Fifteen of us gathered at Campbell Park for an informative and enjoyable nest workshop. The leaders were Jack Holland and Janet Gardner.
Jack gave us an introduction to the types of bird nests. Jack’s notes summarized 10 basic nest types, listed Birds Australia Atlas criteria for confirmed breeding and named his sources. A separate sheet gave us some other facts related to breeding.
Janet Gardner’s familiarity with the woodland enabled us to see many nests. Her knowledge was supplemented with some sharp observations from the group and two other COG members who were out with their cameras.
Five of Jack’s 10 basic nest types were seen.
Janet took us to two ground level roofed nests of the Superb Fairy-wren. One was protected by a huge cage, the bird still hatching. The second nest had been predated. We were able to feel the lightness and see the material – grass stems and the softest fur lining of maybe rabbit and kangaroo. Janet showed us a Speckled Warbler’s domed nest. It was built in a slight hollow in the ground at the base of a low dense plant. Janet also showed us another predated roofed nest of the Yellow-rumped Thornbill. It was well camouflaged in a Native Cherry. The open cup upper false nest was torn. The lower true nest chamber was still intact but parrot feathers were visible. Only a metre away in the same tree was another predated domed nest. Crimson Rosellas were active at nest hollows. Black-faced Cuckoo-shrikes and White-winged Trillers were seen at small saucer-shaped nests blended into forks on horizontal branches. An Australian Magpie’s stick nest was visited by a female to feed a young bird. A Noisy Friarbird’s cup nest was hanging at the end of a limb above the track. Varied Sitellas, with building material, made busy downward journeys increasing the height of their cone-shaped nest in a tree fork. Male and female Leaden Flycatchers were active on a well-camouflaged small nest on a horizontal branch. A Willy Wagtail was nesting at shoulder height in its distinctive small cup. The large mud nest of the White-winged Chough was out on a horizontal branch but we saw no activity.
Other birds heard and seen included Sacred Kingfisher, Laughing Kookaburra, Dollarbird, Rainbow Bee-eater, White-winged Triller, Olive Whistler, and a very young Shrike-thrush with an adult. Both forms of Gerygone were heard. Other birds included the Noisy Miner, the Mistletoebird, the Olive-backed Oriole, Little Ravens and Australian Ravens – and Common Mynas.
Thank you to Jack and Janet for such a fascinating morning.
Pat Williams