Kurrajongs & Bowerbirds on Mt Ainslie

["Jack & Andrea Holland" <>]

Benj/Robin/Philip, I can relate to two of these experiences.

 

Pied Currawongs have been feeding on the seeds of the planted kurrajongs on Chauvel Circle for the past couple of months, and I’ve often heard the maracas sound while they’ve been doing this.  For  a fruit we used to call itchy bark and try slip down our friends clothes etc while we were at school in the 1950s it’s a surprising food source.

 

Over the past couple of weeks the Satin Bowerbird has moved into my GBS site with a maximum number of 10, including a rare sighting of a full male.  This is the largest number for at least five years.  I haven’t seen them near the kurrajongs, possibly because the fruit has now largely gone.  White-winged choughs are only an infrequent visitor to my GBS site.

 

Jack Holland 

 

From:

Sent: Wednesday, May 15, 2013 1:58 PM

To:

Subject: [canberrabirds] Kurrajongs & Bowerbirds on Mt Ainslie

 

I have had two adult blue bird Bowerbirds in my garden (or more so in my neighbour's unkempt jungle, where they have a bower) yesterday and some other times in the last few weeks and approximately 10 to 15 green birds present here at any time over the last several weeks.

 

Philip Veerman

24 Castley Circuit

Kambah  ACT  2902

 

02 - 62314041

 

-----Original Message-----From: Robin Hide [ Sent: Wednesday, 15 May 2013 1:08 PM      To: boy nature; Canberrabirds
Subject: RE: [canberrabirds] Kurrajongs & Bowerbirds on Mt Ainslie

Interesting.

Re the SBB –they are currently v. active c.1200 metres away to the west in Corroboree Park and vicinity.  Daily present  at, and near,  the bower there.   (Two adult blue birds there  yesterday, and uncounted numbers of greens).

3-5 green birds came zipping  through our garden two days ago, affording only  a glimpse  - only ever seen one briefly in the garden before (a year ago).

Robin Hide

 

From: boy nature [ Sent: Wednesday, 15 May 2013 11:52 AM      To: Canberrabirds      Cc:
Subject: [canberrabirds] Kurrajongs & Bowerbirds on Mt Ainslie

 

Every so often something really unusual happens.

I was walking up Mt Ainslie when I heard a strange rattling sound that I havent heard before. A bit like maracas but with much larger dried nuts or fruit inside. On closer investigation I found 5 Kurrajong trees with dried fruits, the odd one still with some seeds in them, but most of the seeds probably had been eaten or fallen on the ground. This was causing much excitement for 2 flocks of white winged choughs (12 birds), numerous pied currawongs and some green birds being chased off by currawongs. On closer examination there were at least 9 satin bowerbirds. All were green. They were foraging on the branches and also on the ground. In the main they were feeding quite peacefully with only the odd squabble.

The area is quite bare, with a stand of Allocasuarinas to the North. It was probably the least satin bowerbird type habitat that I have seen.

 

This spot is uphill (NE) between the Water tank and the power station. See link

 

http://maps.google.com.au/maps?daddr=-35.267662,149.150906&hl=en&sll=-35.267539,149.151742&sspn=0.010915,0.02135&t=h&mra=mift&mrsp=1&sz=16&z=16

 

see also the link below for information on Kurrajongs

http://www.nationalarboretum.act.gov.au/resources/tree_stories/kurrajongs

 

Benj Whitworth