We saw this same nest when the chicks were a day or two old - photo
attached was taken Thursday 6th, so they must be about 9 days old
now. One looks like a mad professor with two tufts of hair out of
an otherwise bald head. It sure is a remarkably exposed nest, no
branch above and no leaves for cover. I noticed at the time that
the parents were conspicuously absent for some time, until one turned up
about a minute after I took the photo. Obviously they are still
going fine so the parenting must be satisfactory.
At 01:26 PM 14/12/2007, roger curnow wrote:
Hi All
Walking around Lake Ginninderra this morning about 11:00 I observed a
Collared Sparrowhaw crash into a tree and continue to the ground with
something black&white in its claws (talons? ) it was immediately
mobbed by a wagtail, several greenies and half a dozen myna but
never-the-less it clung to its feathery bundle and eventually made its
escape.
Ten metres later I came apon what could only be the nest described by
John below.
It contained two chicks (there may be a third) about a wek old (at a
guess).
I watched the nest for the next hour from about twenty metres
and during that time it was not approached by an adult bird.
I guess I have two questions:
(i) Is this an unreasonable time for the chicks to be left alone in full
sunlight.
(ii) If one parent had observed its partner being annihlated would it
then abandon the chicks ?
roger
Am going back shortly to see if they are getting any tender loving
care.
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