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17/11/2019

Striated Pardalote

STRIATED PARDALOTE Pardalotus striatus


There was a large number of pardalotes at the bridge over Nanny Creek on Friday.



They were very active, flying, calling, hunting and feeding.










 Many were in pairs, male and female, flying and perching on branches together



 









There are numerous fairy martun nests under the bridge. I have observed these nests for several years, beautifully made from hundreds of spots of mud, pushed together to make intricate, interconnected nesting places.


 





These nests are used by both the fairy martins and the pardalotes. The pardalotes seem very happy to live in the mud, martin made nest hollows which they fill with and grass, little sticks and small pieces of bark. Not very different to a hole in a creek bank I suppose.







Both male and female would settle on a branch, next to each other , each with a grub, a moth, a caterpillar or an ant in its beak.






 

They would then approach the nest, one entering whilst the other waited outside, hanging from the mud structure. The first would emerge and the second would enter.











Then both would fly off together, returning several minutes later to repeat the process.


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