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There was a Cuckoo in the nest! 2: Koel chick excited by approach of surrogate mother
I was very pleased with this set, for the birds allowed me to approach reasonably closely, but I was always going to be below them and they were always within the tree canopy, so I had to work in the lighting constraints.
This is the first time I have photographed this phenomenon, and I felt it was important to do so. For every year we get to watch or hear the performances that go with this.
When the koels arrive in early summer, the male does much calling all the while attracting a whole range of birds that try to drive it away. But he is the noisy lure that draws females from their nest also, only to provide the opportunity for the female koel to secretly lay her egg in the potential host's nest. There seem to be two species of birds that are most targetted around here, and the wattlebird is one of them.
Once the koel hatches the other eggs or other chicks are soon discarded from the nest by the vigorous dominance of this larger cuckoo chick.
Once able to fly, the koel chick leaves the nest and all day maintains its noisy demand for food, and the smaller and frantic wattlebirds are constantly seeking and supplying the chick with food.
Then comes the day when the parent koel returns to woo its chick, and the weaning to berries begins. Then one morning there is no noisy chick to be heard and one realises that it has flown away into the kingdom of koels!
There is still enough summer for the destitute wattlebirds to mate and breed again, their own offspring.
Ian
PS:
Swissmay,
Yes it has been very hot in southern areas of the continent, especially Melbourne, Adelaide and Canberra have been living in heat waves with maximums up around 44C in the cities, and even higher inland. It has been too hot in Sydney too, and we have had several days over 38C, with one horrible day at 42C. The drought continues in many areas in the south, and water supplies are running low. It is a very different scene in the north of this large continent, with heavy rains, storms, troughs, and floods. In between it is probably quite perfect! What a contrast it has been to the winter that you have so artistically photographed, again.
And sadly, Nadal beat Federer in the final... but he deserved his win. He has played spectacular tennis.
Thanks GGR for your sharing. I have seen the Oslo sculptures on Panoramio before, in someone else's gallery, but these images are new ones to me. I appreciate the sculpture of the elderly women, very much.
Ian Stehbens, thanks for the story around the cuckoo! A strange idea of nature to find such a solution.
We would gladly have some degrees of your temperature, but who knows what is awaiting us next summer.
I don't think it's sad, that Nadal won. Nadal is number 1 now and Federer hasn't played badly except in the 5th round. At the end of the whole match they were just 1 point apart, 173 to 174. Nadal is full of self confidence and a great fighter. I hope they will many times more meet at a final, it's always a great event to see their tennis, whoever wins. :)
It certainly was magnificent tennis, though I didn't see all of the final. I enjoy watching the tennis when I get a chance, though lately Panoramio comes first for leisure, and the tennis is in the background.
I would like to be chatting with you more often. But when I get there, I don't miss appreciating every single image and conversation that you upload.
I have just come home from the last graduation event at the college, before I begin to semi-retire. Whether that gives more time, remains to be seen for there is much in life to celebrate.
And I am pleased that you appreciated the story of the cuckoo, for as a child I thought they were only found in Switzerland!
Koel aka rainbird, storm bird, Indian koel, black cuckoo, cooee-bird = Eudynamys scolopacea
Red Wattle Bird = Anthochaera carunculata
As well as pirating the nest of a Red Wattle Bird, the Koel often uses the nest of a Peewee (aka Australian magpie lark, mudlark or peewit) = Grallina cyanoleuca
Comments (8)
Wonderful! again wonderful! I have three new shots now.Greetings.GGR.
Very pretty, Ian! Poor surrogate parents who have to feed a greedy cukoo twice their size.
I have heard in the news, that it is extremely hot in Australia and that there is a lack of water. I hope you are well. Warm regards, May
Dear Swissmay and GGR,
I was very pleased with this set, for the birds allowed me to approach reasonably closely, but I was always going to be below them and they were always within the tree canopy, so I had to work in the lighting constraints.
This is the first time I have photographed this phenomenon, and I felt it was important to do so. For every year we get to watch or hear the performances that go with this.
When the koels arrive in early summer, the male does much calling all the while attracting a whole range of birds that try to drive it away. But he is the noisy lure that draws females from their nest also, only to provide the opportunity for the female koel to secretly lay her egg in the potential host's nest. There seem to be two species of birds that are most targetted around here, and the wattlebird is one of them.
Once the koel hatches the other eggs or other chicks are soon discarded from the nest by the vigorous dominance of this larger cuckoo chick.
Once able to fly, the koel chick leaves the nest and all day maintains its noisy demand for food, and the smaller and frantic wattlebirds are constantly seeking and supplying the chick with food.
Then comes the day when the parent koel returns to woo its chick, and the weaning to berries begins. Then one morning there is no noisy chick to be heard and one realises that it has flown away into the kingdom of koels!
There is still enough summer for the destitute wattlebirds to mate and breed again, their own offspring.
Ian
PS:
Swissmay,
Yes it has been very hot in southern areas of the continent, especially Melbourne, Adelaide and Canberra have been living in heat waves with maximums up around 44C in the cities, and even higher inland. It has been too hot in Sydney too, and we have had several days over 38C, with one horrible day at 42C. The drought continues in many areas in the south, and water supplies are running low. It is a very different scene in the north of this large continent, with heavy rains, storms, troughs, and floods. In between it is probably quite perfect! What a contrast it has been to the winter that you have so artistically photographed, again.
And sadly, Nadal beat Federer in the final... but he deserved his win. He has played spectacular tennis.
Thanks GGR for your sharing. I have seen the Oslo sculptures on Panoramio before, in someone else's gallery, but these images are new ones to me. I appreciate the sculpture of the elderly women, very much.
My best regards,
Ian
Ian Stehbens, thanks for the story around the cuckoo! A strange idea of nature to find such a solution.
We would gladly have some degrees of your temperature, but who knows what is awaiting us next summer.
I don't think it's sad, that Nadal won. Nadal is number 1 now and Federer hasn't played badly except in the 5th round. At the end of the whole match they were just 1 point apart, 173 to 174. Nadal is full of self confidence and a great fighter. I hope they will many times more meet at a final, it's always a great event to see their tennis, whoever wins. :)
Best regards, Swissmay ;)
Dear May,
It certainly was magnificent tennis, though I didn't see all of the final. I enjoy watching the tennis when I get a chance, though lately Panoramio comes first for leisure, and the tennis is in the background.
I would like to be chatting with you more often. But when I get there, I don't miss appreciating every single image and conversation that you upload.
I have just come home from the last graduation event at the college, before I begin to semi-retire. Whether that gives more time, remains to be seen for there is much in life to celebrate.
And I am pleased that you appreciated the story of the cuckoo, for as a child I thought they were only found in Switzerland!
With the warmest of greetings,
Ian
For bird buffs (aka birdies, ornithologists):
Koel aka rainbird, storm bird, Indian koel, black cuckoo, cooee-bird = Eudynamys scolopacea
Red Wattle Bird = Anthochaera carunculata
As well as pirating the nest of a Red Wattle Bird, the Koel often uses the nest of a Peewee (aka Australian magpie lark, mudlark or peewit) = Grallina cyanoleuca
çok güzel guguk kuşu selam erol
Hi Erol,
Yes, it is a cuckoo. Thanks for your appreciation.
Peace
Ian