Ausbirdtober – the first 8 days!

Here’s the first 8 days of my responses to the Ausbirdtober prompts. Ausbirdtober is a fun way to celebrate Australia’s birds. On each day, start with the prompt (see list below), and think of an Australian bird.

Then either create a drawing, painting or print;

Or write a Haiku (a short poem of 3 lines; the first line has 5 syllables, the second has 7 syllables, and the last has 5 syllables).

Then (optional!) share using the tag #ausbirdtober

No AI permitted!

For Day I I’ve drawn the wonderful Magpie Goose, and on the second slide I’ve added some First Nations names for this bird. (Note that this design is also now available in my Redbubble store: https://www.redbubble.com/shop/ap/184218626 ).

Here’s one of my favorite ducks, and yes it often nests in a tree hollow.

I’m told that those odd shapes at the end of the beak are used to filter little creatures from the water. I think I might need to inspect (and maybe draw!) some museum specimens to really understand how this works.

For #Ausbirdtober day 3, here’s a Yellow-throated Scrubwren.

An amazing mimic of other bird calls, but it has a very quiet voice. So maybe not many people have heard its full repertoire?

Anyway, if you happen to see one of these lovelies, try to slow down and listen closely. You never know what you might hear!

Day 4 of #Ausbirdtober – the garrulous and gregarious White-winged Chough. One of the many Australian bird species that co-operatively breed. That means mum & dad get help to raise their young from other birds in their social group.

The prompt ‘Reminds me of a place’ conjured up the Pink Robins I saw hopping about in the Nothofagus cunninghamii (Myrtle Beech) trees, alongside the Franklin River, Tasmania.

Can you think of a bird that reminds you of a place?

I did this nature journal entry back in 2017, but have loved currawongs for much longer. Beautiful songsters.

Day 7 of #ausbirdtober ! Prompt: Cheeky
Thought I’d use this nature journal page from a few weeks ago.

How extraordinary that many of us can see this beautiful bird in our backyards, parks and streets. This particular cheeky one came down to inspect some colourful primroses in pots, while I sat nearby.

Day 8 of #ausbirdtober ! Prompt: inspires awe.

This reminded me of a very close fly-by of a Grey Goshawk, when I was eating breakfast on the deck, a few weeks ago.

I included it in a nature journal spread – all about the birds I’d encountered that week – that was jotted down / scribbled quickly with ink. I added the colour with coloured pencils this morning.

Which Australian birds fill you with awe?

Thanks to everyone who’s already joined in the fun. Do as much or as little as brings you joy. The aim is to spend some quiet moments with a bird!