Leaves on elms at south end of the Holt Oval, just 2m from the carpark, look anaemic lately. I pulled in there at lunchtime today and watched a group of eight White-winged Choughs busily pecking at the elm trunks.
One elm had a profusion of shoots growing from the trunk and the choughs clambered into these feeding vigorously as they ascended until the shoots petered out about 1.5m above ground level. After descending they scuttled to the next elm which bore no shoots and moved round the base pecking hungrily and stretching upwards. Resembled an avian maypole dance.
I didn’t get out and check what the prey was, as (i) too damn hot and (ii) didn’t want to scare them away from what appeared to be a pretty good feed. However, looking at the ACT Government Elm Leaf Beetle Factsheet it seems that the beetles are currently in new-adult stage. So maybe that’s what the choughs were feeding on, I rather hope so.
John K. Layton
Holt.
