A bird bath is a wonderful way to get some free entertainment. Watch out for the water flying.

Yesterday we had about ten Rainbow Lorikeets Trichoglossus haematodus playing in the hanging birdbath behind our house. They were having a wonderful time splashing water everywhere and making a racket.

After a short while they were joined by two Scaly-breasted Lorikeets Trichoglossus chlorolepidotus which often flock with the Rainbows.

Even with the current rain Lorikeets and Noisy Miners are still visiting the birdbaths. When we have really dry periods a whole range of different birds visit this reliable supply of water: Kookaburras, Noisy Miners, Pied Butcherbirds, Magpies, Galahs, King Parrots and Pale Headed Rosellas.

We use our rain water tanks to keep the bird baths full. We have found the birds like the Rosellas and King Parrots like a tree where they can land to check that it is safe before they go down to the water. Putting old branches near the water has also been a success as you can see in the video.

Don’t forget to empty and refill your birdbath every few days to stop mosquitoes breeding.

What birds do you have visiting your backyard?

Mike

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Pied Butcherbirds are the amazing songsters of our local forest.

Mt Gravatt Reserve only ten minutes from the Brisbane CBD but a world of difference, the sound of cars is replaced with bird song.

A pair of Butcherbirds visited yesterday morning, sitting on our patio chairs and singing their hearts out.

Imagine the trill of our visitor from Sweden when she walked into the breakfast room to be greeted with this serenade. It is -11C in Stockholm today, a world away from this scene.

Two Christmas ago one of these clever birds learned Jingle Bells gradually improving his technique from November though December then it was back to the normal tunes.

Do you have any stories of our Pieds singing Christmas songs?

Mike