Woodswallows [WSWs] at Campbell Park

[Michael Lenz <>]

went to CP this morning just to find out how many White-browed WSWs have stayed after Jack Holland announced only late last week that a large flock (including some Masked WSWs) had arrived.

My estimate/count is about 50 birds are still in the area. This is based on:

#  Counting at least 16 pairs  (displaying/mating; nest building, squabbling between pairs and warnings by a pair as the observer approached as indicators); there could well be 20 pairs.All concentrated around the horse gate, on either side of the fence. I checked out sites further S and N, but negative.

# At 9:18 h  most birds, perhaps all, took to the air, no doubt feeding, following insects. There were around 40+ birds. Since the pairs are still at the early stage of their breeding cycle (i.e. not yet eggs), most birds would have joined in this feeding effort. I certainly found no longer birds at some of the sites where they were present early in the morning. 

Of interest also:

: 

# One young bird (full size, still with streaks on back and head) from a brood before the birds arrived here (have seen this also in the past), it appeared to still be begging, but there was some disturbance, it flew off, and I didn't find it again. This is an indication that at least some of the arrivals have already raised a brood earlier elsewhere.

# One male White-br. WSW is paired with a female hybrid (White- br./Masked). They were preening each other. They may have already a nest or not. While I was there no indication of nesting, but the pair stayed in a small area for the about 15 min that I observed it..

Michael Lenz