Some early-morning observations.

[jluna]

When I was a kid I would often wake up pre-dawn, quietly enter my biggest aviary, and wait for the birds to wake up. It was an amazing time to watch natural behaviour, as they hardly registered my presence if I sat still. I remember then noticing that the birds had routines, or an order to their morning.

My aviary now isn't suitable to enter in the dark - gravel, noisy metal, etc. - I'm sure I'd spook them - but for the last four mornings I've sat outside it with a hot cuppa and awaited my birds.

There's sound first. The long tails give some long whistles, and the zebs answer with chatter from inside the nest. About five minutes later, as the day lightens, the first long tail flies straight to the front of the aviary, calling. The zebs get a bit excited and come out of their nest, jumping around the branches close by. The other long tails zoom out to join the first, maybe followed by the zebs, and for a while they sit, calling and stretching - and the first big poo of the day. It's not for another five minutes that the ten double bars emerge like bats all at once, doing loop-de-loops and calling. There's a fair bit of chatter, responding to wild birds and each other. The zebs are first to the feed tray, and they all have a bit to eat. Then it goes where the day takes it. But those first 15 minutes have been routine these last four days.

Anyone else seen what their birds get up to first thing?

[maz]

What wonderful observations, I'm not an early bird but I think I will force myself to get up early one morning to watch (or maybe just stay up late lol)

[mccabe_07]

After reading that it really made me want to get up and await my birds in the morning.
It seems like an amazing treat to experience! Tuesday morning I will have to pull myself out of bed nice and early

[Diane]

The emblema are the first up and around in my aviary, calling when its still quite dark.

[COUNTRY CAPITAL]

here in good ol nsw still got damn daylight -saving fading my curtains!
at the moment i have to wake my birds each morning to feed before going to work so forced to observe i guess.
as mentioned, i notice calling first from yellowrumps, ruddies and diamonds. doublebars are about the last to leave there roosting place.
a lot of stretching goes on and they soon become quite vocal.
i have also noted our local pied butcherbirds active at first light also
luckily mornings are 10-12 degrees celcius currently so its quite a pleasure once i stop bumping into things in the dark!

[peterrebecca]

Best time in the morning to sit watching the birds.
A great way to start the day.
Also, in the evening just before they settle for the night watching them all go to the same roosting spots each evening.

[jluna]

i'm very lucky that i can spend a couple of hours most days watching my birds. i have a table and chair set up in the shade next to the aviary, and sometimes i see mostly nothing, and other times, amazing behaviour and interactions. i love dusk too - the redbrows used to sit and all tweet and sing as the sun went down. gorgeous.