There seems to have been a male Western bowerbird tending to a bower at the Olive Pink Botanical Garden in Alice Springs for some years. I read that the males are polygamous, mating with several females during a season so it is less likely that we have seen the same female birds.
It had me delving into old image files and mini-DV video tapes because I was pretty certain I had some video footage of the pair showing off at the bower. This was taken in June 2008 and shows the courting behaviour including the pink-coloured erectile nuchal crest of the male.
I have caught up with them on several visits to Alice Springs over the years ....
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| 2004 (Canon Powershot A70) |
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| 2006 (EOS 300D, 125mm zoom) |
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| Just a messy looking bower in 2007 (Powershot A530) |
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| 2008 (EOS 300D, 300mm zoom) |
Bird on!
great photos again of this wonderful Bowerbird; also great opportunity to know more about them from your video footage Pete
ReplyDeleteSo glad you went digging in your archives and brought us the video as well. What a performance they give and those pink crest feathers are a treat as well and the whole show augments Stewart's post beautifully.
ReplyDeleteGreat post on an interesting bird!! Boom & Gary of the Vermilon River, Canada.
ReplyDeleteGreat photos to add to the ones Stewart showed this week. I really enjoy comparing photos from different Aussie bloggers. btw - interesting examples of the way all of us have progressed in both cameras and lenses.
ReplyDeleteGreat series on your Bowerbird. Happy Birding!
ReplyDeleteWell that does look like the same bird!!!
ReplyDeleteNice one! It may be a while before I am back in that part of the world, although I hope to get some shots of Satin B/B in a couple of months.
Cheers - Stewart M
HI Pete How wonderful that you could dig out the photos and video footage of what might be the same Bowerbird as Stewart. Fantastic to see the pink crest appearing and all the antic. I see it was very near a road. When I went looking for the Golden Bowerbird last time I was in Queensland, It was in a near impossible place to get to. Big climb through trees but we got there in the end.
ReplyDeletethanks for taking the trouble to find these past images adn it fitted in so well to WBW
Anyway, I just wanted you to know that I have nominated you for the Liebster Award. Details will be on my post soon today. I hope you will participate. Have a great evening. Margaret
These are wonderful, Pete! I loved the video too. That pink crest is lovely.
ReplyDeleteI'm hoping that I can dig into archives in the future once I've been birding for many years. My birding journey is only 18 months old at present.