R and E, sitting in a tree

I spotted Green R and Green E perched together yesterday in a jarrah tree in Cloverdale. I photographed them whilst they were preening and reorganising their feathers after being drenched from the rain. They were with a flock of over 150 that flew from Bentley through Victoria Park and back following Tonkin and Leach Hwy.

Green T getting around

On Friday I was excited to spot Green T whilst I was following Green E's flock in Bayswater. He had travelled that day from Carine to meet up with Green E who had travelled from Bentley. These cockatoos can definitely get around!

They were feeding on liquid amber seeds near Eric Singleton Bird Sanctuary before they drank from a nearby stream. They like to drink just before flying to roost for the night. Usually they drink quite close to where they will roost but Green E and Green T flew all the way to Bentley which is almost 9km away 'as the cockatoo flies'. It took me over 30 minutes to drive what took them only a few minutes to fly - peak hour traffic and a river to cross via bridge doesn't help me to keep up at all!

The few minutes before sunset is magic for photographing Carnaby's cockatoos. They can be a tricky contrasty subject with their dark feathers and white cheeks and tail panels. In this portrait of Green T you can even see that he has brown eyes. He still has a light coloured bill but his eye ring is starting to turn pink so he is getting close to maturity. His tracking device has lasted an amazing 80 days so far which is double the expected battery life. Go Green T!

Release pics

Here are a few photos of the release yesterday evening at Collier Park Golf Course. We released seven rehabilitated Carnaby's cockatoos. We opened the doors of the pet packs when we heard the wild flock arriving to drink at the golf course lake. Six of them flew out of the pet packs and landed in a pine tree together further down the fairway in the direction of the lake. Purple F took a bit of encouragement to come out of her pet back but she too eventually joined the other six.

I counted 244 birds as they flew from the golf course to their night roost. Hopefully they'll welcome the newest additions to their flock and take them to the best seasonal feeding spots this morning.

Three have satellite tracking devices attached so I'll be able to follow them more closely and hopefully spot other colourful tailed study birds at the same time.

The pet packs are lined up getting ready to open the doors

 

Fly, be free

 

Newest study birds

These are my newest study birds. They almost look like The Brady Bunch especially with Purple S looking up at the bottom. They were released this evening at Collier Park Golf Course.

Can you see Blue Z's recently polished halo above her head? She's trying to look very innocent. She chewed her tracking device in the aviary before release so it doesn't work anymore! Naughty Blue Z.