Oops sorry guys, I had meant to do this yesterday! So our first 'Bird of the Week' is the Black-faced Cuckoo-shrike. They are such an under-appreciated bird I think. They are found all over Australia in most habitats, including gardens, but we (or at least I), don't seem to take much notice of them. They don't have the same outgoing nature of a lot of suburban birds but seem to do so well in our urban parks and gardens.
So in this thread, post your favourite Black-faced Cuckoo-shrike photo or share a story about them. I will sticky this thread till next Monday when I will give another bird 'Bird of the Week' status...
Here are two of my best ones taken around Lake Macquarie area some time ago.
Hi
Great idea Holly, I like sitting on my patio watching these birds in the evening shooting up from the trees to catch insects and the ritual wing adjustments when landed. Lovely natured birds which as you say are under-appreciated.
These are my only shots so far. Sorry about the quality.
They used to come to the tree with small figs across the road from my house every year until they pruned it back so badly that it couldn't fruit.
Anyway here is a shot of one.
Cheers, Owen.
Oops. Two for the price of one. Here goes with another.
Ah, well, the thought was there. At least it gives some idea of the undulating flight of the black-faced cuckoo shrike.
a maturing bird - Jun '11, Scarborough, Qld
Peter
Great photos everyone! I don't know why but they are one of those birds that I keep forgetting about, yet to their credit, they have copped with urbanisation pretty well!
I love the idea Holly. Some great photos there, of a bird I haven't seen yet.
Question: Owen, where did you see yours? Just a general area will do, thanks .
M-L
I almost missed this thread. Good pics everyone. I've never seen one up close though there are many around here.
Karen
Brisbane southside.
A pair nested & raised 2 young on our place about 5 years ago. Not since then. A flimsy nest in an almost horizontal fork of a pink gum Eucalyptus fasciculosa.
They are not easy to photograph at all. Most I see are as shy as birds of prey. Wonder why. I may have a photo of one. I think I've gotten some slightly better shots of White-bellied Cuckoo Shrikes....
I have only managed two reasonable shots of a BFCS and found them difficult to approach. They are a welcome summer visitor to our neighbourhood.
Cheers,
George
Melbourne, VIC
I can't see Windhovers or GeorgePs pics
Are others having this issue?
oops, this was my 1t stop tonight
I now see that this issue has been identfied
Peter
Everyones photos are so great here are a couple that we got earlier this year at Fairy Dell.
Black-faced Cuckoo-shrike - It was a mouth full to say as a six year old boy. So it became the BFC. These birds were one of the many young birds I raised when I was a kid.
Every time we had big winds or storms, they were easily tossed out of their horizontal nest. The adults would perch on the clothesline and watch our mulberry tree for movement. They would pick off caterpillars and then return to their nest to feed the young. From all of this excitement and activity, in my own backyard, my passion was ignited. I did not understand live food in those days, so it was a mixture of bread and dripping used to feed the birds. All the young homeless birds seemed to love it - or maybe they were just hungry!
This Bird has a habit of shuffling it's wings once it has perched and even in poor light, with just the silhouette of this action, I could Identify it. From then on I found that all birds have a habit or flight pattern. Even if I only got a flash or glimpse, whether it be at dust or dawn, I made it my mission to be able to identify all birds. This Bird still catches me out on occasion when I'm driving down the road and only with a second look do I realise that it is not a small raptor, but a BFC.
One day I was out and about and I saw a small flock of BFC's. They seemed to be tailgating a collared sparrowhawk and one got a little too close, all of a sudden after a quick u-turn, the chase was on. Before it got to the cover of the trees it was snatched by the "gossie". This memory is one that I will never forget.
Who would have thought that the humble Black-faced Cuckoo-shrike could indeed be an exciting bird!
By the way, great photos!
See it! Hear it!
Mid-North Coast NSW
I love the second one from the back.Thanks George
M-L
I have been looking back through my flickr photos to find this pic that I took on a bright sunny day up at Coolum. They are fairly common here on the Sunshine Coast. And as has been mentioned previously, they are easily identified at a distance by the twitch of the tail feathers as they settle on their perch. I didnt find this one shy at all.
Sunshine Coast Queensland
It was across the road right next to my house M-L. You know what area that is :)
Cheers, Owen.
Thanks Owen.
M-L