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.