N.S.W Christmas Bush

20 years ago

I spent my early years in Sydney and one of my fondest memories was the flowering each year of the NSW Christmas Bush.

Last year I bought a tiny little one and to my surprise it flowered this year, every time I look at it, it brings back fond memories of my childhood at Padstow.

seems I can't stop taking photos of the Miners. I think I'd better find another bird subject soon. :-)

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Comments (9)

User
20 years ago
But dont you just love the Noisy Miners Barbara we have so many chicks around the garden
Its seems to be alive with the chirping of all kinds of chicks, music to the ears during the day.
Got any Pics of the Heron Chicks yet ??
Very pretty that Christmas Bush I had not seen it before, so wonderful that it comes in two colours.
Beautiful Pics............Cheers..MM.
hollakes
20 years ago
I do love the sound of the birds in my garden I have blue wrens and finches as well as galahs of an afternoon your Christmas bush is lovely
Bev
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alisonoz_gw
20 years ago
I remember the Christmas Bush, too. We used to pick bunches of it for vases. Would be considered environmental vandalism now I expect but I also expect all the "bush" where I roamed as a child in Sydney is now under concrete or bitumen.
Lovely photos.
barbarah_70
Original Author
20 years ago
MM, yes I am rather partial to the Miners, they seem to be everywhere at the moment. Below is a couple of photos of the Heron chicks, not very good photos as I had to crop them a fair bit. I think they will be flying soon, I saw them testing their wings today.
I should ahve pointed out that the flowers on the Christmas bush were taken some weeks apart. They start out with tiny white flowers and then the sepals turn red.
Bev: There's nothing quite like the sound of birds in your own garden is there?
Alison: We used to pick them for Christmas decorations too.
I know what you mean about the concrete etc, I returned to my old home a couple of years ago, sort of wish I hadn't as all the bush was gone and the creeks filled in and houses built where they once were and where I spent many happy hours as a child.

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Kiwi_oz
20 years ago
My mum remembers when people used to pick the xmas bush and sell it in the city by the armloads. A definate no-no now.A beautiful flower. The bird pics are lovely and the herons ready to fly almost, what long necks.
Heather
User
20 years ago
O sorry Barbara I did not realise that the Christmas Bush was only one colour silly me.
Those Heron chickies are so big, well the necks are and I see what you mean about their nests.
Gosh talk about a couple of twigs across a branch looks worse than our Miners nests.
Barbara yesterday a Mum Butcher Bird came to the back door with her chick gave us a whistle.
Left her chick on the railing and flew away, one did that last year too left them on boxes.
They are not attacking us this year, that terrible one has gone. Great Pics Barbara Thanks..MM.
goldhills
20 years ago
Great photos. Birds and flowers always go well together. The herons look cute with the fuzzy down on their heads.
ginnybee
20 years ago
Lovely to see the pics. of the Christmas bush it brings back memories of selling it on the side of the road at Terry Hills where I grew up, it is also full of houses now, I have blue wrens, English Blackbirds, Magies & of cause all different Honey eaters plus others what I like is the nests all around the yard & in the roses on pergola we just love it, do you notice with the noisey miners they chace other birds away from their areas? we did it was annoying at times, but they sure make great watchdogs for other birds when the hawks are around.
Jan.
barbarah_70
Original Author
20 years ago
Yes the Miners can be very agressive with other birds, but I do notice here, their agression is more confined to larger birds. They don't seem to be agressive towards the Blue-faced Honeyeaters or the Lorrikeets, but they sure give the crows some hurry up.