At last I tracked down a Belconnen koel chick, after
pounding the pavements for weeks, searching. It was always probable at least one
was in the vicinity as a male koel has for the last several weeks been flying
around Page and calling, presumably (possibly?) waiting to gather up his offspring
for the migration north. And at about 7am this morning, we hit pay gold. There
was persistent begging from a peppermint on the corner of Burkitt and Dallachy
Sts, Page; a Red Wattlebird flew into the tree, then a minute or two later, out
again, pursued by a larger begging bird with a conspicuously long broad tail.
The latter bird obligingly perched on an exposed limb in a tree across the road
and posed nicely, revealing itself to be a koel chick. Success at last! Though
sadly, I’d given up carrying the camera to record it. b
