Close to 30 members and guests joined me in this repeat of last year's very successful morning focussed on finding as many nests or nesting activity as possible. After a short presentation, including covering the 10 basic types of nests built by different groups of species of birds, and tips on how to find nests or nesting behaviour, we split into two groups to put this into practice.
Rumours that nesting activity at Campbell Park was very low this year (including few reports on the chat line) were quickly dispelled and in total we found confirmed breeding activities for 18 species, as well as several other species defending territory etc. This included 6 of the 10 basic nest types and comprised well over 50% of the 35 species seen or heard for the morning.
The day started well when participants could see a Noisy Miner on a deep cup-shaped nest in a low bush sapling in the car park while were going through the brief presentation. However, the highlights were a number of White-winged Trillers, including one female on a typical tiny low-sided nest in a fork high in a gum and Varied Sittellas carrying food to yet another tiny nest in the vertical fork of a dead branch, and then settling on it. It was certainly great to record these two recently listed threatened species breeding.
Other notable observations were a Dusky Woodswallow on a nest typically constructed in the gap where the bark was peeled off the trunk, a Black-faced Cuckoo-shrike giving us great frontal views from a typical shallow saucer-shaped nest in a horizontal fork, a couple of Grey Fantail nests, very small cups complete with a cute "rat's tail", and White-winged Choughs, both with a dependent young and a bird on a mud nest.
A pair of White-throated Gerygone were observed building a side entrance nest, and a pair of Leaden Flycatchers were also seen, with the male first showing the female where the nest site should be, where she then proceeded to start building. Tree Martins were seen examining or entering tree hollows, and Red-rumped Parrots were inspecting a couple of hollows. Striated Pardalotes were seen entering and leaving small hollows in a tree, while the Spotted Pardalote was seen coming and leaving a hole dug into the side of the entrance of a rabbit burrow.
Much of this activity was concentrated in a small area of about 50 metres radius within 150 metres of the carpark. Our excitement of finding all these in such a small space was topped off when an Australian Owlet-nightjar was spotted sitting quite still observing us from a nest hole. It was happy to let the 2 groups admire and photograph it and was still there when we returned about 45 minutes later. A couple of days later it was found to have at least two young in the hollow.
It was certainly a great morning, with a slightly different emphasis from the usual COG outing, though at the same time many species were able to be identified. As we were returning to our cars, we saw a Sacred Kingfisher and then a Dollarbird, both of which have bred here previously, and rounded off the morning perfectly.
Many thanks to all participants, and especially to Anthony Overs for giving up some of his time as a new father to come and help me lead. I feel that we should make this an annual event and will try to find a spot for it on the 2005 Field Trips Program.
Jack Holland