purple swamphen

[(kayleen mort)]

this is my first message. nervous but just had to tell somebody. a neighbour 
here on flinders island (Tasmania) yesterday showed me a nest (looked like two 
right beside each other) of a purple swamphen. it had 39 eggs and the 
neighbour who is in his 80s said he'd only ever seen seven eggs per nest at 
the most. the nest was discovered during haymaking and the  "haymaker" spotted 
the bird & managed to raise the mower in time to save the nest. i asked if the 
birds were trying point out that it might be going to be a good season. to 
which my friend replied:" i don't know what they're trying to reveal"!