At the feeder this week

This bird feeder was a present for Hannah's 11th birthday present a year ago and she has continued to show an interest. Amongst the introduced riffraff (Common myna in particular) we do receive some gorgeous visitors. This week we have had daily visits from Eastern rosellas.

Eastern rosella (Platycercus eximius)

This Crimson rosella (Platycercus elegans) was intent on playing hide and seek!

Another introduced species - Spotted turtledove (Spilopelia chinensis)

Although Spotted turtle-doves are out of control in Melbourne there is hopes that the smaller population in remote Alice Springs can be controlled.  This NT government fact sheet helps interested locals identify the birds and trap them! This blog post from Central Australia birding guru (one of them!) Chris Watson shows some of the strike force in action!

Is that it's tongue!?

I don't usually (read ever) photograph  Noisy miners but I was putting a new lens through it's paces & ....

In case you missed it!

Posturing

The aggressive Noisy miner is a native bird that has
extended its domain in suburbia at the expense
of other species.

Angry birds?

These pictures were taken at Croydon Park, a recreation reserve (rugby pitch and footy oval) with a man-made wetland. I believe that the Tarralla Creek is piped underneath (a Wikipedia article indicates that Tarralla Creek is actually the re-named Croydon Main Drain!). Croydon is an outer eastern suburb of Melbourne.

Little corellas taking over Croydon Park

Cooperative Pacific black duck & friends

"I'm not sure about this Mum/ Dad!"
Dusky Moorhen

Presumed juvenile Little raven

All birds pictured doing well in suburbia.
Of those pictured this Spotted turtle-dove is the
only introduced species