Spoonbill update

["martin butterfield" <>]

I spent about 40 minutes in Cygnus hide this afternoon, and am reasonably confident that I saw at least one chick in the Upper nest.  The adult is still sitting, fairly restlessly, most of the time but it stood once and there seemed to white lumps in the nest.  However I think we can now say all three have been succesful in getting to the NY (= nest with young) stage.

2 chicks were visible through the foliage in the RH nest.  

The chicks (I could only pick up 2 at any one time) in the LH nest were very active.  They seemed to spend a good proportion of their time wrestling each other and/or begging, unsuccesfully for food.  The attached image gives an impression of how large the biggest one is relative to the adult.  Such a growth rate in only 11 days must be a testament to the good qualities the Molonglo picks up as it flows through Carwoola.  

Martin

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