We three kings

Three Kings were sitting high up in trees as I walked towards the gardens today - King Parrots Alisterus scapularis to be exact...

A closer look showed that they were three females - so more like Queens than Kings!

I went to eat lunch in my old favourite spot, but before I even got to the bench I was really excited to see that there was a male Galah Eolophus roseicapillus poking his little head out of the nest hole that has been vacant for a while!

He seemed to be on his own, unless his mate is inside there.  I will be keeping an eye out each lunchtime to see!  After sitting down on the bench I only managed a couple of bites of my sandwich before noticing some great photo opportunities for two birds that I'm always having trouble getting nice pictures of: an Eastern Spinebill Acanthorhynchus tenuirostris, doing a great pose in a Grevillea bush, and a wonderful male Superb Fairy Wren Malurus cyaneus in full breeding colours! 

Definitely some photos I'm really pleased with.  The little Fairy Wren kept hopping closer and closer, I wondered if he could smell my cheese sandwich.  The weather is getting quite nippy now, so I'm not seeing so many other people around in the gardens, certainly not eating lunch like me!  I've knitted myself some fingerless mittens that really help with eating lunch and taking photos in the cold weather.

I did bump into someone out and about which was a surprise - Robyn who follows this blog!  We hadn't met before but she guessed who I was by my pink bag.  Such a small world... I gave her sneak preview of some of my blog photos for today, I think she was a bit surprised by the next photo - some poo!  I had wondered if it was wombat poo, as Id heard a Facebook rumour about wombats in the gardens, however turns out it is just Kangaroo poo - though I didn't see any nearby.  Anyhow, it was interesting to know, so thanks Robyn!

I'm still wondering what this is on this Eucalyptus tree - Ive seen a lot of trees with this sort of growth on, anyone out there know? 

Bath time

There is a bench in the garden dedicated to a certain Tom Green, who (according to the bench) was a keen birdwatcher.  So, as you might guess, this bench is situated in one of the best spots to sit and watch birds!  Opposite the bench is a shady glade with a little pool of water, where I have seen many birds flitting around and even taking a bath.  Today as I was passing I could hear that there were a lot of Crimson Rosellas Platycercus elegans chattering away to each other behind the screen of the bushes.  They sounded like they were having a jolly old time in there, so I took a peek - sure enough, one little fellow was happily splashing about in the pool...

Then his friend decided to join him - this bathtub is big enough for two!

I got some nice pictures of some other Crimson Rosellas nearby.  They are very beautiful birds, such a cheerful colour with cheeky little faces, they always brighten up my day. 

I do have a bone to pick with a pair of them though.  Remember the nesting Galahs? Well, after I noticed they were in and out of the nest hole I went back a week later and found they were no longer there - the hole was being investigated by a pair of Crimson Rosellas! So it appeared they had been turfed out of their love nest, I was most indignant.  However, since then I haven't seen any birds near the hole in the Eucalyptus tree, so it seems I won't get to watch any birds nesting there after all, at least, not for now...

Finally, as this is a blog about my lunchtime after all, I thought Id just share a shot of my lunch!  I went to Hudson's cafe which is situated in the gardens, in fact for the first time.   I had the most enormous bagel, which a cheeky Magpie Gymnorhina tibicen had his little beady eye on!

Lambertia and the elusive Eastern Spinebill

The gardens really are alive with so many beautiful flowers at the moment, particularly ones that produce nectar, like this lovely Lambertia inermis

The first picture shows the flower in bloom, the second is yet to open, caught in a ray of sunlight.  I sat on a bench nearby for quite a while, as a little Eastern Spinebill  Acanthorhynchus tenuirostris was flitting from flower to flower, feasting on the nectar.  Could I get a good shot of him? No!! Im determined to get a good picture of one of these one day, but sadly, my attempts this time were no better than my last attempt.  A very kind person might call the first picture an 'action shot'?! 

I took a look again at the hole in the Eucalyptus tree that the romantic Galah's were investigating the other day and I can confirm, they are nesting!  One of them was busy moving in and out of the hole, disappearing for some time completely within the tree, while the other was having a snooze.  Wonder which was male and which was female?!

Galahs, a love story

Tap tap, tap tap... I looked up from my old favourite lunchspot today to see a Galah  Eolophus roseicapillus enthusiastically pecking away at a Eucalyptus tree nearby. 

After a few minutes he flew up into the tree, so I investigated a bit closer and saw he was pecking at a hole - perhaps a potential nest hole - Galahs (and many other cockatoos) like to nest in holes in trees. 

Looking up to where the Galah had flown I saw he had a mate!

Little by little they edged closer to each other...

 until they had a little kiss!

and another...

and another!

I believe the male is on the right of the picture and the female the left, as in this last shot you can make out the colour of their irises - males have brown and females have red!  It was amazing to see these two lovebirds together.  In fact, Galahs will usually mate for life (and they live for a long time, up to 80 years as pets, though nearer 30 in the wild, according to galah.galah.com.au ).  If their mate dies, they have been known to get depression!  When I was first told what these cute little birds are called I was told that Aussie slang calls someone a 'silly Galah' if they are being a bit daft, but I think these birds are anything but silly, they are true romantics!  I will be sure to keep an eye on that hole in the tree to see if there will be the pitter-patter of little Galah feet in a few weeks time!