The Channel-billed cuckoos have arrived in Belmont North - 5th October 2023.

I was day-dreaming, enjoying the midday warmth as I took my lunchtime walk with the dogs. The unmistakable, raucously shrieking calls of a Channel-billed cuckoo intruded into our reverie.  His cries shrieked and echoed around the neighbourhood while four Australian ravens followed in hot pursuit around a metre behind his tail.  I chuckled to myself, wondering if the ravens nests were unguarded.  Last night we had a southerly change arrive, and it rained most of the night.    

Right on cue, the spring cycle of renewal continues like clockwork.  The both species of large migratory cuckoos are here now.  It will be interesting to compare relative abundances as we are very much headed for drought this year.  The last three or four years we have enjoyed very good winter rains.  This year, drought is making itself felt already.  

The Masked plovers who had four tiny little golf-ball sized chicks are down to two, but wow, they have grown.  The surviving chicks are very large now, 3/4's adult size and it appears it wont be long before they will be able to fly.  The other pair that had two chicks have vanished.  I expect they have lost their brood, and have moved elsewhere to try again.          

The Eastern koels have reached Belmont and breeding Masked plovers.

This clear Wednesday morning I found myself deep in thought, scratching my chin and savouring the stillness with a mug of black coffee.  The rest of the house slumbered.  Should I take my morning walk now or after coffee?  Hmmmm . . .  decisions.  It was a well before 5am as I dressed and started lacing my boots, sipping carefully.  The bantam next door had just starting to announce the day.  The distinctive call of a solo male Eastern koel began to interrupt my meditations.  The cuckoo vanguard has arrived at Casa da Ayre. 

Another Spring begins in earnest.  It was completely predictable, as I observed a Koel calling at Maitland during my lunch break on Monday afternoon.

I'm back, and smile as several loitering pairs of Masked plovers (I struggle to call them Masked lapwings when I'm feeling recalcitrant) are teasing our dogs from the street. Both pairs of plovers currently have small golf-ball sized chicks scuttling about the neighbourhood.  One pair has four chicks, while the other pair are already down to two.

Like the arrival of the migratory cuckoos, the slaughter of the plover chicks has begun.                  

Eastern Koels are back - Monday 25th Sept 2023

They're b-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-c-k ! ! !

It has been a long time since I've had an observation worth recording.  I was enjoying my lunch on the banks of the Hunter river at Maitland yesterday, when the unmistakable call of an Eastern Koel echoed around me. 

It was my first sighting of the migratory cuckoos for Spring 2023.  The Channel-billed cuckoos won't be far away now, and the dollar birds not far behind them.  

The endless cycle repeats.