Common Blackbird nesting
Common Blackbird sitting in nest
Just before Christmas we stayed for a few days in my brother-in-law’s holiday home in Christies Beach just south of Adelaide. It was a week of lazing by the pool, reading and sleeping after a very demanding and busy year.
I wasn’t intending doing any birding while I was there, so the birds came to me. My b-in-law has a car port attached to the house and enclosed on three sides. One of the cross beams supporting the roof was too enticing for the local resident Common Blackbirds. They’d made a very cosy nest in the corner right up against the roof. We had several days of very high temperatures while we were there so it would have been very cosy indeed!
Common Blackbirds are very opportunistic and creative when it comes to choosing a nesting site. We’ve often had them nesting inside our garden shed – in some empty plant pots. Some of my readers have told me about nests in pot plants – even those with plants in them, nests in hanging baskets and nests in all sorts of locations.
Pacific Black Ducklings pay us a visit
A few weeks ago I wrote about a pair of Pacific Black Ducks mating in our swimming pool. We have been waiting expectantly ever since for the arrival of a little band of ducklings. They usually head for our swimming pool, and then can’t get out again.
This has happened every year now for about 6 or 7 years. It’s possibly the same pair each year. Despite thorough searches we have been unable to locate the actual nest on every occasion. One of the problems they face is once they get into the pool, they are unable to get out. Very soon they can die of either hypothermia or drown (because their feathers are not yet water repellent).
To cater for this problem we have made a wooden framed ramp covered with wire netting. We usually throw an old towel over the netting and it doesn’t take the ducklings long to find out that this is a way out of the water.
This year it was a little different. Mother duck headed off across our small paddock with four ducklings in tow. One poor little fellow missed the on ramp and swam under it, causing him to be separated from his siblings. Trevor came to the rescue. While my wife watched the family movements I managed to scoop up the lost baby and then run after the mother and the other ducklings carrying the almost abandoned duckling. Soon they were reunited and on their way.
Not sure if they headed for the River Murray some 4 kilometres away, or stopped over at a storm water drainage dam about a kilometre over the paddock.
With all the excitement of the rescue attempt, I didn’t get a photo!
Baby Willie Wagtails come out to feed
Baby Willie Wagtails just out of their nest
I never did find where our resident pair of Willie Wagtails were nesting recently. Yesterday, however, I found the three lovely babies huddled together on a fence post. They looked as if they were just out of the comfort of their nest.
Baby Willie Wagtails just out of their nest and being fed.
Of course – the parents didn’t like me getting too close and so I received a severe telling off as I was taking their photo.
Next time I probably should get the parents to sign a model release form – then they might be happier.
Adult Willie Wagtail warning me to keep my distance from the babies.
Spotted Turtledove nesting
Spotted Turtledove
One morning last week while having breakfast I noticed a Spotted Turtledove flying frequently to a melaleuca bush near our sunroom. As we watched it flew down to the ground several times, each time collecting fine twigs and then it carried the twigs back to the nest. This went on sporadically over the nest few days.
Two days ago I searched the bush and eventually found the nest, complete with the female sitting on the nest. Like most doves and pigeons the nest is a flimsy affair, consisting of barely enough twigs to hold the eggs. How the babies manage to stay in the nest beats me. Mind you, I will give the birds full points for hiding this nest. It is very hard to find as it’s located in some very thick foliage. Should make photography of the babies quite challenging – perhaps not possible. They are easily spooked from the eggs or young so I might just let them get on with hatching the eggs and later feeding the young.
White-winged Triller still around
White-winged Triller
Over the last two months we’ve had a White-winged Triller in our garden. Normally they hang out in the northern parts of Australia and come south in the spring and summer. They often breed at this time of the year.
At first there was only the one, a male. He persistently called throughout the daylight hours, hours after hour. Then about three weeks ago he was joined by another calling. This one wasa little more secretive – vocal but it kept hidden. I think I did catch a glimpse of it briefly and I’m sure it was a female. Females are much plainer brown.
Since then the male has still been around but he is a lot quieter now. It is possible they have a nest somewhere in the vicinity, but they are keeping very quiet about its location.
White-winged Triller