Over the last month, a pair of Spotted Turtledoves have made a nest quite low in one of our Bottlebrush trees. It has been permanently occupied for about two weeks. Since it has been built, the local Noisy Miner population has stayed clear of that particular tree and there has been no 'biffo' or other interaction of any sort.
This morning the Miners were going off at something in the backyard and as they were angrier than usual, I went out to investigate. The neighbour's cat was up the tree about to poke it's nose into the nest. Both Turtledoves were up on the powerline and the Miners were directly above the cat protecting their territory which seems to include the nest.
It's been half an hour since, the Turtledoves, now three, are still sitting on the powerline; Are they likely to return to their nest?
Well, I suppose the only way to know is to go back tomorrow and check? Not sure if there is a definitive answer in saying no they won't return or yes they will return.
HI Rosaliathorn
I have witnessed the same behaviour in our garden with the noisies. One day a cat had a female golden whistler under our patio and the noisies actually came in and chased the cats by making a huge noise. They also keep the cats in the whole area under surveillance (including our own) and let every other bird know when they are lurking.
Cheers
Birdie
Sunshine Coast Queensland
So rosalia, did they return? I had the exact same problem to day when a cat bolted up the tree and scared away the dove in the nest in our tree and luckily he/she was sitting there about an hour later, no harm done, hopefully.
Heya Amateur,
They returned. It took some long hours but they've been ensconced in the tree ever since. Unfortunately the cat came back too, so I've now rigged up something to hopefully keep it off the tree.
Hi Birdie,
Now that I'm more aware of the Miner's movements, I've noticed that they're on high alert when it comes to this particular cat. Even going so far as to chase it down the road when it's out the front. They have no issue with our cat (or dog), though Chevrolet wouldn't know how to climb a tree if you taught him! And I think they're used to him spying on the birdbath.
On another note, we had a lovely long visit from a quartet of New Holland Honeyeaters the other day. As I've never seen them before it was wonderful to have them flutter around my baby and I.
R.
Yes they are pretty smart birds, even though they can be a pain in the proverbial when you see a new bird in your garden and you really want to get a good look and then along they come with their squawking and drive it away!!
they just love our birdbath, and we have the regulars who come in and really wash up in it!! They perch on the fence and preen and puff and then fly down 4-5 times for a dip. very amusing and to them pretty necessary at the moment as our creek has dried up to a tiny little stagnant pond and it has to supply the water dragons as well as the other wildlife. No wonder I saw a magpie with a water dragon for breakfast this morning!
Cheers
Birdie
Sunshine Coast Queensland
Well everyone, it wasn't the cat that eventually scared the Turtledoves from their nest...it was the lawnmower man.
At the beginning of the day they were there and were still when the lawns were being mown, but at some stage they've taken fright and left the nest and not returned to it since.
Probably a good thing in the end though, as the cat returned last week and I found it at the top of the tree trying to get to the birds on the powerlines!
I remember not nowingb were the cat was and then i heard alarm calls from noisy minors,common minors and other birds coming from the front and i saw the cat chasing a group of crested pigeions. lucky i heard them or else they would have been cat food.