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Further to Con's observations earlier this week, I
watched a group of 5 White-winged Choughs actively building a nest in a gum tree
in the horse paddocks close to the dam at the end of Kathner Street Chapman this
morning.
This is at least the fourth breeding attempt
for the 2009-2010 season for this small group, the nucleus of which I
expect is the same as those that I wrote about last year [CBN 34, 109 (2009)],
as they are the only choughs seen in my pretty extensive local patch.
The first which had a bird sitting on a new nest for several weeks was
terminated when this nest blew out of the tree in very strong winds at the end
of August 2009. They promptly built a second nest in another gum
about 50 metres away (with the still extant 2008 nest about half way between)
and raised 2 fledglings in this by the end of October.
After a quiet two months the birds reappeared after
the Xmas rain, and one bird was regularly seen on this same nest for about 3
weeks until they left the area again, possibly due to the hot drying weather and
the still dry dam. One very interesting observation this time was that the
two juveniles/immatures were still with them, and on a couple of occasions an
adult was seen to feed one of these, and shortly after to approach the nest
to feed the sitting adult.
Three birds were again seen in the area for a brief
period shortly after the rain in mid February, but I
was surprised to find (after a tip off) five
birds there this morning, flying to and from this same tree. When I
climbed over the fence to approach it, it was clear they were going to a
slightly different spot. My initial reaction that they were feeding
recently fledged young was dispelled when I found them actively building about a
half-completed nest at a similar level in the tree but about 7 metres away from
the other one (which was perhaps too wet to use?).
Not sure how they will fare this time, but I'm
pretty sure the now full dam and the very boggy/muddy conditions have triggered
this attempt, and perhaps the increased food availability. It's also very
interesting that they have been one of the few species which have bred on the
ridge this season in an otherwise very quiet year.
Jack Holland
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