was initially foraging within our grevilleas before i got too close and it flushed in to the tree. It then proceeded to look and glean for insects off the bark before flying off. Number 54 for the backyard list.

An Australian Hobby off shoots over the backyard at dusk. On this particular occasion it came crashing in to the orange tree and captured a Laughing Dove. Unfortunately our presence disturbed and it left the destroyed dove on the ground and perched out the front on power lines. I picked up the (dead) dove and went out the front and launched it in to the air. The Hobby half went for it but then flew off.

Australian Ringnecks are a daily occurrence and enjoy the seed in the bird feeder.

Brown Honeyeaters are regular every day feeding in our shrubs.

A special day with two Carnaby's Black Cockatoos's stopping by for a drink from the bird bath

Laughing Dove's are resident. This introduced species has flourished throughout Perth.

Australian Magpie-lark forages on our lawn daily.

New-holland Honeyeaters are resident in common and enjoy a dip every now and then.

Without doubt our regular backyard highlight is when the Spectacular Red-capped Parrots pop in. These striking parrots are a daily occurrence in the orange tree when fruiting, and pop in to the bird feeder for some seeds on a regular basis.

The Backyard List:
1. Carnaby's Black-Cockatoo - At times regular fly overs
2. Red-tailed Black-Cockatoo - Roost approximately 500 m south of our house so daily fly overs
3. Australian Ringneck - Common and daily occurrence
4. Rainbow Lorikeet - Introduced to Perth and daily fly over species
5. Spotted Dove - Resident
6. Laughing Dove - Resident
7. Galah - Regular fly over
8. Little Corella - Occasional fly over
9. Willie Wagtail - Resident and commonly forages on grass
10. Laughing Kookaburra - Occasionally heard calling and sometimes flies through the yard
11. Australian Magpie - Regular and common. Forages on the grass and baths
12. Australian Magpie-lark - Resident and commonly forages on grass
13. Australian Raven - Common and regular fly over
14. New-holland Honeyeater - Common and resident feeding in flowering shrubs and taking baths
15. White-cheeked Honeyeater - Slightly less common then New-hollands but still regular
16. Singing Honeyeater - Common and resident. Aggressive species constantly scaring my finches and bashing the wire on my aviary
17. Silvereye - Commonly foraging within shrubs
18. Australian White Ibis - Common fly over
19. Rainbow Bee-eater - Migratory species which is common fly over species in the summer species
20. Red Wattlebird - Commonly foraging in the yard
21. Brown Honeyeater - Common and resident feeding in flowering shrubs and taking baths
22. Black-faced Cuckoo-shrike - Common fly over and occasionally perches in trees
23. Welcome Swallow - Uncommon fly over species
24. Tree Martin - Common and resident. Nests within power pole in the front yard
25. Collared Sparrowhawk - Occasionally flys through the yard chasing Laughing Doves
26. Red-capped Parrot - Fairly regular, daily occurrence when orange tree has fruit
27. Australian Shelduck - Rare fly over
28. Western Wattlebird - Always pleasant to first hear this species unique call and then observe. Uncommon but regular
29. Striated Pardalote - Occasional visitor to the yard. More commonly heard from the two very large eucalypt trees north of the house
30. Sacred Kingfisher - rarity, observed twice
31. Australian Hobby - As with Sparrowhawk, sometimes charges across the yard
32. Nankeen Kestrel - Rare fly over bird of prey
33. Square-tailed Kite - Excellent yard record. Kicked off my year list with crippling overhead views of this species once on a new years day morning. Two records
34. Cockatiel - Aviary escapee fly over. Not a tickable species but on the yard list for novelty
35. Yellow-rumped Thornbill - Common in the area but rare from the yard
36. Weebill - Irregular, more common in summer months
37. Western Spine-bill - Unexpected yard record on the Swan Coastal Plain, two records, both female
38. Pacific Black Duck - Rare fly over
39. White-backed Swallow - Small flock were resident across the road during a block housing development. Unlikely to ever see again
40. Western Gerygone - Common bush bird in the area but rare from the yard
41. Shining Bronze-cuckoo - Few records from the summer months
42. White-faced Heron - Rare fly over species
43. Grey Butcherbird - Common bush bird in the region, occasionally heard
44. Pallid Cuckoo - Single heard only record
45. Superb Parrot - Aviary escapee. Not a tickable species but on the yard list for novelty
46. Straw-necked Ibis - Rare fly over species
47. Fan-tailed Cuckoo - Single heard only record
48. Rufous Whistler - Common bush bird in the area but single heard record
49. Peregrine Falcon - Single fly over record
50. Southern Boobook - Single record of individual calling from large eucalypts approximately 100 m north of the house.
51. Little Eagle - Single record of pair of birds soaring over the yard
52. Grey Fantail - Single record recently foraging for insects under patio
53. Spotted Pardalote - Recently heard from large eucalypts approximately 100 m north of house
54. Yellow-plumed Honeyeater - Single record, rare on the Swan Coastal Plain, excellent yard record and inspiration for this blog.