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White-browed Scrubwren nesting high

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Subject: White-browed Scrubwren nesting high
From: Carol Probets <>
Date: Sat, 28 Aug 2004 13:34:31 +1000
Hi all,

There is an old jasmine growing up the front wall of my house. As it hasn't been cut for years it forms a large dense mass against the upper half of the wall, half covering one of the windows.

This morning I've been watching a female White-browed Scrubwren very industriously carrying nest material into the mass of foliage. If I stand inside the window I can get very close views of her entering the clump without her being aware of me. The nest itself is extremely difficult to see from any angle. Most of the material she brings seems to be dry leaves from my garden mulch, but she is also bringing quite a lot of moss. Her visits average every 60 seconds or so, and she has been keeping this up for a large part of the day so far, only stopping for an extended time when a neighbour's cat walked along the street. The male is usually nearby and he occasionally brings her a moth or a grub which she devours in between searching for suitable nest material. She seems quite fussy in her choice of leaves, picking up many and discarding them before settling on just the right one.

The interesting thing is that this nest is at least 2.5 metres above the ground. Previously I've only ever seen White-browed Scrubwrens nesting on or very close to the ground and I can't find any reference to them ever building a nest this high.

I'll certainly be keeping track of their efforts and will report on progress.

Cheers,

Carol

28th August 2004

Carol Probets
Katoomba
Blue Mountains NSW



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