Jack’s request for info on breeding Koels arrived here within hours of an email about one in Hawker, and right now there’s one begging in the tree outside.
1) From Glenys in Hawker late yesterday afternoon – the bird in the attached photo has been present in their garden for the last week, with a call ‘like a young puppy barking’.
2) An hour ago I heard a call I’d never heard before, something similar to a puppy barking, which has moved from the tree in front to a tree at the back, now calling for about an hour. I’ve seen it once inside a tree - enough stripes to see it is a large cuckoo. It is attended by a number of Red Wattlebirds, or at least there are 4 uncharacteristically hanging around, of which one or two seem to be feeding the squawking bird. I can’t fathom the dynamics of the Wattlebirds, but 1 or 2 are flying off and returning, and 2 seem to be just hanging around, racing, perching.
Julian
www.flickr.com/photos/ozjulian/
