The first Koel arrived in this area a few years back and they have returned every year since – in increasing numbers the past couple of years. This season there has been at least two males
and at least three females. Initially, they were always around my place, often in the neighbour’s large oak tree but hard to find in the foliage. Since then they have extensively increased their area, including crossing Kingsford-Smith Drive into Scullin,
and only seldom come back here, mostly early morning and early evening.
To date I’d not seen any signs of successful breeding and the past two seasons (2017 & 2018) the wattlebirds bred before the arrival of the Koels. One pair nested in the same tree both
years and after the Koels arrived I thought I saw signs of the pair preparing to nest again. I have also had eight or more Wattlebirds around my birdbath over the past months.
Over the last three or four days I’ve been hearing a constant call that I suspected was a fledgling Koel, but not managed to find it.
This morning I heard the call again and finally located the Koel in a neighbour’s tree. It moved around the neighbourhood following the Wattlebirds but I had no ‘proof’ it was a fledgling.
Unlike earlier birds, this one often perched in plain view. Then, although feeding itself on plums in a neighbour’s yard, constantly calling, I finally saw a Wattlebird come down and feed it. There were three Wattlebirds in the same area.
A few hours later I heard what I thought was the same Koel calling from my back yard. However, I realised that I could also still hear one calling out front. This bird and one Wattlebird
then flew to the Chinese Elm tree in my front yard. A second Koel was calling from a few houses down and being fed by Wattlebirds.
Then both Koel fledglings, and four attendant Wattlebirds all flew into the same yard across the street.
So I have confirmation of two successful rearing of Koel chicks by Red Wattlebirds in Higgins.
Alison Milton
