Last Sunday morning I noticed a flock of about 15 European Goldfinches combing through the foliage of a tall Casuarina tree outside the Kippax library. Two metres lower,
a similar number of Red-browed Firetails were working away. Watched for 10 minutes but at no time noticed one species enter the feeding range of the other. I’ve no idea what they were gleaning, probably tiny invertebrates to increase protein intake for their
nestlings – dunno.
Two Willie Wagtails appeared, one hovering either side of the bole as they took some of whatever it was that was available. Four White-winged Choughs came mincing along
and promenaded around the base of the tree with necks stretched upwards as if doing an avian maypole dance, or maybe they were just doing the ole soft shoe choghffle. Anyhow, every couple of seconds one leapt upwards, appearing to snatch a prey item and sending
the wagtails packing.
I returned 45 minutes later but the birds were gone. However, I noticed several patches of fresh spiders’ webs on the bark of the Casuarina.
John Layton
Holt.
