Pelicans catching rainwater. Rock Warler nest building.

["Stuart.Fairbairn" <>]

On Sunday Penny Drake-Brockman and I went to Bicentennial Park near
Homebush Bay in Sydney to see what was about. While sitting in the hide, we
noticed two pelicans roosting on the artifical island with their beaks wide
open in the steady light rain. Every now and then they seemed to drink the
water they had caught. I've not seen this behaviour brfore. Perhaps it's a
comment on the taste of the local water!
On the previous day I was talking to Ray Stokes about wanting to see the
initial placing of nest material by birds and he remarked that he had
watched a pair of Rock Warblers builing a nest in his work shed. They
attached the first cobweb to the ridge rafter and then continued to build a
strip down about 10cm. They then took the end and attached to the same
place as they had started from thus producung a loop which they then built
into the usual nest structure..Stuart Fairbairn.Sydney   
ph 02 93632042