Nesting behaviour of Rosellas etc

["Philip Veerman" <>]

Last few days I had not seen much activity at the nest box (as below) and wondered if it was still in use. The story must be that the female is now sitting for longer time stretches and I have missed the arrivals / departures. But as Lia said to me, we can't sit around all day timing them. Strangely after over 3 months of daily visits and dislodging the Eastern Rosellas every time, the pair of Crimson Rosellas lost interest in the nest box and the Eastern Rosellas have continued.

 

Today as I saw the male Eastern Rosella arrive to call to the female in the nest and she left with him, I went up the ladder and could see seven eggs but may have been 8 or 9 given my incomplete view through the gap caused by that the backing board has warped and curled backwards. I repaired the cardboard baffle covering the gap. Seven eggs is on the large clutch size. Given the history I am wondering whether any could belong to the Crimson Rosellas.

 

I also heard that the Pied Currawong chicks in the nest at the top of the same tree have hatched.

 

Last week I had 2 dy Red Wattlebirds in my GBS site. I thought that was early but on checking The GBS Report it is typical for the start of this.

 

Philip

 

 -----Original Message-----From: Philip Veerman [ Sent: Friday, 4 October 2013 2:37 PM   To: 'Lia Battisson'; 'COG Chatline'
Subject: RE: [canberrabirds] Nesting behaviour of Crimson Rosellas

The nest box Lia describes is a bit over 100 metres from my house, where I also have I have a pair of Crimson Rosellas occupying the nesting box that Kate Grarock’s team put up in a tree in my front yard in September ‘09. They raised 3 young last year. Curiously though I also have I have a pair of Eastern Rosellas occupying the same nesting box (they take turns but the Crimsons always shoo away the Easterns.. This has been going on for about 6 weeks and still is today.

 

I also had Mynas nesting in it 2 years ago until they were removed. I have not seen Mynas in my yard in the last year or so. 

 

Philip

 

-----Original Message-----From: Lia Battisson [ Sent: Friday, 4 October 2013 9:00 AM      To: COG Chatline
Subject: [canberrabirds] Nesting behaviour of Crimson Rosellas

I have a pair of Crimson Rosellas occupying the nesting box that Kate Grarock’s team put up in a tree in my front yard in September ‘09. 

 

In ‘09 Common Mynas used the box, laying eggs within 2 weeks of installation.  As soon as the Mynas were removed, bees moved in.  I had an apiarist remove the nesting box, so that was the end of Spring ‘09.  In October 2010 another box was installed.  This time we bypassed Common Mynas and went straight to bees, within a couple of weeks.   Time went by and I couldn’t get an apiarist who was interested to take them away.  Bee activity continued but seemed to dwindle, until July of this year when no more bees were observed.  In late August I cleaned out the old honeycomb with a kitchen knife, et voila, within days a pair of Crimson Rosellas was checking it out!  By 17 September it was evident that the female was spending some time in the box each day.  Now she is clearly sitting on eggs, as only occasionally is her head seen at the entrance hole.

 

I expected that the male would feed her during this time, but they go off together to feed, at least twice a day.  Yesterday and the day before he came to a nearby tree at 5:55 pm, called her and within a minute they flew off together.  The same thing happened this morning at 07:25.  I don’t know how long they go for, as I haven’t managed to catch them coming back.  Presumably they do so quietly.

 

Can anybody tell me how long it is likely that they are away from the nest, so that I can see if I can’t pick up on their pattern?