Olive-backed Oriole

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Termite
Termite's picture
Olive-backed Oriole

Hi there. I live at a place called Reedy Creek in the SE corner of South Oz on a 20 acre bush block that is typical of this area - limestone, sand, wattle, eucalypt, bansia. I have gradually created more diversity in the flora and enjoy the company of a wide variety of birds. I have a particular soft spot for the white brown babbler - like the Keystone Cops for those of you old enough to remember. About 2 weeks ago I heard a new bird call in the gardens around the house - a double squawk similar in timing to a currawong but more parrot-like. Then I heard an answering call. I started 'stalking' the birds, surely they are in that tree. They sound like parrots, complex, repeated vocalisations. Ten I hear them calling from the other side of the house - and I didn't see them fly out of the tree.

Yesterday one of them obligingly sat in reasonable view and chattered away, not really concerned when I cam back with the camera. But I had to zoom a fair way and I'm physically unable to hold the camera up and still. So I apologise for the quality of the pictures. I still had no idea what the bird was, so I posted the pics in the identification forum here and a few kind souls agreed that it was an Olive-backed Oriole. There was also some comment that it was unusual to sight these birds down here, especially at this time of the year. I have listened to some sound recordings and am left with a sliver of doubt - will try to record this pair. I realise they are great mimics and ventriloquists. My other slight question was that I thought one of the birds had a  bright yellow patch on either side of its neck. I suppose that Olive-backed Orioles is all they could be, though I have little knowledge of birds, just great love and interest. In any case I am happy they are here.

Woko
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Your bush block sounds really nice, Termite. What method are you using to create more diversity in the flora?

Termite
Termite's picture

Thank you, I feel so fortunate to be here - a dream come true.

In five years I've planted around 1000 shrubs and trees - all drought hardy and nearly all natives. I buy tube-stock on line and then propogate. I get fast growing, dense shrubs, and plant them close together to create shelter for small birds. The two king's park special callistemon that hide a shed took less that 2 years to provide 12 x 12 metre shelter - the New Hollands love it. A large shrub next to a bird bath provides a safe launching point for gangs of red browed finch. There are plenty of banksia growing wild, which we preserve for the yellow-tails and honey-eaters. I choose plants that flower for most of the year, there is a variety of native grass. There are also 6 birdbaths around and a bucket of water for the kangaroos, because they accidently knock over the birdbaths. Close to one of the birdbaths is a ramshackle bird-hide, which has a permanent tripod. These days I need a tripod for anything zoom and i only have bridge camera, but i have got some pics that i enjoy.

So far we've cleared less than 20% - by cleared I don't mean flattened - just the undergrowth and dead stuff around the house for fire safety reasons. This is where the main part of the garden started and has radiated naturally from there. No lawn - and we don't burn the wood we clean up, we mulch it and spread it around - how happy i was the day i found my first earthworm. It's not really earthworm country. The expansion of the garden is someone limited by watering considerations. I do water the baby plants until they've grown a bit - summers are rather hot here with days on end in high 30s low 40s on the back of a northerly wind straight off the desert. We are lucky to have good quality bore water which the plants don't mind (but they always grow better after rain, it seems to me) as well as rain water. I am still quite conservative with bore water usage, as the 'boutique' vineyards dotted around already deplete the water level. We have now almost finished the major clearing. We like to make tracks thought the bush - follow the paths of the wombats and kangaroos.

We also benefit from something very sad. We are one of a few pockets of bush amongst sheep paddocks - so something of a sanctuary.

As you can tell, I can waffle on forever about this place - but I should spare you now.

All the best.

Woko
Woko's picture

Magic stuff, Termite.

Given that you're already on a bush block have you given any thought to using minimum disturbance bush care techniques to restore the original bushland?

zosterops
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a good sighting for the location. 

Termite
Termite's picture

just an update on the oriole sighting - they've stopped 'sneezing' and are now calling 'oriole' - glad they've decided to hang around

thank you to all who assisted

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