Disaster struck the White-faced Herons who have now left their nest after at least 5 weeks of activity – building and sitting. If the eggs hatched, the chicks didn’t get far.
A little gang of 3 juvenile Kookaburras, looking very pleased with themselves, not to mention a proud looking adult seen perched nearby, are the chief suspects!
Also on the north side of Dugan dam, within 5 metres of the Heron’s nest (in the very next tree), a pair of Mudlarks laboured for 2 weeks to build a magnificent, very solid mud nest.
Maybe safety in numbers appealed to a pair of Restless Flycatchers who quickly assembled (in about 4 days) a neat and camouflaged little nest (in the same tree) within 1 metre of the Mudlarks.
Both pairs are now sitting, the male and female of each species taking it in turn to sit on the nest and keep the eggs warm until they hatch. The chicks of both are due next week (beg 27 Oct).
The pretty Plain Sun Orchid (pale blue) just north of the tennis courts, is out at present. There’s also a lot of subtle colour in the central bushland and some of the native grasslands with all the lilies that are flowering now: Milkmaids (white), Bulbine lilies (yellow) and Chocolate lilies (purple).