Gidday!
We live in Maroochydore on a main road and have a pair of little wattle birds industriously building a nest in our laundry!
They've chosen a basket hanging high on the wall. It's a half basket which could be used for a dried flower arrangement, or, if lined, be used for a hanging live plant.
They haven't been deterred by our invasion of their space. It's Saturday morning, which means washing day for us, and the first "acid test" of their tenacity. While I was in the laundry organising the first load, they both wanted to come in but sat outside in a shrub waiting for me to exit.
As soon as I vacated they resumed their nest-building activities immediately.
Looks like they're serious.
The noise of the machine isn't worrying them.
We first noticed them entering the laundry a few weeks ago and I took the basket down to have a peek. There was only a few little twigs then. We have disturbed them a few times by being in the laundry over those weeks, assuming that they would decide it wasn't a good site and build elsewhere.
There's three loads of washing to be done. A fair test of their intentions, we're thinking.
Don't know how long they've been building cos I was away for a few days and noticed them on my return yesterday morning.
Is this a common occurence for such birds to nest in a room in such close proximity to people? The laundry door is very close to our back door, and both doors open on to our back patio which is used many times each day.
I will update often...
Good stuff Suze,I know this practice to be very common with Sunbirds,Welcome Swallows etc, I have not heard of little Wattle birds doing it.
One thing is for sure they must be fairly comfortable with your presence otherwise they would not have continued to build in there.
One thing I would try and refrain from is disturbing them of a night as that may lead to them abandoning the nest, through the day light hours most species are a bit more tolerant.
Good luck Suze.
Gidday Tassie!
Two loads of washing completed and they're still building!
Yes, my husband and I were already considering the dilemma re nocturnal disturbance.
There are a number of patio lights which should shed enough light for us if we need to go in there, hopefully.
Thx for your interest and advice, muchly appreciated :)
I'll continue to post often.
Sue
Sunday morning 7.30am
They're still building, but with soft lining material now.
Louis (my husband) and I inspected the nest last night and it was complete except for the soft lining.
Sometimes they're both in there together and talking to each other with soft "tender" sounds. I'm not a birdie so am unable to provide an accurate description, but I've heard them make their call outside(usually just a single call) and it's the same but softer and numerous.
I visited the BIBY page on them and noted that it's the female who builds the nest. Our observation is that both collect the material. Many times both have been in sight at the same time collecting and delivering material.
We have a shrub about 5m high and much wider around with branches just a metre from the laundry door. The birds have collected lots of little dead twigs from it, thus displaying much info about their behaviour.
Very convenient nest-building material for them too!
I have no idea as to whether their nesting behaviour has been observed and reported.
Being new to blogging and also not a birdie, I'm not sure whether my reporting is of interest.
Would appreciate some feedback please???
Suze
It's certainly of interest to me. Even scientists would rarely have the opportunity of the close-up 24/7 observation that you can provide. Please keep reporting :-)
Absolutely Suze, it's fascinating to be able to observe at such a close and consistent range.
Sunshine Coast Queensland
Aaahhh thankyou marj and birdie! :)
I'll happily keep reporting.
BTW, I'm sure that they are little wattle birds. They are identical to the pic on BIBY page.
I haven't been able to notice any difference between them. Anyone know how to tell?
Also, I'm unable to post any pics, although I do have a mobile ph which will take pics and short videos. I haven't as yet tried to capture the birds or the nest.
Suze
Gidday Suze, I have been reading about them and I was surprised to see that they only lay one egg.
Bit of trivial info for you.
Suze you might be interested in this article
http://www.publish.csiro.au/?act=view_file&file_id=MU926302.pdf
The best way of distinguishing male from female seems to be behaviour rather than appearance.
Thanks Marj!
Interesting article and very muchly appreciated :)
I haven't seen (or heard) any of the described male behaviour in that article. If I wasn't positive of the ID I'd say it was a different bird altogether!
They're both reasonably quiet so far, but that may change...
He's been as active as her with gathering and delivering material.
Not as much activity today, just an occasional visit with additional material - some soft stuff and some twigs.
We've noticed that one often sits quietly on the clothes line and waits for the other to emerge from the laundry, then it goes in with it's contribution.
I've bookmarked the article so that I can refer to it, thx.
Suze
Thanks for the info Tassie.
This is gonna be interesting to see how many eggs if we get that far (here's hoping!) cos the article that Marj posted reports two eggs being laid.
Watch this space...
Suze
My Mum's been reading her Aussie bird book and it says they are bold, pugnacious, have lots of personality, will be friendly w gardeners (someone who is in the yard a lot I guess) and get this - they like cheese!
I think I'll hold back on the cheese for the time-being, just in case it's not good for them.
I have a vivid imagination which is conjuring up pictures of a poor 'bound' female struggling to lay her egg!
Wouldn't dairy be a no-no for wild birds???
Suze
Mum's book is Every Australian Bird Illustrated published by Rigby.
She's had it a long time so it would be an early edition.
Suze
Behaviour Observations
I was fast becoming convinced that my birds didn't know how to behave as little wattle birds, just before they were both sitting in the shrub after being in the laundry together with much clucking going on, he squawks rawcously and she clucks loudly back to him. She flew off and he followed.
They're still foraging for material. One came back unaccompanied just a few minutes ago with a feather.
Suze
Gidday Suze, The info I read was in the Readers Digest,"Complete Book Of Australian Birds".
I think she's started nesting.
She seems to be in there permanently now and he's visiting but not with mesting material.
She's nervous when I approach near the laundry door. She flew out, sat on the fence, and went back in when the coast was clear.
Suze
Tuesday morning
She's coming and going this morning, no nesting material being ferried in.
She spent all day yest on the nest as far as I can tell, with him visiting often. Again no nesting material.
