For the past year or so I’ve been living with a friend in one of the loveliest places in Darwin.
From our balcony we get amazing views of the sea and mangrove… closer to home though, there are crimson finches! They are quite a pretty bird and they appear to believe that everything above 6ft off the ground is theirs!
These incredibly bold little birds like to build nests on the balconies in our neighbourhood.
A couple of months ago I thought I’d install a finch nest, hoping to lure them into breeding. Virtually as soon as the nest was hanging from the wall a pair had claimed it!
After a couple of failed broods, this week three well developed and boisterous young finches left the nest.
As a kid I used to build bird aviaries and kept native finches. I’ve been enthralled by birds all my life. It never really sat right with me that I kept them in cages and in the end the aviaries were taken down.
When I finally moved to Darwin to live, I found myself in a bird paradise! So many finches and parrots! They all seemed quite exotic to me. I am still amazed that I could be living in a place that has Jabiru, Magpie Geese, Brolgas, Bush Thick Knees and so many finches, right on my doorstep!
Feeling quite blessed. Big thanks to my flat mate for sitting diligently on the balcony to grab shots of the chicks in action!
(All photos by Mita Das)
The Combobulated Pinboard 
Such lovely little birds, Dave. 💜
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