Went for a walk
today through Blue Gum Swamp, Winmalee (80km west of Sydney). One of the 3 pairs of Yellow-tailed Black-Cockatoos I saw
nesting on 4/1/06 are still going.
The pair flew into the area just after midday and I could hear the female being fed. She then flew to the
hollow and backed herself down tail first to feed the nestling. I also saw two
other pairs of YtBC in other parts of the valley that
appeared to be nesting judging by their behaviour. Scarlet Honeyeaters are
still in the valley but not calling. They were gleaning insects from understorey shrubs but not feeding in the Eucalyptus
piperita that are heavily in flower. Recorded 44 species in total, best being a
female Spotted Quail-thrush that I followed along the track for 300m, Rockwarbler, Red-browed Treecreeper,
small party of Large-billed Scrubwren, Yellow-tufted
Honeyeaters, two fledgling Crested Shrike-tits chasing their parents and
begging for food, a Brush Bronzewing calling and two
live Sacred Kingfishers and unfortunately the remains of another on track with
only head and one wingbone left and a mass of
feathers, possibly the victim of a Grey or Brown Goshawk or possibly a Powerful
Owl. A pair of leaden Flycatchers were harassing a
pair of pied Currawongs that were collecting twigs presumably for nesting.
Neil Kirby
Winmalee (80km west of Sydney)
