Currawongs were back yesterday and LW was defending the pine tree. When a Currawong hopped up onto a low branch the female started sounding a strident alarm call and the male attempted to drive away the Currawong. I couldn't see the details of the altercation that followed but it was loud and went for about two minutes. Finally the Currawong flew off with LW in close pursuit. Feisty bird this one.
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Showers on and off all day, so not the best weather for camera - however I did make another attempt to get both birds in the picture. I can see a pattern developing here - because he is very bold but she is shy (she's top right). Not such hard work really watching them feed on the prolifically flowering Toothbrush Grevillea.
Last night an impressive vocal display from a koala that lasted the longest that I've heard so far. Made me wonder - is it a growl, roar, bray, bellow? None seem to be favoured but my research led me to this National Geographic article. Scientists have discovered that the koala has an extra sound producing organ that enables it to produce a bellow that would otherwise be too low for its size (on a par with elephants). Good recording of koala bellow on this page too.
Out with the camera yesterday afternoon trying to get a better shot of Black-faced Cuckoo-shrike I was joined by the lonely Fan-tailed Cuckoo. I spotted this rather large nest in adjoining tree - don't think the cuckoo will be laying eggs in that one but the association made me smile. (Cuckoo was calling late into the night and is now).
Well, as Dinah Washington once sang, what a difference a day makes. The LWs spent a lot of time together today. The first pic is of them both in the same tree. The male is visible. I can hear the other one, but where is she? (doesn't help that it's out of focus)
In the middle of a dark, moonless night, I heard a new bird call and was intrigued. Next day I heard it again, a set of three mournful trills with descending notes and oft repeated. So I followed my ears and found the source - a Fan-tailed Cuckoo. Aug/Sept is their breeding season - wonder if there's a shortage of partners for this one to be calling almost round the clock.
The two LWs were on the same branch for almost a minute this afternoon. It happens so rarely and briefly - no chance of a photo to make a comparison. When they are close they communicate with a soft, single note repeated back and forth. Later he had his afternoon bath and paused from grooming to call.
Making this blog has been on the 'to do' list for a while - apart from learning to drive the weebly way the most daunting task has been sorting through many hundreds of photos which are date filed only. There are still many more to add and much information too. So please call back from time to time - hopefully you'll see progress plus catch up on what the LWs are up to.
LW busy yesterday with Currawong and Red Wattlebird incursions. In the afternoon I heard one of them make an unusual call - then I heard growling. Not sure what might growl in a tree except for a possum... went for a look and as I walked behind pine tree LW was sitting on a low branch looking at me - about 2 metres away. Took a few pics then left it alone. Am now wondering if the pine tree is nesting site.
The LW had a challenging afternoon when a pair of Currawongs came to 'his' pink gum in search of food. They ignored his territorial calling and his several swoops as they peeled bark away from the branches and extracted various bugs and grubs. So LW had just had to put up with them for the 30 minutes they stayed. I have seen him chase off Currawongs when he had nestlings, so perhaps there is nothing happening there yet.. Not happy. You can see LW top left - quite a size difference!
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December 2020
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