Birdsong from Doongalla in The Dandenongs

You sort-of "had to be there" but I felt immersed in bush and birdsong at the Doongalla section of the Dandenong Ranges earlier last week. The video doesn't really do it justice (you may turn your speakers up a little ....)

What can you hear?

I do remember the first time I heard a Crimson rosella making its "Honky tonk" call. "What was that?" This was the first time I had been able to watch a bird at close range make the call. I was intrigued that such little bill movement was required for such a resonant piping!

Crimson rosella

Laughing kookaburra perching and stretching a wing. Another flew to the ground having spotted something of interest. 

Australian King-parrot

Eastern yellow robin not far from its nest

Not a great shot of a Red-browed treecreeper but I see these infrequently so this was a good day!

You can read more about the history of the Doongalla homestead here (go to page 3 of this pdf file which is a chapter from a local history written by a Richard Coxhill). The house was destroyed by bushfire in 1932 and the property eventually bought by the State Government. I cannot believe that it once looked like this:

Doongalla Homestead c1910 from Richard Coxhill's "History of the Basin" (photo credited to a Fergus Chandler)

Bird on!