I was called to a caravan retail outlet on busy Bowen Road (the main
arterial into Townsville, NQ) where a pair of Bush Stone-curlews are
presently nesting. They picked a very good spot, high fence giving safety
from predators, floodlit at night to attact insects which are the main part
of their diet, their hosts were even putting a bowl of water out for the
birds. There was only one problem: the owners had to move a couple of
caravans and wanted to know whether they could move the eggs. I advised
against it if at all possible and the owners are going to try to manoeuver
the caravans around ther birds.
On leaving the caravan outlet I saw a dead Stone-curlew just beyond the
intersection and stopped to investigate. The bird was by the side of the
road, head and body crushed and wings partly outstretched as it had tried
to take flight. Like most road-kills I have examined this one appeared to
be deliberate with the driver veering out of the lane to crush its victim.
I don't know how you educate thrill-killers, but I am buoyed that most
people show kniness and respect to native wildlife.
Alex Appleman
Townsville, NQ
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