Sunday 29 September 2013

Jottings from the Tropics: 29 September 2013


Willie wagtails are building a nest in the stables. I'll give them space until the end of the breeding season, mostly for their peace of mind, but also for mine. It's bad enough that the stone-curlews hiss at me and refuse to move when I walk past, but being mobbed by a stroppy wagtail as well...You can see who's at the bottom of this pecking order.

So neat!

Willie wagtail about to a) add to nest and b) be stroppy


— o O o — 

It's so hot during the day that I am adopting the method used by kangaroos and wallabies when they need to cool down — wetting the underside of the forearms. I'm using tap water instead of saliva, though. I thought I'd better clarify that. You know, just in case...Anyway, I can report that it is very effective.

— o O o —

I under-estimated the smarts of the brush turkey. He has shifted his nest mound out of the path of the ride-on mower and to the boundary between this property and the next. As I type this, he is patrolling the garden, advertising his building skills with a dyspeptic bellow. I hope some of the lady bush turkeys are impressed. At least he doesn't treat me with the disdain shown by other bird life. And the possums. And the frogs.