Black Kite

Pays to take your camera when going to the local rubbish tip. At the end of last month when we had some rubbish to get rid of, we saw 20 Black Kite flying over the tip. Very unusual for our area, and I did not have the camera with me then. On our next trip, I made sure I had it with me hoping they would still be there, and this time there were 8 flying around.

Click on photos to enlarge.

 Black Kite (Milvus migrans)

Another name for the Black Kite is Fork-tailed Kite. 

  

The fork-tail is not always obvious.

The tail is often twisted from side to side in flight.

Normally an inland species, one of the Black Kites favourite food sources, apart from rubbish tips, are fire fronts where they feed on a variety of small animals flushed out or killed. 

For more birds visit Wild Bird Wednesday

White-winged Chough.

We saw a family of White-winged Chough a while ago. We don't see many around our area. These ones were beside the road at Widgee west of Gympie. Although they look similar to Crows and Currawongs in appearance, they belong to a different family, the only other member being the Apostlebird. They are mud nest builders. 

 White-winged Chough (Corcorax whiteae) 

Not sure what is wrong with the one on the right, but it looks like it has been attacked and has an injury to it's head.

For more birds visit Wild Bird Wednesday.

Patchwork Cottage

More Birds from Patchwork Cottage.

Bar-shouldered Dove (Geopelia humeralis)

Chestnut-breasted Mannikin (Lonchura castaneothorax) 

Spotted Turtle-Dove (Streptopelia chinensis)

 Yabba Creek

Lace Monitor (Varanus varius)

For more birds visit Wild Bird Wednesday.