Despite the very low Koel activity around my place up to early December, to my surprise I thought I heard the begging call of a Koel fledgling this morning. It was in a dense bush at the edge of the small park in Rivett near my home.
RWBs were flying in and out, and while I could hear the change in call as it was fed I could not locate it until it flew about 40 m to the same silky oak in which there were the 3 adults in my post of 23/12. At least 4 RWBs were very active in there, possibly
feeding, and I had almost concluded it was a RWB fledgling before I finally got a reasonably good look at it, a rather dark, well-formed one only just over RWB size.
This is the earliest I’ve ever had a fledgling in my local area, and is only the 6th I am aware of this season. Plenty of activity around my house later, including 2 females and at least one male calling frantically, as well
as some of the ko-el call. Jack Holland
