|
Philip Veerman tells me the Red-rumped Thornbill I mentioned would be
a new species so I hope they'll call it after me. What I meant was Yellow-rumped
Parrot. Phew! I'm pleased I've got that cleared up.
Which reminds me, now I'm back in serious mode and speaking of
Yellow-rumped Thornbills,
we went for a bird walk around Lake Ginninderra today and paused to watch
16 Crested Pigeons feeding on a sparsely grassed area adjacent to the carpark at
the eastern end of Diddams Close. Through our binos, we saw a pair of
Yellow-rumped Thornbills scurrying hither and thither, apparently pursuing
insects.
We noticed several black and white moths with fuzzy orange bodies
(about 30 mm wingspans) flying close to the ground. I
believe they may have been Grape Vine Moths or a similar species. A
thornbill scuttled after a moth and grabbed the tip of its abdomen.The moth
continued flying along strongly, appearing to pull the thornbill off balance. It
looked rather comical. At this point the bird relinquished its grip. We watched
some more and, within ten seconds, saw the above scene played out a second time
with the same outcome.
It's said bright colours in insects may be a warning to predators that they
are toxic or nasty-tasting. So, perhaps, our moth-hunting thornbill was a
slow leaner, not the sharpest bill in the flock, so to speak.
Also watched a Grey Currawong gleaning prey from beneath peeling eucalypt
bark. Interestingly, it appeared to have a dull lemon wash on its breast
plumage. Never seen that on a Grey Currawong. Perhaps an immature bird?
John K. Layton
| 