Callum Brae fecundity

[Julian Robinson <>]

Lots of reproduction in Callum Brae today.  My first visit for 6
weeks, the most obvious were roos, rabbits, thistles and Paterson's
Curse.  I didn't get very far, but in the northern quarter were the
usual birds plus breeding as follows:

- Dollarbirds carrying food into nest hollow (is this
exciting!?)
- Kestrels have 3 d young just fledging, one still nest-bound, all
still in the home tree.
- Hobby on the nest
- Willies: one on the nest and one starting to build in an
improbably low position 1.5 m above ground
- Dusky Woodswallow chicks just hatched
- E Rosellas and RR Parrots in and out of hollows
- WW Trillers nest-building; only the male was working while I was
there (no sign of earlier nest or inhabitants)
- St Pardalotes nesting in trees, and already again in the same
creek tunnel as contained begging young only 6 weeks ago
- a juv Aust Grebe with parents. Not quite dependent, but in young
plumage and maybe not able to fly
- what looked like young Cuckoo Shrikes, several, fledged
- several parties of Choughs, one of 17 individuals so I guess
included recent young
- Weebill collecting nest material

It's a great nesting season thanks to the rain but also the incredible
supply of food - everything big enough was eating cicadas. 

Strangely apart from many Noisy Miners I saw only a single solitary
(White Plumed) Honeyeater.  

The thistles are outrageous and cover entire paddocks to the exclusion of
just about everything else.  I blame the roos, nothing else grows
long enough to set seed any more.

JR

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