Native Birds in a Suburban Garden

Forest and Bird, Issue 86, 1 November 1947, Page 10

Native Birds in a Suburban Garden

By

I. TILY.

FOR the last 16 years we have been feeding the birds in our Dunedin suburban garden, and we feel we have been well repaid by the interest and pleasure we have derived from the numbers of birds, both native and introduced, that visit or live about the garden. We are favourably situated to see a good deal of native bird life, for an almost continuous narrow tongue of native trees runs back from our garden to join the native trees on the hills to the north and north-east, and connects with the remnant of -bush left on the City Belt.

Though only 10 minutes’ walk from George Street, one of the main thoroughfares of the city, we have enjoyed the pleasure of recording from our garden no fewer than 17 native birds. Of these the Stilt, Grey Duck, Harrier, Blackbacked Gull and Shag are but passers-by. The Long-tailed Cuckoo was seen only once during 11 years of recording, and it, too, was probably but a passer-by, for almost immediately after being seen, it took flight towards the hills. Grey Warblers, which ignore the bird table and syrup bottles, are with us all the year round, and have been seen in the garden feeding young Shining Cuckoos. The Shining Cuckoo visits us each year, as many as four having been seen at one time. The Yellow-breasted Tit, commonly called the Tomtit, which 10 to 12 years ago was a frequent and friendly garden visitor, is now seen only occasionally at the end of January or the beginning of February, and is usually a young bird innocently making its way forth into a dangerous world. Alas, it soon disappears, probably the victim of some cat.

After the flocks of Silvereyes have dispersed to nest, a few remain about, accepting our offering of short lengths of hair and unravelled rope for their nests, also food for themselves and their young. Brown Creepers, Fantails and Kingfishers come and go, but are rarely seen

during the nesting season when the call of the Morepork is also missing from our neighbourgood. Bellbirds, Tuis -and Wood Pigeons are, likewise, only occasional visitors while engaged with . their nesting activities. When they do visit the garden to feed, they come and go so quickly and so silently that we are fortunate if we catch a glimpse of them. We have planted trees and smaller plants that give a succession of nectar-bearing I flowers, and syrup water is always available.

We find the best way to supply the syrup is by the inverted bottle method seen in the photograph. A slice is cut from the side of the cork which is fitted into the neck of the bottle containing the syrup. The bottle is then inverted into a feeding vessel with straight or outward-sloping sides the depths of which must measure more than that portion of the cork projecting beyond the neck of the bottle. The syrup is made from honey and water or golden syrup and water, a good tablespoonful being melted in about a pint of water. In a severe winter we have known seven quart bottles of syrup to disappear in one day. To see the coming and going of dozens of Silvereyes at the Bird Table, to see six Wood Pigeons perched on one tree, or seven Bellbirds singing in concert on a branch of kowhai, or 15 Tuis playing among the trees and in and out of a Bird Bath is ample reward for any trouble that has been taken to attract them to the garden.

Some daymay it be —we are hoping to add to our list of native visitors the dainty Rifleman which we believe to have visited our garden unobserved. At times it is seen very near. in a garden where the trees are close?' to the windows of the house, and a pair nest yearly in the garden of another friend a little further along the hillside. What a thrill it will give us the day we add it to our visiting list!