There has been much published about the benefit to the wellbeing of people who have access to natural spaces. Places to go to relax, to take in the sights, sounds and smells of the bush; plants, birdlife and all the other creatures that live in the natural world.
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One of the changes Covid restrictions has caused is a rise in the number of people joining birdwatching and bushwalking clubs, and spending more time outdoors, a safer option to relieve the boredom of home isolation and other Covid restrictions.
One of the places I personally go, to de-stress, is Green Wattle Creek at Butterwick. It is not uncommon to see Lace Monitors and the odd koala at this site, along with the many species of birds to be found on the walk through the bush.
One of my favourite small birds is the Jacky Winter, common on the fence posts and wires in the area. They are not a "suburban" bird and prefer open woodland with a lot of bare ground. Their habit of perching upright on posts and stumps has given them the nickname of Stump bird or Post Sitter.
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Prior to 1926 they were officially known as the Brown Flycatcher, but they are, a member of the Robin family. Bird naming can be very confusing!
These very personable pale grey and brown birds have a white underbody and a dark tail which they swing from side to side in a figure of eight pattern when perched. They have very prominent white outer tail feathers, very visible in flight.
They sit still for considerable periods of time, before suddenly darting out, diving, and twisting in the air, to catch an insect, before returning to the same perch.
They are often found in the company of Willie Wagtails, taking advantage of the insects disturbed by the larger bird.
Jacky Winters have a loud and melodious song, dominated by a fast - repeated phrase sounding like witta-witta.
They breed from July to December and construct a tiny shallow cup of grass and webs on a horizontal branch or fork of a tree.