Nutmeg Mannikins

16 posts / 0 new
Last post
clif2
clif2's picture
Nutmeg Mannikins

I finally got to see the front on view of these Mannikins. There was a lot of grass stems around so not the clearest photos.




akasha
akasha's picture

Love the last photo, nice work.

clif2
clif2's picture

Thanks , that is as close as they let me come before they flew off.

Regards

               Shane

Woko
Woko's picture

Great to see these in their natural habitat. The grass they're feeding on is, I think, Umbrella Grass Chloris truncata. Another good reason for planting native grasses!

darinnightowl
darinnightowl's picture

Hi Clif2
I used to trap these spice finches as a kid, they would use only long pieces of green grass  to build their nest and were easy to follow.Thanks for bringing back the  memory.

Hi Woko 
Didn't  know you were into grass, ah times have changes since 1960/70s.
Poaceae/choris is an important pasture grass all over the world. 
C.truncata or Windmill grass as I know it, thats the trouble with common names. But the spice finch is not in its native habitat, maybe it's from the spice islands.

Nightowl 

See it!  Hear it!

Mid-North Coast NSW

Woko
Woko's picture

I don't know about other types of grass, Nightowl, but I'm passionate about native grassses as part of ecological restoration in Australia. We have so many areas of native grasses regenerating on our place & I'm excited about the coming spring & summer to see what butterfly species have used the new grassland to breed & feed.

darinnightowl
darinnightowl's picture

Yes that right Woko ,because much of their entire life is spent as a egg or caterpillar .  Skippers and darts needs various grasses as their host plant. Their winged life is short lived to start the cycle once more. Good luck hope you see many.
Nightowl.

See it!  Hear it!

Mid-North Coast NSW

clif2
clif2's picture

Thanks Woko and Nightowl for the info about the grasses etc. I think the grasses are an underated plant in domestic use and I like them a lot. Woko there are a lot of butterflies in this area and that is the reason and I hope your plantings attract heaps of them as I really appreciate the butterflies as well.

Regards

               Shane

Woko
Woko's picture

The butterfly eggs & larvae make good tucker for birds, too. It all fits together so beautifully. I never cease to be amazed at life & evolution.

clif2
clif2's picture

So true Woko, nothing beats Natures Marvel.

Regards

               Shane

Karen
Karen's picture

Lovely pics and so great to see them doing what come naturally.

Karen
Brisbane southside.

Windhover
Windhover's picture

Nice little finches mate. If you have CS5 or 6, you could try retouching the grass across the face in the last shot with the content-aware fill tool. Shift+F5 is the shortcut key. I should really do some quick tutes on how to use it. Well done mate.

clif2
clif2's picture

Thanks Akos, I remember you mentioned this fill tool in a previous post and before this I had not heard of it , so I will investigate as I have CS5 and will see how you use it.

Regards

               Shane

pacman
pacman's picture

darinnightowl wrote:

But the spice finch is not in its native habitat, maybe it's from the spice islands.

my Morcombe guide says - 'Feral species, also known as Spice Finch; native to S Asia from India to S China and SE into the Philippines and Indonesia. ............. aviary escapees.

Peter

clif2
clif2's picture

The thing that concerns me about this species is what effect it will have on the other Mannikins if they interbreed as I have seen them feeding amongst The Chestnut- breasted variety.

Regards

               Shane

darinnightowl
darinnightowl's picture

Hi Peter. In the 1600 /1800 hundreds ! ship trader's call this area the spice islands.

Good point Shane. Could end up with the Same problem as the pacific black duck.
Nightowl

See it!  Hear it!

Mid-North Coast NSW

 and   @birdsinbackyards
                 Subscribe to me on YouTube