Wow. This morning there were 15 Eastern Rosellas in our garden. Three or four wore the subdued plumage of juveniles while the others were adults, resplendent in the early
morning light.
I believe they were attracted by the following circumstances: the heavy hail storm brought an accumulation of fallen leaves, petioles and berries beneath our big White
Cedar tree, this area was raked and mown last Saturday and the resulting scattered, shattered particles of arboreal detritus provided good pickings for the rosellas. Well, probably not so much the mashed-up leaves and leaf stalks but, from what I saw through
my binoculars. the fractured pits of the berries were the main attractant.
Concurrent with the parrots’ departure three Willie Wagtails landed but, instead of engaging in their usual aerial foraging, they scurried about like little clockwork
toys, probably pursuing tiny terrestrial prey.
John Layton
Holt.
