Birding in Australia

Some of you might know that one of the pleasant side effects of joining the MEET com is to be infected by the love of birding. Of course, there are a few who have been immuned to this side effect, to which till this day I still can remember their 'insensitive' one-liners when they hear me saying something about birds I see. I will continue to pray for them. *just kidding*

I recall fondly the days of waking up at 6am during a public holiday, excitedly making my way to Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve by 7am to catch sight of the early birds feeding. Sights of the stork-billed kingfishers, purple herons, Blue-tailed Bee-eater, yellow-vented bulbuls, white-bellied sea eagles, brahminy kite and the migratory shore birds would send thrills up my spine. The sightings were the bonuses. The real deal was the opportunity to take a nature walk with friends.

My best loved birding spot is still Fraser's hill, Malaysia. Where else can you birdwatch in nice cool weather (=no mossies) with silver-eared mesias, chestnut-capped laughing thrushes and spider hunters appearing up-close nearly everywhere you go? =) Fraser's hill, my playground. I can write another entry about Fraser's hill alone.

When Charis came along, birding took a different turn. She survived the commando mossies in Sungei Buloh at 17 months, but have yet to pass birding 101-the most basic skill. No, it's not how to use a pair of binoculars, it's the skill of observing quietly. Sometimes, when we are birding at our backyard, all I'll hear is Charis shouting "Mummy, Berd---Fly!", her footsteps as she runs along the driveway. When the birds know where you are, they would not want you to know where they are. Charis has a lot to learn. =P

Nevertheless, after being here for some time, I've sighted some of the following birds without deliberately going to a nature trail.

Birds seen in my backyard
Magpie
Common Myna (lots in S'pore too)
Pied Currawong
Red whiskered Bulbul
Noisy Miner
New Holland Honey-eater
Willie wagtail
Silvereye (I thought they were olive-backed sunbirds!)

Birds seens elsewhere
Rainbow Lorikeet (they're bursting with colours!)
Crested pigeons
Sulphur-crested Cockatoo
Laughing kookaburra (distinct call)
Australian Pelican
Silver gulls (think 'Finding Nemo', mai-mai-mai)
Australian White Ibis (aka 'rubbish birds' according to KT)

For pictures of the above birds, you can click here.

Not as long a list as I would have liked, but still, am thankful for these sightings, some on a very frequent basis outside my kitchen window. =)

In God's grace, I guess birding for me, really started when I was 14, donning my blue and grey uniform, looking through the classroom door, at the white-collared kingfishers perching on the tree outside, obviously not having a clue what my teacher was saying. They were the first pretty birds I saw which led me to question about how this world is created. And then one thing led to another.

Birding reminds me of what a great and lavish God we have.