Red Wattlebird nesting?
Red Wattlebird
While having breakfast a few days ago my wife and I were fascinated by the antics of two of our resident Red Wattlebirds (a species of honeyeater). They were cavorting around in the melaleuca bushes a few metres from our sun room.
Now – don’t get me wrong. When I say ‘cavorting’ I do not mean that they were up to any hanky-panky. THAT obviously had already happened, I’d say.
This pair was busily swinging on twigs trying to break them off the bush. Every time one came off they would then fly directly to a eucalypt tree about forty metres away.
Ah-ha – nest building thinks I. Reasonably logical conclusion, I thought. So after breakfast I wandered casually over to said tree to investigate.
What? No nest! I was perplexed. I could find nothing. Mmm… perhaps they are quite clever at disguising the nest in the outer foliage. Not sure what they were up to if they weren’t nest building.
UPDATE: I went and had another look just now. Clever birds. It was there all the time, not in the tree where they were flying, but in the two metre high bush under the tree. Very sneaky.
Red Wattlebird
We are lucky enough to have a nest with two babies. It is just out side our front door in a pincushion Hakea. The pair of wattle birds are very busy feeding their offspring. I have been able to take some photographs with a tripod and a remote trigger for my camera. What a lovely experience this is for us. My grandchildren are fascinated.
They really are fascinating Robyn. Thanks for dropping by and leaving a comment. Enjoy your new “family”.
I saved “Henry” a Red wattle bird nestling who fell on the ground from the Flowering gum my wife and I planted on front nature strip.We have 5 * 4 metre Red Grevilleas at the front boundary fence which the parents love. “Henry” is now “fluttering tree hopping between trees in my local area and growing strong. Seems to have chosen a tree next door to live today in which killer cats reside. The mum seems to have 2 separate nests and fly between the two areas 50 metres apart.
Hello.
I’ve just posted a slide show on Youtube about Red Wattle Birds that decided to visit our garden and started a family right in front of our window.
The slide show is at:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=in3CbUdnlAY&
Also available the Proshow Enthusiasts site where one needs to instal a plugin to watch the show.
http://www.photodex.com/share/mokummer/c994cmg4
This could be of interest to your members.
Enjoy.
Bill
My nickname on the Internet is Mokummer
Thanks for the links Bill.