Stringybarks

There are two stringybarks in this patch of scrub.

Eucalyptus baxteri is known locally as the Grey Stringybark and occurs on shallow soils.
It is the tall grey stringy barked tree featured in this photo.


Not so evident here (looking out from the kitchen sink window :)) is the Messmate Stringybar, Eucalyptus obliqua, which is low growing and straggly , at least it is here.

As I drive around the area I am seeing many dead Greys, which locals say is a result of the dry conditions of the last few years.





This year is shaping up well for rain at least, so let's hope they hold their own and even make a few gains, for a while.


These tall trees are flowering right now and the canopy is alive with birds that I am hearing clearly, seeing often, but having lots of trouble photographing.
There are small birds ... silvereyes, thornbills, a range of honey eaters and pardalotes.


























The treecreepers spend their time on the trunks, poking around under the bark.
There are larger birds as well; magpies, lorikeets, rosellas, cockatoos, currawongs and kookaburras.

The "hill" really is alive with music and colour
:)

So who are you looking at?

We have had several (well at least three) days of rain this week.

White-throated Treecreepers, Cormobates leucophaeus, seem to have appeared at the same time, but I am sure it is a coincidence and that neither is the cause of the other appearing ;p).

So far I have only seen females, as indicated by the orange spot below the eye.

Another "so far" is that I have only ever seen two, as far as I know; the one shown above this past week and the one shown at left, this same time last year.


That was also the first time I had ever seen one, although I then realised I had heard it before and been trying to identify the call for some time.

They seem to be very curious creatures, investigating any changes.

I had placed a possum box up in a tree and within an hour of the Treecreeper showing up it had investigated it, including popping inside and out again several times.







I wonder if they nest in hollows or whether they are drawn to any kind of hollow in their search for food. These two certainly seemed drawn to check out any little holes as they crept up the trees' trunks.


I must read some more of my books (and internet links) and report my findings; with any luck I might see for myself from my glorified bird hide aka my little cottage in the bush.

More info here
www.birdsinbackyards.net/finder/display.cfm?id=132

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/White-throated_Treecreeper