Spangled Drongo and Wild Bird Wednesday

Welcome,
     I've wanted to do a Post about the Spangled Drongo for quite some years, but only now do I have a semblance of reasonably decent photos to share with you, and all thanks to Nikl, my Coolpix Nikon L120.  I'm really pleased to have what I have.

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Wild Bird Wednesday 91

Hosted by Stewart M in Australia

        I first encountered the Spangled Drongo during the late 1970's - early 1980's, while I lived in Hervey Bay Queensland Australia.  At the time I was explained they travelled from Java each year.  So I at first thought they were only visitors to Australia.
        From that time until 2007, while living closer to the township of Gympie in Queensland Australia I met a Spangled Drongo again, and we became friends.
        Then in 2009 I moved to where I am now in Gympie.  Known as Southside, a little out of town, and a much nicer environment surrounds us.  That's all fine, but I was not able to say good-bye to my friend Spangles. It was the wrong time of year for Spangles to be present as it was Summer and January.  Spangles wouldn't be arriving until the end of February, which is also the end of Summer in Australia.
        Then towards the end of February, every morning I began hearing the sound of the Spangled Drongo.  It's not a melodic sound, it's more like an alarm warning call, and birds usually do scatter when they hear it, but the sound is welcomed music for my ears.
        Each morning I went out in response to the call, and each morning I would see a Spangled Drongo in the distance high on a lifeless tree branch, and I'd wonder.
        So I began asking the Spangled Drongo if he/she was the friend I'd known instead of just wondering.
Days had passed, the morning ritual continued, until one morning he/she flew right to me, only veering when just in front of my face.
        My heart soared.  My Spangles friend used to hover in front of my face while we chatted and I offered food it took, so I thought just maybe it is.
        The next instance happened while I was in the yard with my then beautiful lady dog Felicity... the Spangled Drongo surprised me by flying to me from behind, brushed my hair and continued flying after I spun to see who'd touched me.
From then the old ritual we had began again.
        Spangles always knew where I slept, even though couldn't see in to know.  So if I wasn't awake, Spangles would do the loud vocals to awaken me.  I'd say hello and get-up to go to the back door of where I now reside, and I'd be followed by Spangles flying outside having lots to say, still unable to see where I was, but definitely parallel to the path I moved along inside, and I'd be met exactly the moment I arrived at the back door.
        I believe the Spangled Drongo I've been greeted every year by here since, is the same Spangled Drongo I befriended in the previous dwelling.  I believe he/she found me.
        I cannot prove that, and I don't mind if it isn't even true.  All I know, is that the time taken to ensure I'm me, and the behaviour that followed when the Spangled Drongo had made certain I'm the same person, was the behaviour I had come to know with my friend I call Spangles.
So this Post for me is personally special.

        The first thing I'll add is a map showing the range of the Spangled Drongo - Dicrurus bracteatus, simply because there are quite a few varieties of the bird known as the Drongo, but only one actually is natural to Australia, and that is the Spangled Drongo...

http://www.birdlife.org/datazone/speciesfactsheet.php?id=6045

        As you can see, the Spangled Drongo likes the northern and eastern areas of Australia, and is also found in New Guinea and Indonesia.  So from where exactly the Spangled Drongo I first encountered in Hervey Bay came from I really don't know.  Nor do I know where my friend Spangles comes from and goes to each year.
        What I do know is my Spangles arrives towards the end of February, and then leaves sometime in October, which is the second month of Spring in Australia.  Gympie I find has a lot of Spangled Drongos in the area during that time span.

Finally some photos...
     These were done during August of 2013, about 4pm..

        The clothes line is the feeding Post.  I toss, Spangles catches, until I'm expected to achieve the toss directly within reach without flight being necessary.  It's fun.  And that head seems to never stop moving with constantly checking the surroundings and voicing opinions.
        I've always found with Spangles once our initial arrival greetings are over, I'll only see he/she now and then.  Just a stop by for a chat, sometimes a munchy.  But that changes usually during August - Winter, when visits are for food.  Then the visits are daily, often twice, and sometimes become three times a day when nearing October - Spring.  By then I also know the time is approaching for farewells.  When happens, I awaken, and I just know Spangles has gone.  There just seems to be a quiet vacancy in the air.


The following photos were done towards the end of February 2013..
        It was nearly 5pm and overcast, Spangles had called to let me know he/she had arrived.
     I remembered I now have camera... these are just silhouettes, like the introductory photo...

 

        I know I've done the photos back to front in relation to the months, but I felt after all those words I started with I couldn't then just give you a collection of silhouettes.

Now just a few researched facts about the Spangled Drongo...
        Their length in general is about 30centimetres - 12inches. They like to roam around in wet forests, woodlands and parks.  I wouldn't call my yard a park but there are trees, and the surrounding land has trees and there are dams also nearby.  So in an abstract sort of way my area does provide the necessities. Well obviously does, the Spangled Drongos return every year.
        They enjoy eating insects, which they often catch in flight.  Pure acrobatic skill is seen while watching them swiftly fly, swoop and catch what they can see to eat in the air.  If I concentrate, I can sometimes just see the tiny black dots that they catch moving about in the air.  Misty mornings are best I've noticed for a good food supply in the air.
        When building a nest is necessary, it is built hight in a horizontal fork of a tree.  The shape is a shallow cup made of twigs and grasses held together with spider web.
        Am sure the spiders aren't fussed about their effort in web-making being absconded, but it's also a complement, and would work well to bind the nest together. Also, I'm sure at the time, that what ever complaint the spider has is kept to its self, preferring just to let the Spangled Drongo have as much web as is wanted.  Better idea than becoming a meal.

Information found at...  http://www.ozanimals.com

        Have you ever wondered how they decide on the Latin names.. I understand that the parts describe the whole.. but really..   Dicrurus bracteatus!

This is a photo of Spangles in August 2010, when I only had my phone to try with...

Clothes line again... am so glad I have a camera now, and maybe this year I'll be able to do more.
        Where I shop in town is a lady who also has Spangled Drongos visit her each year.  We often share news about our friends to each other.  It's rather nice.

Photos achieved with Nikl, the camera I mentioned in the Post
The last one though was achieved with my Sony Ericsson phone Vivaz.
Any editing has been done with FastStone.

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With appreciation, Magda and the Crew.

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