Tuesday, December 2, 2014

Tree Changes

This Leopard Tree (Caesalpinia rerrea) is in my back yard. It is not native to Australia but loves our hot dry conditions so grows fast and becomes very tall. I find it interesting because it has its own timetable for change. All during the winter it keeps its green leaves. Then in late spring it suddenly starts dropping leaves. They are small and light so get into everything! Here it is - leafless - on the 10th of November.

Without leaves it is easy to see birds among the branches. This is a White-cheeked Honeyeater showing well against the sky and a Brown Honeyeater hidden among the branches.

Here is the same tree only two days later and the leaves are beginning to show. Bigger birds are still easy to see. This is a Common Koel ( Eudynamis scolopacea) - a migrant from further north and a cuckoo. Koels are so noisy but not always easy to see. I have seen them quickly disappear among the leaves but had not until now seen that they climb around more like Lorikeets and Parrots than other perching birds.

Two days later again and the tree is now covered with new bronze colored leaves.

 Birds are still easy to see. This is a Figbird - a young male because it has the red around the eye but the front is still speckled with juvenile feathers.

Less than a week later the tree is now green and the leaves hide whatever birds make use of it. I can hear them - but not see them! 

For more scenery from around our world visit Our World Tuesday

and for more birds visit Wild Bird Wednesday.

21 comments:

  1. What a wonderful bird. I've never seen a Figbird before. Wonderful markings.

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  2. Beautiful birds and tree shots!

    Happy Week to you,
    artmusedog and carol
    www.acreativeharbor.com

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  3. Oh, I've never seen a Figbird before either!! How beautiful he is!! Love the markings and what great captures for the day, Mick!! Thanks as always for sharing!! Have a great week!

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  4. it's a beauty and great cover for the birds! love the figbird! that's a new one to me!

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  5. That's a very unusual tree. Never heard of a figbird before.

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  6. What an interesting tree, and full of interesting birds, too. I wonder why it is called a leopard tree.

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  7. You are making me very jealous that you are seeing summer birds there!

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  8. wish I have a great camera like yours to take bird photos.

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  9. You certainly have some rapid vegetation growth in your part of the world. Those before and after trees are amazing. I remember seeing Common Koel in India and they were just the same there, partial views through the dense trees and very frustrating to try and observe.

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  10. What an amazing tree! I like your visitors as well.

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  11. It is wonderful to have these birds right in your yard! It is a great tree for the birds! Wonderful photos!

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  12. It is hard to get the shots of the birds with some much 'tree'! the male Figbird looks like it has the body of of a female but the head of a male. Always loved seeing them when I was in Aus.

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  13. Pretty birds...loved reading your narration of the different 'seasonal changes' too.

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  14. Fascinating tree and birds! How interesting that the tree follows its own rhythms....and the birds are beautiful!

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  15. It will be nicer to see your images now as they will be a reminder of my trip. :)
    Interesting tree that Leopard tree :)

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  16. What an interesting post! Amazing "before-during-after" images of that tree! I think I'd have to schedule my vacation time around the tree's shedding schedule in order to see some birds.

    Wonderful images of all new birds for me!

    Hope your upcoming weekend is a good one

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  17. Perfect! A tree that loses it's leaves when the birds return. Great for taking photos!

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  18. I Koel in the garden? Do you have ear plugs? Nice shots.

    Cheers - Stewart M - Melbourne

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  19. It s lovely to see the tree through the changes and all in one post. I really enjoyed this. Beautiful tree but it seems a little mixed up in its seasons. Kind of like me ... It's hard to remember it is almost winter because it is warmer here now than we were all summer!

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