It being Spring, the Willy Wagtail mum has been busily readying last year’s nest for the 2016 brood.
The nest had looked perfectly serviceable, as it was as neat and symmetrical as she had originally made it.
However she seemed driven to add another layer, which brings it alarmingly close to the verandah roof.
While this is insulated, I fear for the babies if we get more summer-like early heat.
Mum is now on the nest more than off, so I assume she has laid eggs. Dad spends his time dive-bombing magpies to keep them away.
The other new regular visitor is a King Parrot, solo and talkative.
He has been sitting on my vegie garden’s bamboo posts and — I swear — chattering to me.
I have taken to standing at my back door and chattering back.
He does not fly off when I go to fetch the camera.
Next time I will dare to step closer than the verandah and get a sharper shot.
Grey Thrushes are one of my favourites, Brenda, but have never been so lucky as you, to be able to watch them parenting. Love the image of them whistling with a beak full!
And Derek, I guess that’s an audience with the King, their mere presence being enough?
Love your bird photos. We have a pair of grey thrushes nesting in a watering can hanging in our fern house. They are a delight to watch. First building the nest, then taking turns sitting on the eggs. Now they are busy feeding two little ones. Did you know they can still whistle with a beak-full of worms?!
I had a similar Close Encounter of the Bird Kind with three King Parrots recently. No talk from them, but no fear either, even though I was within a metre.