A new visitor to our bird bath
By Judy Evans
@JudyEv (340019)
Rockingham, Australia
November 14, 2017 4:09am CST
We have two bird baths. One is situated in the garden immediately in front of where I sit in our office. Any movement there makes me look up and occasionally a bird or reptile comes in that I may not have seen before. With luck we’re able to photograph it from inside the office which is what happened in this case.
This pretty little fellow is a golden whistler (Pachycephala pectoralis). My bird book says the male is a yellow-breasted thickhead which I didn’t think was very complimentary. It has a black head, white throat and yellow edges to wing feathers. Apparently it is a common resident in our area but we haven’t seen them too often. I hope he comes again.
23 people like this
25 responses
@andriaperry (116936)
• Anniston, Alabama
14 Nov 17
Very pretty! we do not have many yellow birds here.
6 people like this
@yanzalong (18988)
• Indonesia
14 Nov 17
I love looking at birds too. Some tiny birds come over to our flower garden. They are lovely but I cannot describe them yet. I have to look at the birds more intently later.
5 people like this
@Morleyhunt (21744)
• Canada
14 Nov 17
Goldfinches and yellow tanagers are the only noticeably yellow bird we see. It's always fun to identify a bird you hadn't seen before.
3 people like this
@JohnRoberts (109846)
• Los Angeles, California
14 Nov 17
It is like he is looking at the camera.
3 people like this
@changjiangzhibin89 (16763)
• China
14 Nov 17
It is a great candid photography!The unlooked-for "guest" looks so beautiful!
3 people like this
@DaddyEvil (137259)
• United States
14 Nov 17
You have a prime bird-watching spot there, Judy.
He certainly is beautiful!
2 people like this
@DaddyEvil (137259)
• United States
14 Nov 17
@JudyEv "faces the wall"? Like he is a bad boy? (grinning and playing!)
2 people like this
@JudyEv (340019)
• Rockingham, Australia
14 Nov 17
@DaddyEvil That's just where his computer is. I've definitely got the best spot - and I'm hanging on to it.
2 people like this
@JamesHxstatic (29413)
• Eugene, Oregon
15 Nov 17
I just read this to Anne and she said that I resemble the thickhead part of that description. What a cute little bird he is. In the US, we have a lot of warblers who wear yellow and the goldfinches in the spring get to resemble canaries they get so yellow.
2 people like this
@JamesHxstatic (29413)
• Eugene, Oregon
15 Nov 17
@JudyEv Here, beefy guys like that are called "no necks," very muscular and their heads appear to sit right on their shoulders.
2 people like this
@JudyEv (340019)
• Rockingham, Australia
15 Nov 17
@JamesHxstatic They're the best build for rugby and/or soccer so I'm told.
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (340019)
• Rockingham, Australia
15 Nov 17
I'm afraid Anne is wrong (and perhaps you can poke your tongue out at her if you are brave enough!). I looked up 'thickhead' as pertaining to birds and it is used to signify that they don't appear to have a neck so the head seems to sit right on top of the body. I can see clearly that you do indeed have a neck. Maybe they should rephrase 'thickhead' to read 'neckless'.
2 people like this
@teamfreak16 (43418)
• Denver, Colorado
14 Nov 17
Wow, what a beautiful bird. Are you a Birder? I've thought about trying it, but becoming obsessed with yet another activity is all I need.
2 people like this
@JudyEv (340019)
• Rockingham, Australia
15 Nov 17
No, not really. I just take notice of the birds and I like watching the ones that come to the bird baths. I hadn't heard 'birder' before. Bird-watchers are also called 'twitchers' which seems an odd term. Bill Oddy is a twitcher. He was one of The Goodies which was a popular TV show once - probably before you were born! 
I picked up a book of his once all about bird-watching in the UK.
I picked up a book of his once all about bird-watching in the UK.2 people like this
@JudyEv (340019)
• Rockingham, Australia
15 Nov 17
@teamfreak16 Thanks. I'll keep an eye out for it. The one I have is just for Australian birds. It was interesting seeing the different birds in other countries. It seems every country has its crows, magpies and robins but they're all different to ours.
2 people like this
@teamfreak16 (43418)
• Denver, Colorado
15 Nov 17
@JudyEv - To See Every Bird on Earth by Dan Koppel is a good book on the subject.
1 person likes this
@ilocosboy (45156)
• Philippines
14 Nov 17
Hmm, its just come my mind to put also a bird bath in our garden, maybe it will attract local birds in our yard. I see three kinds of small birds in the mango tree in front of our house also.
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (340019)
• Rockingham, Australia
14 Nov 17
The birds would probably really appreciate a bird bath. We get a lot of pleasure from ours - probably as much pleasure as the birds. 
@ilocosboy (45156)
• Philippines
14 Nov 17
I think it would be nice to have them visit our garden.
1 person likes this
@cahaya1983 (11116)
• Malaysia
15 Nov 17
Very beautiful bird! I don't think I've seen it around here. We often see the lesser shortwing but rarely the other colorful bird species.
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (340019)
• Rockingham, Australia
15 Nov 17
I'm glad you like it. I guess there are some pretty birds in India too.
