Kuranda news

[Phil Gregory <>]

Sunday March 24
Just a quick up-date on the Cassowary situation at Kuranda,
far north Queensland. The male Dad is still bringing the 3 chicks, which
are beginning to develop the bluish colour on the neck and develop tiny
casque bumps. Today though he turned up with just 2 chicks, a lone chick
coming in about an hour later and giving its loud "PeeeeeP" distress
call. Somehow they got separated last night ( we saw them up to 1730 here)
or early in the morning (before 0645), so we await developments with interest.
One chicks did this a couple of months ago and they did find each other
again, so we hope for a happy outcome this time. The chicks are now some
7 months old and still too young to be on their own.
The Red-necked Crakes have successfully raised two youngsters,
one of the trio disappearing sometime on March 20. They have stayed with
the parents from a few days before Feb 24 (which is when we first saw them),
right up to today. One chick was still with an adult yesterday and briefly
today, but the other seemed to have gone solo as of yesterday March 23.
The adult's plumage looks very worn, and they are now moulting after the
stress of raising their demanding youngsters.
A male Victoria's Riflebird is still doing an occasional display,
despite the nesting season being long over, rather late for it to be still
performing.
Migrants coming through include Channel-billed Cuckoo heard
today and Rainbow Bee-eaters daily, plus our winter visitors the
Grey and Rufous Fantails, Fan-tailed and Shining
Bronze-Cuckoos.
Good birding
Phil Gregory Cassowary House, Kuranda
www: cassowary-house.com.au