Have had some great wildlife experiences lately including many Tree-roos,
courting Green Possums and a Golden Bowerbird doing its hovering display 1.5
metres in front of the face of one of my customers.
This lasted about 3.5 seconds but seemed much longer.
The adult male bird had been moving around the vicinity of its bower for
some time and added some lichen to the decoration which it rearranged slightly.
we were standing still and speaking very little and the bird had shown an
awareness of our presence. After flying off about 8 metres he then flew straight
at us to 2.5m . Holding the head and body upright and almost motionless the
wings moved at great speed while the tail was spread and folded twice a second.
The effect was of a solid gold core flanked by liquid gold flowing rapidly
over an uneven surface and all this was resting on a flashing triangular
golden-yellow light.
It was a very "in your face" display even if it had
not been so close. I felt that if the bird could talk it would have said words I
could not bring to your gentle ears.
It must be about 20 years since I last saw the
display. On that occasion the adult male had just chased off an immature which
was in the display area. It returned to near the bower and hovered for about
three seconds. Unfortunately none of my four companions at the time saw it as my
integrity was called into question by a number of birders to whom I reported the
event. Now I have seen it three times; the last lasting only 1.5
seconds.
The Atherton Scrubwrens have left my garden some
months ago but the Large-billed have had two nesting attempts. The first was 20
cm off the ground in some Calamus moti seedlings. the had two
chicks which they abandoned after about four days. The second attempt did not
lead to finished nest which was started in a Baeckea virgata
about one metre off the ground.
The first Channel-billed Cuckoo of the season was
seen here in Yungaburra on September 7th and they are still moving through in
dribs and drabs. Koels started calling about mid-month.
Scarlet Honeyeaters and Brown HE have fledglings.
Sunbirds, Lewins HE, Bridled HE, Brown HE, King Parrots and Grey Whistlers
are all nesting.
We have more raptors on the Atherton Tablelands this
year than usual and other birds are turning up in places not usually seen.
Bustards are in ample supply but not exceptional numbers.
Regards,
Alan Gillanders
