Nearly 3 weeks with no discernable birdlife about the
little nest in the old hat by the back door (below). J was castigating himself
- leaving the light on, looking too closely (there was strong winds, too) - but
2 days ago we could hear a tiny, light chirrup through - unromantically I'm
afraid - the open laundry window. (It would begin about 2 minutes after I'd
stopped making any noise.)
Out to investigate and there's a (mature) head of a
white-browed scrub-wren poking out: we have chicks!
Interestingly, while there was no attempt at hiding their
nest-building, now I cannot see them darting out to feed; they are incredibly
discreet. I think I was lucky to catch sight of one at all.
I am hoping these chicks grow to maturity - we discourage
cats and dogs strongly from our property - and I wonder how many other nests we
don't see. Certainly, in early spring, we often see birds collecting useful
cobwebs from under our veranda. I know many people like to spray spiders (which
I think is a pity) but certainly we have many (call me Morticia); I don't
mind the webs too much and love the thought of them binding little nests
together. Maybe I should plant some prickly shrubs, too - just what the little
birds like, I believe, for nesting; but near the back of the borders.
Meanwhile visiting fairy wrens - the young male ones -
have tails becoming more and more dark blue with these longer days; king
parrots visit the vegetable patch; and crimson rosellas (top) visit more and
more frequently - are there more of them? They loved the apple trees in fruit,
they enjoy the edible patch, and today they are nipping off grass seeds; how
lucky that I'm a lazy gardener and, at the moment, the `lawn' is unmown.
Jill Weatherhead is
horticulturist, writer, garden designer and principal at Jill Weatherhead Garden Design who lives in the Dandenong Ranges east of
Melbourne, and works throughout Victoria (www.jillweatherheadgardendesign.com.au)
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