Jackie Winter

JACKY WINTER Microeca fascinans

Seeing the Jacky Winters busily collecting insects in their beaks, was a giveaway for a nest with young nearby. Still nesting in the early weeks of January.









 

It did not take long to find the nest, very small nest of grass and bark, perched precariously in the fork of  long, dead branch. Still nesting in the early weeks of January.














Not wanting to approach too closely, I watched for quite while. There were five or six unfledged young, loudly calling for food each time a parent bird approached.











 I was watching at about 5.00 in the evening and the sun was beginning to drop to the west. One of the parent birds, how does one know if it is the male or female, then settled itself onto the nest. If it could talk I am sure it would be saying, "time to settle down you lot, bed time."

Sacred Kingfisher

SACRED KINGFISHERS Todiramphus sanctus

I have been watching a pair of kingfishers for about a week now.

They have been busy feeding young in a tiny hole in a gum tree growing where the Dry Creek crosses Jeffrey's Lane, a little south of Broadford. I have not seen the young yet, the knot in the tree trunk is about three metres from the ground and it is not possible to see what is happening.






I am also very wary of getting too close at such a critical time.

The adults sit in the branches of nearby trees watching and waiting.  Baby sitting?




 After hunting, one will approach the nest tree but will land on a twig of a nearby tree. With it's mouth full with a small lizard, it will call to the young, 'kik, kik, kik. It is such a loud sound from such a small bird.
I can then here the young cheep in response to the adult's call.













 

 The adult then flies to the mouth of the hole, grasping the edge tightly with claws, it's tail pushed hard against the trunk to hold it tight. There doesn't seem to be room for the adult birds to enter.

The adult then flies off, back to the nearby twig, with the now slightly desiccated lizard still in it's mouth. 







It makes about five trips to the nest, each time returning to a nearby branch, where it rests and calls before returning. After each trip the lizard becomes more and more dismembered until there is just a final small final morsel left.




 

 I visit this site often, waiting for the young to emerge. I am interested to see how they will get out safely from such a tiny hole. Where will they perch whilst gaining strength and balance?

I will wait and see. 

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