We have a strict policy against artificial bird feeding at our Blue Mountains property, well apart from providing fresh water. There is an abundance of nectar, seeds and insects to satisfy the countless species that visit us. Half of our large garden is planted with Australian natives, but the birds also love many of the exotic shrubs and trees, especially Japanese maples.

MAPLE SEEDS….OH JOY!
AN EARLY ERROR…

When we moved here twenty years ago we did as many greenhorn newcomers do and bought a bird feeder, mainly to attract the colourful parrots. Of course the seeds immediately brought the larger birds, such as sulphur crested cockatoos and currawongs. The cockatoos nibbled our woodwork and…..far worse, the currawongs attacked our nesting tawny frogmouth. 😪 Lessons were learned the hard way!

The wooden bird feeder remained as a purely decorative feature. However, recently (at my direction) my partner Rob moved it to the branch of a tulip tree, a location close to the deck of our new house.

UP A BIT!

Co-incidentally, we had our first decent crop of cooking apples this year. The wildlife (possums etc) scoffed most of them, but I decided to put a few windfalls into the feeder….a special treat for both me and the birds.

The King Parrots had been feeding on maple seeds, so the last of the apples meant they could breakfast on delicious muesli!

I suspect Mr King Parrot is saying, ‘Wow, thanks Pauline, this is pretty special.’

These birds are silenced due to beaks full of muesli breakfast apple.
Mouths too full to say anything!

I think Mrs King is telling her mate that he has eaten quite enough for one sitting!

Crimson rosellas were among the first birds to visit.
LET’S NOT OVERDO IT DARLING!

‘Oh alright, time to go then.’

It didn’t take long before a crimson rosella turned up. A few maple seeds, then onto the apple. It seems muesli is very popular.

He didn’t seem to mind that someone else had been chewing on his apple.

Crimson rosella enjoying his muesli breakfast apple.

Satin Bowerbirds arrived as well.

Among the birds to enjoy their apple treat were the bowerbirds.

The glossy black, adult male was very hesitant, but unable to resist. Rob took this photo through the sitting room window, to avoid scaring him off.

Satin bowerbird eating his share of the muesli apples.

Oh dear, it had to happen; a lone cockatoo zoomed in to nibble on tulip tree seeds. And yes, he soon spotted the apple down below.

Cocky wants to partake of the muesli apples.
Cockatoo hoping for a feed of 'muesli' apple.
GO AWAY!

OK, that’s it. Treat time over and back to a purely decorative feeder! I suppose native lilly-pilly berries will soon provide an alternative to apple in the muesli, but I’ll leave it to the birds to collect those themselves. 😍

Lilly Pilly berries would be great in bird muesli.
THE RIPE FRUIT – PHOTO BY SPECIALTYPRODUCE.COM
Lilly pilly fruit might be good in bird muesli.
LILLY PILLY BERRIES FORMING

ATTRACTING BIRDS TO THE GARDEN WITHOUT ARTIFICIAL FEEDING.

2 Comments
  1. As an expat living in NZ I do miss the native Australian birds – thank you for such a lovely blog.

    • Pauline

      Thanks for taking the time to leave a comment Nancy. I have lived and worked in your beautiful country (Wellington and Nelson). So pleased you enjoyed the story.

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