I admit failure, Michael. I have heard one koel, sometimes
from different directions, sometimes two, calling every day of the
season. It is still going on. On a couple of occasions I have
glimpsed the more secretive female. I have also investigated every
unknown begging call - often a juv magpie-lark. I have no
confirmed breeding to report. Ainslie has every justification for
retaining the title ‘Koel Central’, and Lyneham ‘Koel Central
West’.
Incidentally, this “XXX Central” seems to be
catching on. On the radio the other day I heard Melbourne referred to as
“Tennis Central”. I had thought this was an identifier for a
geographic location, particularly a railway station. I once spent some
time in London where my rail station was “Finchley Central”.
However Martin tells me he coined “Finch Central” from a line in a
Ghostbusters movie to the effect: “Wow, looks like Ghosts
Central!”. I associate the form with Len Deighton novels of
the 1960s where headquarters of intelligence agencies were referred to, perhaps
authentically, perhaps not, as “London Central”, “Moscow
Central” etc
From: Michael and Janette Lenz
[
Sent: Sunday, 31 January 2010 10:22 AM
To:
Subject: [canberrabirds] Baby Koel in North Lyneham
A late
morning walk with Janette today along Lyneham ridge and parts of the Northern
Lyneham netted 2 Wedge-tailed eagles circling quite low over the area, 2 Superb
Parrots and a loudly begging young Koel in Lovett Close, fed by a pair of
Red Wattlebirds.
The
challenge is on for a Koel breeding record from the Belconnen area or where
ever the species has been noted regularly this season. It seems, it is not
too late yet; otherwise there is always the next breeding season!
