Wednesday, December 15, 2010

Scaly-breasted Lorikeet

This post is for World Bird Wednesday

I was out in my back-yard the other afternoon when I noticed a bird in my grevillea trees that looked rather smaller than the Rainbow Lorikeets that are usually there. I went inside for my camera and came out again as quickly as I could and the birds were still there. However, before I could get anything other than distant photos the Rainbow Lorikeets dropped in (literally!) - screaming. It was obvious that they didn't want any other bird in the tree while they were there and the smaller ones took off in a hurry. Half an hour later the Rainbow Lorikeets were gone and the others returned. This time I was able to get close enough for photos and I saw that the new birds were Scaly-breasted Lorikeets (Trichoglossus chlorolepidotus). This was the first time I have seen these birds in my back-yard. Once again the Rainbow Lorikeets arrived in a hurry and chased the smaller birds away again.
It was a bit too dark for good photos. There were storms coming in and it started to rain soon after. The worst of the rain came the next day - 120mm in less than 10 hours!

23 comments:

  1. Great definitive captures of both front and back. I have never seen this little fella, so cute with the scale shaped golden crescents both on the front and the back.
    Must get up to Q'land again and do some twitching.

    Nice to see you around Mick.

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  2. Thanks Arija. We love visitors up this way!

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  3. If I'm converting 120mm to english units correctly, that's a heck of a lot of rain!!! Beautiful birds too...

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  4. Hi Mike, it's close to 5 inches!! My yard was one big puddle!!

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  5. Thanks for sharing these magnificent images of the Scaly-breasted Lorikeet. I had no idea such a bird exsisted. Well captured! ;-)WBW

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  6. Incredible colours in that bird.Nice work! Boom & Gary of The Vermilon River, Canada.

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  7. Thanks for commenting Springman, Gary and theconstantwalker

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  8. Hi Mick. Thank goodness the Rainbows disappeared so you could get such detailed shots of this little fellow. Hope the rain hasn't washed the garden away! FAB

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  9. Hi Frank, I was indeed lucky to get photos in the short while they were there. The rain has gone and the sun is out and it feels like a sauna and the weeds are growing twice as fast :-(

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  10. What a stunning bird.
    And a heck of a lot of rain!

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  11. The colors are beautiful! I can't imagine having one of those beauties in my backyard!

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  12. I always prefer the quieter colours and more gentle manner of the Scaly-breasted Lorikeet over the Rainbow Lorikeet.
    Denis

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  13. Thanks for commenting Holdingmoments, EmptyNester, and Denis. I was surprised at how quickly the Scalys fled from the Rainbows. I've had people tell me how aggressive the Rainbows are but usually they are matched with birds just as aggressive as themselves - like the Blue-faced Honeyeaers and Leatherheads.

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  14. such an amazingly beautiful bird -- how cool to have it in your backyard!

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  15. Thanks for commenting Pat, Don and Birding is Fun.

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  16. I love the colors and the bird's expression! Terrific shots!

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  17. Lucky you! Wish I would have these beauties on my backyard... :-) Great captures!

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  18. That bird is so colorful it almost hurt the eyes. Bet you can hear them too. :)

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  19. I like how the color of the breast goes with the color of the plant! Great shots.

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  20. I would faint if one showed-up in my yard. Thanks for sharing your beautiful visitor!

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