Always looking for new spots this week I happened across two wonderful finds.........
The first happened yesterday. A Rainbow Bee Eater burrow located on a vacant block in the middle of suburbia surrounded by expensive houses. These beautiful bejeweled birds were busy catching dragon flies and bees in the twilight and taking them back to their burrow where I presume demanding children await!! It was a wonderful sight and an interesting example of co-existence; of the natural world flowing in to fill a somewhat unconventional space. Watching these birds for just a few minutes as the sun went down made me so happy and today thinking about it and looking at my photos makes my heart feel alive. I will post updates as I see them, but intend to be very careful not to draw attention to the site of this precarious nest. Rainbow Bee Eaters migrate to Australia from Papua New Guinea in spring every year. Once here they make burrows in sandy soil and then breed and raise their babies underground. Nests can collapse if trodden on accidentally or the birds may abandon them if disturbed. I am really hoping these precious babies can make it to adulthood.
The second find happened this morning. Me and Soraya were walking along the Canning River when we spotted movement and a flash of iridescent blue, streaked across the sky and landed in the branches of a paperbark tree. Sneaking closer we identified the owner of the vivid color as a Sacred Kingfisher. I have only seen these birds rarely and have never been able to get good photographs. This morning I was lucky, he sat on the branch in the sun and looked at us. We looked back!! His mate was close by but I was unable to get a clear photo. They seemed to stay mostly in a large sprawling river gum, and then we noticed, they were going in and out of a hollow branch. Another nest and another secret! This one is much safer, secluded high in a tree, it is unlikely to be disturbed so hopefully there will soon be some little flashes of blue by the river.
