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Sulphur-crested Cockatoo
Sulphur-crested Cockatoos are sociable creatures, often travelling in large groups. This one was with four others, but sat apart looking a bit grumpy.
It can be difficult to get a good photo of a cockatoo, because they’re so white that the sun gleams off them and the resulting glare removes all detail. So I was pretty please with these shots. Here’s a rear view:
Common name: Sulphur-crested Cockatoo
Scientific name: Cacatua galerita
Approximate length: 50 cm
Date spotted: 20 December 2014
Season: Summer
Location: Manly Dam Reserve, New South Wales, Australia
Latitude/longitude: 33°46’45.6″S 151°14’59.2″E
A pair of Crimson Rosellas
Parrots galore! Two weeks ago I encountered a King Parrot on my walk in the bush. This week it’s a couple of Crimson Rosellas. They’re slightly smaller than a King Parrot, with different colouring.
Common name: Crimson Rosella
Scientific name: Platycercus elegans elegans
Approximate length: 35 cm
Date spotted: 27 September 2014
Season: Spring
Location: Manly Dam Reserve, New South Wales, Australia
Latitude/longitude: 33°46’36.6″S 151°15’16.2″E
Here’s a still shot of one of the birds, high up in a tree:
And another, snapped in a pool of sunlight:
King Parrot in spring splendour
This splendid King Parrot is perched high in a tree. Only the power of my Canon zoom brought it into clear sight.
Another shot, after the bird moved to shadier spot:
Common name: Australian King Parrot
Scientific name: Alisterus scapularis
Approximate length: 44 cm
Date spotted: 14 September 2014
Season: Spring
Location: Manly Dam National Park, New South Wales, Australia
Approximate latitude/longitude: 33°46’50.2″S, 151°14’54.5″E
A King Parrot comes to call
This Australian King Parrot dropped in for a visit this afternoon. He hung around for a while, exploring the trees around our house and making his piercing whistle, “Eeeeeep”. King Parrots are fairly large birds, bigger and more dramatic in appearance than the Rainbow Lorikeets we see more often.
This was my first view of the bird, before I zoomed in with the camera:
He moved to another tree:
Where I got a shot of his back too:
Common name: Australian King Parrot
Scientific name: Alisterus scapularis
Approximate length: 44 cm
Date spotted: 30 April 2014
Season: Autumn
Location: Allambie Heights, New South Wales, Australia
Approximate latitude/longitude: 33°44’15.2″S, 151°18’44.1″E
Sydney Birder 