Having left our 4-bedroom house with a sprawling garden, lots of native plants and bushland almost on our doorstop, I feared we would be bereft of wildlife.

Well, it’s now almost six months later and below is a chart of the bird life recorded from our balcony. OK, from inside occasionally! That Boobook Owl came to me via its call when I was firmly tucked up in bed.

There were others on the list that were added with just the one sighting. Despite the regular sightings of Figbirds just 400m away in the centre of Engadine shopping centre, only one was recorded here. On the other hand, while it appears only in one month, the Olive-Backed Oriole was a regular for that month.

The Australian White Ibis, living up to its urban reputation, was spotted right next to the garbage bin enclosure for our block of units.

And the late entry, an Australian Hobby, swept in two days after the mass arrival of cicadas. It then sat on a power line some distance away and managed to consume at least one for the evening meal.

It will be interesting to see what else transpires over the course of an entire year.

2022

Bird

Jan

Feb

Mar

April

May

June

July

Aug

Sept

Oct

Nov

Dec

Australian White Ibis

x

Masked Lapwing

x

x

x

x

x

x

Australian Hobby

x

Yellow-tailed Black Cockatoo

x

x

x

x

x

Galah

x

x

x

x

x

x

Sulphur-crested Cockatoo

x

x

x

x

x

x

Little Corella

x

x

x

Rainbow Lorikeet

x

x

x

x

x

x

Australian King Parrot

x

x

x

x

x

x

Fantail Cuckoo

x

Common Koel (25th Sept)

x

x

x

x

Channel-billed Cuckoo (28th Sept)

x

x

x

x

Boobook Owl

x

Laughing Kookaburra

x

x

x

x

x

x

Red Wattlebird

x

x

Noisy Friarbird

x

x

Noisy Miner

x

x

x

x

x

x

Magpie-lark

x

x

x

x

x

Olive-backed Oriole

x

Figbird

x

Black-faced Cuckoo Shrike

x

x

x

x

Grey Butcherbird

x

x

x

x

x

Australian Magpie

x

x

x

x

x

x

Pied Currawong

x

x

x

Australian Raven

x

x

x

Welcome Swallow

x

x

x

x

x

x

And what a year it has been!!!!! As I write this, I hear the news that the AAT has been abolished. Perhaps, along with the creation of an anti-corruption at the Federal level, that is the best news for good governance for a long, long time.

And now, as we head towards 2023, let us hope for equally good news in protecting our fragile planet. Perhaps….

In the meantime, here, attached, is my 2022 life in pictures. Some were taken with a mobile phone, the odd one with an IPad, some with a point and shoot and some with various lens on two different digital Canons! Shooting without evil intent!!!!

Stay safe and have a happy holiday season