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Hi!
This morning while doing my quick local squizzy, a Currawong flew past over the lake entrance. It flew in the typical currawong flight mode, no more labored than normal, and was carrying a sizable item with its feet. I don't know if when seeing me or whether a cramp or something caused it to drop this thing or not but drop it it did and on investigation I discovered that it was an almost fledged Spotted Turtle Dove. I brought it back home with me and it weighed in at 74. Grams which to me would be a fair carry for a bird the size of a C/Wong over a stretch of water of app 220mtrs with the app more of the same to traverse the inlet . The carrying of prey with the feet I've only seen once before and that was at Campbell Park where after catching a B. Thornbill with its bill it then transferred it to its feet while flying away. If there is enough interest I am willing to find the Currawong nest an send their offspring to Canberra in the hope of solving your budding S.T.Dove problem but then what do you do with the Curras.
Cheers
Bob Rusk
PS - on Monday morning off Warden head Ulla I spotted a single Brown Booby | 
