It's rare for me to sleep in so when I was awakened
at 7.45am this morning by a severe "thump" from somewhere outside I was a bit
peeved. But when I opened the front door to investigate I found a
distressed green Satin Bowerbird on our front deck, beak open and looking rather
the worse for wear. As I approached it made a couple of half hearted
lunges at the window it had just collided with, then turned and flew weakly
a couple of metres and landed in the garden, leaving behind several dislodged
downey feathers and a dollop of something else. I again approached
and was offered no resistance when I picked it up, beak still open, panting
(if that's the word), claws all curled up with one grasping a piece of tanbark
which I gently removed. I wrapped him (let's call him
"Billy") in a towel and put him in a carrybag and headed for the RSPCA
- only to find they don't open 'till 9am! Back home, coffee etc. then
back again at the appropriate time. In the interim Billy seems
to be recovering nicely judging by the movement coming from the
carrybag during the drive back to the RSPCA. A sneak peek reveals he
has shed the towel and is keen to re-visit the outside world, but I resist the
temptation to release him then and there. Billy (positively
identified as a young male) is rather feisty by the time the RSPCA lady removes
him from the bag, digging in with sharp claws and being quite
vocal. However the diagnosis is good for the slightly
cantankerous patient, some bruising/swelling on one wing, possibly a small
broken bone which is apparently not too serious, and provided Billy takes his
prescribed medication and rests up quietly in his hot box he should be out on
good behaviour in a few days. It wasn't the best way to get up close and
personal with a SBB, but it did give me an appreciation of a truly beautiful
bird, especially that stunning blue/violet eye.
Also seen today 2 Wedge-tailed Eagles circling very
low down (excellent view) above the green re-cycling area at Mugga
Lane while being harassed by 6 Ravens.
Last weekend while I was driving to Kangaroo Valley
a flock of perhaps 200 - 300 (maybe more) black cockatoos (yellow-tailed I
presume) flew over the highway just north of Goulburn. There were lots of
Honeyeaters at the Tallowa Dam picnic area, (yellow faced, white naped and
yellow tufted). Flocks of 20 - 30 Currawongs seemed to be everywhere
throughout the region.
Cheers
Rod
Rod Mackay
Tel. 0407 456 330
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