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Over the last few weeks I have been keeping a
watch on a Crested Pigeon nest in the play ground of Murray Bridge Primary
School.
The nest was built at a height of some 6m directly above the
run-up area of the school cricket nets, an area frequented by 20 - 30 children
every playtime. The nest was also only 5m from the path leading to the school
oval where several hundred children play. The sitting pigeons were quite
unconcerned with the constant traffic underneath. Last Monday I saw at least one
fluffy chick in the nest which is now empty.
Only a few metres away a pair of White Plumed Honeyeaters
successfully raised several young. Their nest was even lower at about 3m high,
directly over the path leading to the oval.
Another few metres away a pair of Willie Wagtails successfully
raised 3 young who are now independent of the parents. The parents are now
sitting again on the same nest.
There have also been Red Wattlebirds feeding
young in recent weeks but no nest was found. I am fairly certain that the
following scpecies have also been breeding in the school grounds in recent
weeks:
New Holland
Honeyeaters
House Sparrow
Common Starling
Rock Dove
This shows just how tolerant some species can be towards
hoards of noisy little humans in close proximity to their nests.
Trevor Hampel
Murray Bridge
South
Australia
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