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Hi Bruce et al
Oddly enough I attempted a census of the Yerrabi Pond Musk Ducks this
morning before reading Bruce's post..
My "lower bound" count was 2 Adult male (with lobe); 2 Adult Female ;
3 dependent young and 2 other ducks which looked to me to be adult female
but might have been immatures. What I found surprising was not only two
dependent young which must be seven and a bit weeks old ( there were three
very small birds march 24th) being fed by one female but
another young of much the same size (maybe bigger) being fed 200 metres away,
They were definitely different families. It seems to me that 8 weeks is a
bit long for a young with essentially only one parent to be dependent. The young
were capable of diving but tended to swim on the surface with their head below
the water and then dive in an attempt to be first at the grub only as she came
back up.
My other counts were Hardhead 15; muscovy 7; White-faced Heron 3; Little
Pied Cormorant 3; Little Black Cormorant 2; Coot 180; Black Swan 23 (including 7
very dependent young and yes they are from the nest near the restaurant); Grebe
(all, i think Australasian) 23; Swamp Hen 17; Dusky Moorhen 40 ; Wood
Duck 58 ; Black Duck 36; Cattle Egret 1; and numerous non-waterbirds.
roger curnow.
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