Just returned from the morning walk where we came across the first emu chicks we've seen for this season. Dad plus about 8 young probably about a month old. A grunt or two from dad & they headed into the mulga scrub.
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Hi bushie, where do you live to see emu chicks. I can only dream of seeing emu chicks when I go for a walk.....What a wonderful experience.
Hi Lois,
I live in Cobar (far west NSW). Our backyard backs directly on to bushland. They are funny birds emus, very curious when there are 1 or 2 adults but quite reclusive when raising young. I've only seen the family twice, the second time 2 weeks ago. The father gives a warning grunt which seems to get the chicks together and pushes them into the bush. They are now about 2/3 grown and a charcoal grey colour and there are 7 chicks. (I got a head count this time.)
While they remain hidden, there is ample evidence of them in the area every morning ( droppings & tracks). I don't think they'll be here much longer though as the small pond near by is drying up and the herbage is disappearing with the heat & no rain.
While I envy the folk who get to see the beautiful rosellas, kookaburras etc, there are some advantages to living out here.
Regards,
bushie.
Hi Bushie, Thanks for the heads up as to where you live and would see Emu chicks while out walking. We currently have a kookaburra youngun just getting reading to leave the nest box. It looks quite cute when it pokes its head out. The kookaburras have successfully raised young for three years in our backyard. I must say it was just a matter of good timing as I had noticed a pair of kookaburras checking out a possum box on the silky oak in our yard. I ordered a kookaburra box that day and my hubby installed it on the weekend. The birds moved in almost right away.
Another productive morning walk where we ran upon the emu family again. There is now little difference between the father & the seven chicks. It appears he has had a 100% success rate in the rearing game. The youngsters are now showing the natural curiosity of adult birds & wanted to investigate the 2 strange beings & dog but dad kept marshalling them albeit 3 or 4 metres away. Shouldn't be long before they split up & go their own ways.
Regards,
bushie.
Good onya Bushie,thanks for sharing.
When you said Mulga scrub I knew that you were in Mid to far western NSW somewhere.
My mothers side of the family came from Wythalee.
I slept on the side of the road between Wythalee and Hay last year plenty of Mulga as you get closer to Wythalee.
How are you Tassie. Yeah there's mulga around Weethalle but it's sure open around Hay. There's hardly a tree between Hay & Deniliquin! It's no wonder to the north of Hay towards Hillston it's called the one tree plain but it's often a good spot to see the odd emu.
Regards,
bushie.
I am good thanks Bushie, especially now I remember how to spell Weethalle after seeing you write it :)
I knew it was wrong I was just to lazy to check.
Bushie its very bare across the Hay plains,I could not believe it,its like desert,and the poor sheep.
We had to go to a property between Ouyen and Murray Bridge to pick up a D10 Dozer to bring back up here to QLD,bloody long slow trip.
Bushie what I desperately wanted to see was a Mallee Fowl,mum told me there used to be heaps down there,I suppose that was 50 to 60 years ago that she would be talking about.
Have you seen any Bushie?
Cheers
Tassie.
Sorry Tassie, I've never run across a Mallee Fowl. About 180 kms south of here near Mt. Hope the National Parks and Wildlife are trying to build up a population of them but according to one of the rangers, there are only two active nests in the park. I'm not sure how much country is involved but it's fairly large. I think that without a very good external fence they are up against it.
Unfortunately foxes, feral cats etc. have decimated the large population of these fabulous birds which once existed. At least around here. Their defences are pretty limited.
Regards,
bushie.