There is a lonely eastern spinebill in our garden ( only one of this species) is it lost ? We are near mt lofty a bit further south than the flinders ranges ! But I am a novice so maybe they are local ?
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according to the biby website,yes,they are local where you live
i live on the other side of the country,so i don't really know much about this :p
I'm on the south eastern slopes of the Mt Lofty Ranges, joyfromblackwood, & so was one young eastern spinebill a couple of months back. It was the first one I'd seen here. But I'd expect to see them far more regularly in Blackwood, especially in bushland or gardens with native vegetation, especially plants like eucalypts, correas, epacris, grevilleas & probably mistletoe. They also like fuscias although they're introduced.
Your eastern spinebill is probably not lonely at all (& certainly isn't lost) but may be exploring for suitable habitat. What sort of vegetation do you have in your garden?
We have correas and grevilleas, a mixture of eucalypts, ash, oak, proteas, banksias, mellaleuca, myriads of agapanthus (I am sorry to say), a few straggly birds of paradise, kangaroo paw, and about 6 acres of native bushland in addition. Also we have a 'frog pond' which all the birds visit and have their baths etc in which is right in front of the lounge window, I spend ages just sitting and watching them. It is such a pleasure.
I am just learning about Australian birds.
Hi joy, sounds like heaven in your bachyard. All you would have to do, sit on a chair, hold the camera and click. We are waiting to see some photos. Welcome from me, M-L
M-L
That's a real mixture of plant species in your garden, joy, a number of which would provide habitat for a range of Australian birds.
I share your sorrow about agapanthas. They can invade bushland, especially in wetter areas such as Blackwood. While the flowers provide nectar for honeyeaters, probably even eastern spinebills, they crowd out native plants which are habitat for butterflies & insects. We seem to be inundated by agapanthas where I live. Many landowners plant them at their gateways & along their driveways. We're thinking of photographing a clump, enlarging the photo & putting it on our gate post with a sign announcing that ours is an agapantha free zone.
About the agapanthas, I always wanted to do this:
Have a national "eradicate agapanthas" day. My plan would be,to take up the scissors, go out during the night and cut off all the agapanthas flowers in your area, before they seed. I would love to do an over night action, wouldn't that be fun? M-L
M-L
Picture without words:
40 million left.... M-L
M-L
That photo certainly did my heart good, Araminta. And 40 million little challenges to go!
By the way, does anyone know if spraying agapanthas with Roundup will get rid of them? If not, is there another quick & effective method?