Tree creeper family

Posted on by Alice McGlashan

Nestbox tales, white-throated tree creeper family

Our tree creeper family is doing well. Three eggs were laid but only one hatched. The chick is fully feathered now, and the parents are both off the nest during the warm parts of the day fetching food for their gaping-beaked youngster. 

I quickly poked my head in a couple of weeks ago, then took a quick peek today. 

The possum protection on the tree above and below the nest box (the below-box guard was not yet installed in the whole tree photo), and on all sides of the nest box except the front where the tree creepers climb up, and a lock on the lid to stop it from being opened appears to be doing the job keeping this little family safe. 

I don’t have a wildlife camera on this box as I installed it where there is plenty of cover to keep the tree creeper parents safe from day time predators. Too many dangling leaves and waving branches in a slight breeze for an SD card to last more than a couple of days, and I’d certainly not want to visit that frequently and risk disturbing them or drawing attention to the nest – predator birds.

Chicks and eggs

Posted on by Alice McGlashan

Our Kookaburra family are looking quite frazzled fetching food for their 3 newly hatched and very demanding chicks. Aren’t they cute!! They raised two chicks successfully last year in the same box. Apparently this common species is in decline in our region, the reason is unknown. They do need larger hollows for nesting, which are scarce and in high demand!

Last week the White-throated Treecreepers laid 2 eggs in their box and have been sitting since Wednesday. In between I added possum protection to their box & tree. 

Our 6-egg Crimson Rosella family are still sitting. The second Rosella box had two more eggs laid, they are sitting on 3 eggs (at least). In between the egg laying for the 3-egg family, I added much possum-protection on the box & tree & trimmed nearby small tree branches. Even gliders should find it tricky to access this box!

The 6-egg Rosella family were already sitting so couldn’t be disturbed with the installation of any additional possum protection. The Rosella box that was raided has been abandoned. However, we are doing better than last year with all 5 Crimson Rosella attempts to nest in nestboxes having the eggs raided and nests abandoned. 

The Wood Duck nest is unknown but not raided – no eggs or feathers on the ground. They are quick to take fright & abandon nests so I am staying away. 

Despite scrubbing out the possum’ed boxes, there has been no interest in these. But it may be too late in the season for nesting hollow discovery. Many plans for next year to increase the uptake of nest boxes and prevent them from being raided, but five bird families nesting that wouldn’t have if no boxes, is something to be happy about!