Mulligans Update 1 - Woodswallow Breeding Demise

I popped out yesterday afternoon and found a single surviving White-browed
Woodswallow nest. There were two large chicks in it with parents in
attendance.

Cheers
Marnix



                                                                           
                                                          
             .com.au                                                       
                                                                        To 
             17/12/2006 11:18             "Canberrabirds"                  
             PM                           < 
                                          .au>                             
                                                                        cc 
                                                                           
                                                                   Subject 
                                          Re: [canberrabirds] Mulligans    
                                          Update 1 - Woodswallow Breeding  
                                          Demise                           
                                                                           
                                                            Classification 
                                          |-------------------|            
                                          | [X] Unclassified  |            
                                          | [ ] In Confidence |            
                                          |-------------------|            
                                                                           
                                                                           
                                                                           
                                                                           
                                                                           
                                                                           




One solitary male White-browed Woodswallow remaining this morning.  It
seems incredible, given that several nests had nestlings, that all nests
have been abandoned so readily.  The Brown Goshawk nest has three
youngsters that look like they are about to fledge.  Still a few Little
Lorikeets around - I counted 6.  1, probably 2, male Black Honeyeaters.
Regards
Frank Antram

> I rode to east Mulligans Flat this afternoon between 6-8pm. It was very
> quiet. I only counted some 10-20 White-browed Woodswallows present over a
> large area, the rest had left. I found 6 nests....all empty and
> abandoned...where several days ago there were eggs or hatchlings. The
> unseasonal weather on Tuesday must have decimated the nesting birds. To
> add
> insult to injury I flushed a Collared Sparrowhawk which departed with
> hatchling in talon.
>
> Other birds seen included a White-necked Heron, 4 Southern Whitefaces,
~20
> Superb Parrots, 22 Little Lorikeets overhead and well over 20 Trillers
> still
> present. Also Little Friarbirds present in two locations.
>
> Cheers
> Marnix
>



*******************************************************************************************************