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I have previously mentioned the large number of
currawong nests close to GBS Central. In the last couple of weeks all seem
to have fledged their young (although one appears to have forgotten a basic rule
of flying - such as 'open wings' or 'flap' - and crashed with fatal
results). Earlier this week we had 16 currawongs calling at one another
from the shrubs around our house. The fledging seems to have
coincided with the return of small passerines to my site: superb fairy-wrens;
white-browed scrubwrens and striated thornbills have all come for a bath in the
last week or so after a relatively long absence.
However the news isn't all good. This morning
on setting off for a walk our attention was drawn to a great ruckus in a
stringybark. On getting the binos on the activity it turned out to be a
male common bronzewing defending its nest (with one egg visible from below) from
a horde of currawongs. A few hurled insults seemed to persuade the
predators to depart, although I feel it will only be a temporary reprieve.
With luck the bolshie local red wattelbirds and noisy friarbirds will object to
the 'wongs presence and drive them off.
Normally I am relaxed about leaving nature to take
its course but on this occasion I am prepared to make an exception.
(Needless to say I withdrew sausage-feeding privileges from the 'wongs some time
ago and have recently implemented psychological warfare against them - although
they seem highly resistant to intimidation.)
If anyone would care to replace <blank>
with an appropriate word to describe the currawong instead of the pathetic
'pied' I'd be pleased to hear from them. None of my alternatives would be
acceptable for a family-oriented chatine.
Martin
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