Forget Noah and his animals marching two-by-two onto the ark, April was the month to pair up in the Bird World, with several different species exhibiting courtship behaviour at Kingfisher Bay Resort. Down near the beach we recorded pairs of beautiful Brahminy Kites flying side by side; Spangled Drongos (pictured right - photo by Sushi Photography) were spotted participating in what appeared to be courtship feeding; and Pied Oystercatchers were spotted quietly foraging together along the sandy beach strip. Not to be outdone, mating pairs of White Breasted Woodswallows were also seen busily preparing a nest high in dead tree hollow.
Around the Wallum this month, the skies were filled with noise as the unmistakable calls of Sulphur Crested Cockatoos and Rainbow Lorikeets, which dominated the morning chorus. These colourful characters are not found on the island all year round, instead they flock in droves in the cooler months to feast on the nectar of flowering Swamp Mahogany.
A lone Little Pied Cormorant also graced us with its presence on several occasions - either fast asleep on a Paperbark branch around the banks of the resort’s lakes, or bobbing around in the water under the jetty searching for a fishy meal.
Along the resort’s main road Laughing Kookaburras perched themselves on overhanging branches and, on the ground, Grey Shrike Thrushes and Bar Shouldered Doves foraged through the leaf litter in search of insects and seeds and amongst the Eucalypts.
Mistletoe Birds could be seen busily searching for Mistletoe fruit. From Ranger Kat, and her feathered flockstars, we’re signing off until next month.
Happy Twitchin’.
