Most interesting to see the catalogues of koel observations by Jack Holland in the current CBN. These will be important references for learning more about the movements and behaviour, probably the changing behaviour, of this now common
garden-loving visitor.
As it happened, this morning my first close-at-hand chick. I was loading the golf clubs at 8 am when the familiar persistent beep came from the top of the catalpa tree. A fairly developed young, possibly one of Di’s from down the hill
at Caley or Walker. It was making hopeful advances to a King Parrot but soon flew off to a more distant tree, still just audible. Sure enough, a female was about just over the street giving croaks and groans, and soon the usual multi-koel vocal inter-action
broke out.
I was running late but made time for a quick 3 minutes of photography. Perhaps most unusually, the AKP was making a very early attack on the catalpa beans. In some years these are still providing parrot food among the bare limbs on Anzac
Day. A nearby male koel demonstrated with his fine black tail feathers that he was NOT the immature that has been the most prominent caller hereabouts, although other males were also around today. Meanwhile on the ground in the gloom under the Indian Bean
(as the catalpa is sometimes known)a bowerbird was practising with something yellow, the bill indicating a male of 3-4 years.
