When I returned to my car in Kathner St this morning at 08.30, the
ducklings were in the adjacent paddock with their parents, under attack by
magpies. Three magpies had the family surrounded - the ducklings were
huddled between the two parents - while the magpies took turns to peck at
them and try to get at the ducklings. For the two or three minutes that I
watched, the adult Wood Ducks were bravely holding their ground, but there
seemed no way out of the situation for them as they were on open ground
with no cover for several metres. I wasn't able to stay to see whether
the magpies eventually gave up or where successful.
By the way, today was the fourth consecutive day that I've tried
unsuccessfully for the Pied BBB! I was out before dawn this morning and
didn't even have the consolation of seeing Ian's Spotted Harrier! Other
birds of passing interest were 2 Brown Goshawks, a female or immature
Satin Bowerbird (unusual location?), a pair of Scarlet Robins (male
singing - do they sing all year?), a Restless Flycatcher and 2 Southern
Whiteface.
Regards
Frank
> In the course of yet another fruitless dawn vigil for Pied BBB this
> morning (and the extra B is intended), a SH (apparently adult, day still
> not fully light) disturbed from presumed night roost by magpie
> vigilantes, then from another, at which point it gave up and fled at
> almost ground level in the general direction of Bibaringa. Also a very
> new clutch of 12 Wood Ducklings on the little dam at the top of Kathner
> St.
>
> cheers
>
> IF
>
> --
> ---
> Ian Fraser,
> Environment Tours; Vertego Environmental Wordsmithing
> GPO Box 3268, Canberra, ACT 2601
> ph: 61 2 6249 1560 fax: 61 2 6247 3227
> ---
>
>
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