Maybe she laid an egg yest morn???
A delightful scene earlier today - he comes back and sits in outside shrub (announcing his arrival with a few raucous squawks), she emerges from the nest and sits a few feet from him, then a series of fast little soft barely audible chirps. Having a chat, but she had a lot more to say than him!
First time to hear these quieter little chirps.
Suze
Hi Suze
Can you get a photo? Even a Mobile phone photo would be interesting. This is so out of character for Wattlebirds.
Denis
Denis Wilson
www.peonyden.blogspot.com
Gidday Denis
Tassie has requested pics as well so it looks like I'm gonna have to bite the bullet.
Was trying to get out of it after looking at some of the pics in the forum.
But I agree w you, if this is such an unusual occurrence then I should do all I can to record and post as much as possible.
Just promise me you won't laugh at my ignorant and clumsy efforts... at least not within my earshot! :)
I'm usually the one who cuts ppls heads off in photos!
Seriously, I've used my mob for pics and vids so I at least know how to do it - it's a start anyway.
Suze
Fascinating...
One was sitting in shrub, quiet but v alert, for maybe 10 mins. The other came back, lighted on a favourite perch which is a rope tied diagonally on the patio structure right next to shrub. They quickly entered the laundry, both chatting v quietly, then one immediately came out, lighted on shrub for moments and then flew off.
Only guessing but could it be that it was him standing guard at nest while she was off finding something to eat. And when she's back and safely inside he's then free to go off to do his thing???
I'm charging my mobile now.
Suze
Hi Suze
Good news.
If I can suggest, if you do get a photo (or two) post them to a photo hosting site - Flick*r, Picasa, Imageshack, Photobucket, or other site of your choice. Most have free access.
Once you have uploaded an image (to your photo site), you can try to follow the advice given in Richard Major's instructions: http://www.birdsinbackyards.net/forum/messages.cfm?threadid=D626D24C-D55D-CEC3-D787A75B60903453 and the other suggestions made by other users.
If that's too hard, just copy the url of the images, and post the URL in text form here, for us to look at independently, if transferring them to this site defeats you. You would not be alone!
Cheers
Denis
Denis Wilson
www.peonyden.blogspot.com
Hi Suze
Good news.
If I can suggest, if you do get a photo (or two) post them to a photo hosting site - Flick*r, Picasa, Imageshack, Photobucket, or other site of your choice. Most have free access.
Once you have uploaded an image (to your photo site), you can try to follow the advice given in Richard Major's instructions: http://www.birdsinbackyards.net/forum/messages.cfm?threadid=D626D24C-D55D-CEC3-D787A75B60903453 and the other suggestions made by other users.
If that's too hard, just copy the url of the images, and post the URL in text form here, for us to look at independently, if transferring them to this site defeats you. You would not be alone!
Cheers
Denis
Denis Wilson
www.peonyden.blogspot.com
There's an egg!
I had a peek with a mirror held high while they were both gone (so my former theory about him standing guard is down the gurgler), and without my reading specs on it looks just like a tiny chook's egg. If I get a chance at another peek I'll make sure my glasses are on.
BTW I've been pondering on how to describe their noises and some of their quiet sounds are not unlike contented chooks, although not exactly the same and much quieter.
Thx for the advice Denis re pics.
Mob is charged now so the moments of truth are drawing nigh!
Suze
Hi Suze,
Very interesting thread.
Would have to agree with Denis that it is somewhat unusual
behavior for LWB.
( I had a pair of Grey Shrike-thrushes nesting in my workshop
several times.)
As for clutch size, may I quote Gordon Beruldsen's book,
Australian Birds their Nests and Eggs
" Mostly one in Queensland, usually two in eastern Australia
and often three in Tasmania."
Cheers,
al
Cheers,
al
Central Victoria
https://sites.google.com/site/blackhillreservekyneton/home
Hi Suze
If you have any trouble with pics, call me on 54537786. I will happily give you a hand. Only live 5 minutes away so I'd be fascinated to have a peak if you didn't mind. If it wouldn't disturb them of course.
Cheers
Adrienne
Sunshine Coast Queensland
I think the chick has hatched
Not 100% sure, I thought I'd hear the chick's distinctive cheep but all I'm hearing is what sounds like the parents' soft cheep. Maybe it is the chick that sounds different to what I imagined.
Our WC window opens out into the laundry, so I'm expecting to hear the chick clearly from in there and also from the patio.
Mum and dad are busy coming and going, much more activity today than of late.
She started to sit 2 Thurs ago 19th March, so it's 13 days.
I found a blog from Sydney which has daily postings and pics of LWB's from building the nest to the 2 chicks fledging.
The lady, 'Lavender', logs 11 days til hatching, and a further 13 days until fledging. The link is below.
Mum is back on the nest at present, eyeing me carefully when I peeked into the laundry, with dad visiting often with his "honey, I'm home!" call often announcing his arrival.
A lot of their calls are not unlike chooks.
Different behaviour yesterday...
He started off his day while still totally dark (normal for him) w his usual strident calls in the yard. Then he went silent and remained so till mid-afternoon. So silent that I began to worry that a misadventure had befallen him cos I hadn't seen him either.
Then I saw him arrive w his "honey, I'm home!" call and he's been vocal ever since.
http://bowerbirdbeads.blogspot.com/search/label/Little%20Wattle%20Bird%20chicks%202007?updated-max=2007-10-03T09%3A13%3A00%2B10%3A00&max-results=20
I've seen the chick!
Mum and dad were both out so I had a peek w the mirror and saw a little yellow open beak on the end of a v scrawny neck.
And now I understand why I haven't heard it - it wasn't cheeping, just gaping.
I'll be going away for a couple of days so will post again when back home.
Suze