Feb 2nd, 2011 by Sarah Koschak
The Jewel and the Golden Orb spiders are two of the more common we have in the forest out the back of our place.
The last couple of weeks the bush has been booby trapped with their webs – when I have been walking or bike riding I often come back veiled in cobwebs.
So, in the cool of the morning I was out with my camera to photograph them as they lay in wait for their prey.
Jewel Spider
Jan 26th, 2011 by andrew skeoch
Robin on my Microphone by Listening Earth
Often I leave my microphones ambiently recording in the forest, mounted on a tripod. I go off exploring, leaving the mics and the birdlife alone for a while.
It is only later when I listen back to the recording that I find out what adventures my microphones have had while I’ve been away.
Jan 18th, 2011 by andrew skeoch
Pied Butcherbird singing at dawn, Darwin, NT by Listening Earth
We recently received an email from a listener asking whether we had any recordings of Pied Butcherbirds from ‘up north’.
Dec 13th, 2010 by andrew skeoch
Saraband for a Butcherbird – Mark de Brito by Listening Earth
Transcribing birdsong to musical notation is problematic, if not well-nigh impossible. Birdsong is just too sonically complex.
However the songs of some species do lend themselves to musical interpretation, and the sublime melodic phrases of Australia’s Pied Butcherbird have long fascinated musicians.
Nov 6th, 2010 by Sarah Koschak
I was out early again this morning with my macro lens, this time looking for one of my favourite spring wildflowers - the fair and lovely Milkmaids (Burchardia umbellata). I found them dotted throughout a damp gully on our property, well protected and catching the first rays of the morning sun. They are a member of the Lily (Liliaceae) family and fairly common.
Nov 5th, 2010 by Sarah Koschak
After 13 years of drought, we have had a wonderfully wet winter. One of the things I have been looking forward to is the bounty of spring and summer orchids in the bush on our property.
I have been out early today with my new 100mm macro lens to photograph the delicate Brown-clubbed Spider Orchids, (Caladenia phaeoclavia), that are flowering on the south side of our ridge. They are no longer in their prime and the end of their sepals are starting to wither, but they are still very beautiful.
Oct 28th, 2010 by andrew skeoch
Chattering song of a Noisy Friarbird by Listening Earth
By no stretch of the imagination could Noisy Friarbirds, Philemon corniculatus, be described as beautiful birds. Even their mothers would have to say they were ugly.
Oct 27th, 2010 by andrew skeoch
Mistletoebird by Listening Earth
This morning I came across a tiny Mistletoebird, Dicaeum hirundinaceum, having a crap. Continue Reading »Tweet
Sep 22nd, 2010 by andrew skeoch
Birdsongs often sound like simple, twittery noises to our ears, but what do birds hear? It is difficult to know of course, but the first thing to notice about birdsong is that is often incredibly complex sonically.
Jul 26th, 2010 by andrew skeoch
Late Winter Birdsong in the Australian Bush by Listening Earth
Ah, it is so good to be home!
After our four month field trip in Turkey, Sweden and the UK, Sarah and I arrived back to our bush home last Wednesday evening. We were tired, but happy to be back in familiar surroundings.
