I have been watching a noisy friarbirds nest on Farrer Ridge
since 2 November. On 24th, the behaviour of the parents
changed, with the female leaving the nest more often, and being quite restless
while sitting on the nest. On one occasion I shot one of the birds
bringing an insect to the nest, and guessed they chicks must have hatched.
Today was the first time the chicks were visible above the
edge of the nest. I saw two faecal sacs carried away in quick succession,
but when I got home and had a closer look there were three chicks, and all
looking quite robust. I wondered how hard these birds would have to work
to feed these three fast growing kids. As I was leaving, one parent
returned to the nest from at least 50 metres away, perhaps they have already
cleaned out the ground in the immediate vicinity of their tree.
How does a parent decide which of the three gaping mouths to
put the insect in? Do they know which is which in order that each gets
adequate food?
At no stage since I began watching these birds have they
uttered a single sound. No doubt to protect the nest from detection.
Margaret Leggoe
