canberrabirds

Willie out in the weather

To: "COG" <>
Subject: Willie out in the weather
From: Julian Robinson <>
Date: Fri, 14 Dec 2007 22:38:52 +1100
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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