Australian Reed Warbler, Julia Creek North West Queensland

Julia Creek Australian Reed Warbler

After a couple of weeks absence I went to the RV rest area just outside Julia Creek last Thursday.  It is my favourite place within walking distance of my new home and birds seem to enjoy the well -tended environment created by McKinlay Shire Council as much as I do.

The resident Black Kite came, speeding seemingly out of nowhere, and hovered above me examining my flynet covered face very closely, until of course I lifted the camera and pointed the lens at it, then it zipped away.  I have yet another blurry picture of this bird.  It must be the most camera shy creature in the area.

Black Kite Julia Creek

The bee eaters and the apostle birds have departed.  My momentary sadness at their inconstancy and the thought that their absence may signal no further rain was lifted by an Australian Reed Warbler (Acrocephalus australis) clattering around in the bulrushes.

In spite of the racket it makes in the reeds and its melodious song during the breeding season, this is a very difficult bird to spot.  It is only 16cm (less than 6 and a half inches for non-metric people) long from beak tip to tail tip and is well camouflaged for a life in reed beds.  It occupies reed beds and reed like places near water over half of the continent.

Claire Wood

Just Claire Wood

Email:  JustClaireWood@gmail.com

Longlines In The Atmosphere

Australian Reed Warbler Julia Creek

 My apologies for the lateness of this blog.  I was travelling on Saturday and Sunday. 

Rainbow Bee-eaters

 I have a special fondness for Rainbow Bee-eaters.  Many years ago while looking after a friend’s European bee hive I was overjoyed when an entire flock of bee-eaters moved into a big gum tree in our front paddock and entertained me with their joyous songs, their colourful twisting flight.  Within what seemed an extraordinarily short time they decimated the bee population and then carelessly moved on, leaving me forsaken and friendless for my lack of guardianship of the beehive.  

They still entrance me and the bee eaters that have moved into the Julia Creek area are some recompense for the loss of the company of the sunbirds that live in my Bucasia back yard. 

I think they are nesting near the waterhole at the free camp, burrowing into all that softened clay beside the creek.  One of them swooped me the other day.  I have never been swooped by a bee-eater before.  They seem to be a usually placid bird.  If they are nesting does this mean the end of the all too brief rains?  Residents here are hoping for February rains to see them through the Dry.  This area is has been drought declared for a long time now.  Bee-eaters are supposed to nest only before and after the Wet. There are a lot of Bee-eaters along the banks of creeks and rivers here. Hopefully they consider this period the before the Wet.