Apostlebirds, Weddin Mountains National Park NSW

During our time in Weddin Mountains National Park, we had the unexpected pleasure of a visit from a lively family of apostlebirds. We had set out a small bowl of water, and before long, the whole group gathered around it, chattering constantly but drinking peacefully side by side.

After a while, one of the birds decided to try bathing in the bowl. Seeing the enthusiasm, we put out a few extra dishes of water for them to use. In such an arid place, it was lovely to watch how much they enjoyed themselves.

The apostlebird (Struthidea cinerea) is native to Australia and is often seen roaming open woodlands, foraging for insects and seeds close to the ground. They typically travel in groups of around 12, which is how they earned their name — a nod to the 12 Biblical apostles.

5 Things you may or may not know about Apostlebirds

 

Echidna Bathtime

Our resident echidna enjoying a bath in the scrubwren's bowl. As you can see, the echidna was rather dirty. The scrubwren was none too pleased. 😆

Providing a source of safe, clean water is a great way to help your local wildlife – especially in times of extreme heat. We have 8 water bowls of various sizes scattered around the property. The birds and animals (including the snakes) all have their favourite/s i.e. the young rosellas love wallowing in the dog bowl, the fairywrens the shallow pot plant saucer.

Garden Orb-Weaver Spider

Garden Orb-Weaver Spider (a very full one)

The resilience of mother nature

Our Mrs Blackbird is a real battler. Early in spring she was attacked by we don't know who and broke her right foot as you can see. That has not stopped her from building three new nests and rearing successfully a total of 5 babies and believe it or not she has just completed building another nest in one of my chain cacti (Christmas cacti in northern hemisphere) pots.

Apsley Falls, Oxley Wild Rivers National Park NSW

On our travels, we stopped over at the Apsley Falls campground. Picturesque with impressive views of the river gorge. Well worth a visit if you're ever driving the Oxley Highway between Walcha and Wauchope.

The first night we were there, we had a nocturnal visitor. This old possum spooked us to start with when he tipped the grilling tray out of the camp stove (we suspect to get to the toast crumbs).

An Australian magpie (and his mates) came to check us out.

Butcherbird.

Frog Hilton (aka The Water Tank) at Dusk

The nightly line-up on the water tank eagerly awaiting darkness to search for food.

Nesting Australian Native Crested Pigeon

We have a pair of Crested Pigeons that nest around the property, though usually in a more dense tree than this. Australian Birdlife refer to the nest as delicate, but that's putting it politely. Their nests are more a mess of a few twigs that takes them a short time to construct. Both parents share the incubation -- we often hear the bird on the nest calling for his/her mate to change over. Because there is always a bird on the nest, they don't suffer the egg predation other birds do. Though I'm sure they only breed to feed the local raptors. :(