Planet Rothschildi

[kbgh]

Quote: I still feel that being he has survived with one eye, Audacious would make a good dad. I am rooting for him and E.F.

 

[Ashburnham]

Figs are still hugely cropping here.
The chooks and wild birds can't keep up with them
I need a few emus!\\

xxxx M

 

[kbgh]

S.E.

A few more of your non-emu natives


Silvereye





Red wattle bird

Range of Red Wattle


New holland honey eater


Enjoy

 

[Chaneys Ranch]

I have read every word and enjoyed every photo. I thank you. These amazing birds are still beyond my reach. So, I still wait. I wish you strength and health in your future and hope to see you back soon. Your writing is past amazing, and have enjoyed it so much. Wish you only the best and hope your health improves, take care of yourself.

 

[Tame Emu Guy]

[Computer bin ill. Days have passed, some of the most beautiful autumn days I’ve experienced in my life: warm, clear, still, quiet.]

# Walk to the compost bin: four wild birds crossing the clearing in single file.

# Walk to the side gate: pair of dark birds walking up from the dam.

# Walk to the end of the carport: scare the bejeebers out of a wild bird who’d snuck up to the lilly pilly tree.

Vignette One
​

Flock of four birds. S.E. just walked across to Observation Blockofwood One, and sat and watched. Two of the birds were the darkest birds I’ve ever seen. (Once, years ago, by the highway, at dusk, I saw a bird I’d simply call ‘black’; but it was dusk, and I didn’t get a good look at it. Okay, apart from that bird . . . )
One had no skerrick of white or ‘salt and pepper’ from topknot to chest feathers.

The group exhibited the brashness that characterises mating-season. These notes are days old now. There have been birds just walking around all over the place. The difference between their behaviour now and generally is remarkable.

The group was, I think, a flock. That is, not a schmooze. There seemed to be a female with two consorts, and another male. Then, to the left, to S.E.’s great joy, appeared a chick. It was the 2012 clutch of the ‘another male.’ The chick was a real runt, readers. In size, only just over half Alpha Chick’s size -- ??!!

What came next was a first for us, a great little datum:

it has become clear that Alpha Chick, although eating well, and easily managing to keep out of trouble, really really wants to be with other emus. I’ve already seen him return from accompanying Audacious and Mystery Female on jaunts.

Well! Firstly, Alpha ‘fronted up’ the tiny chick, made a full ‘rush-flare-prop’ movement against it. It flared right back!! What S.E. found weirdest, though (I was working hard, guys, to figure out which bird to keep the binos on . . . ) was that dad stood and watched this drama absolutely impassively. Didn’t move a muscle!

Then, having threatened the chick, Alpha tried to join the family when they left, and Dark Dad had to actually drive Alpha off.

Have seen Dark Dad and Dark Chick several times since.

Vignette Two​

Early morning:

S.E. is no longer ‘observing’ as part of the project; but he still loves to watch the Morning Show:

I just walked out and plonked myself down ‘off to one side’ of the fig tree, guys, which means I could see the tree, but not the block of gums to its left.

There were seven wild birds visible at the tree, prancing and grunting and booming and rushing and flaring and advancing and retreating and standing motionless and mashing their way deep into the fig tree – standard emu stuff.

S.E. is almost certain that there was another pair out of sight behind the tree – that would make it nine. There was a female booming less than a hundred yards to the east – that’s ten.

(Alpha Chick doesn’t count. It scurries about between dramas, scrounging figs, especially ones that the flying birds drop: you’ll see Alpha or another bird dart away from the tree, and gobble up a fig that a crow has dropped on take-off.)

Then S.E. just stood up to go inside, and realised that there was at least four more birds, including Dark Dad and Dark Chick, just to the left, where they’d been out of sight. That’s twelve or fourteen birds before the morning sun was fully on the clearing.

Report on Felicity
​

As noted above, these notes were written days ago. They are the final post, but S.E. will keep citizens up to date on Felicity’s status:

S.E. was outright wrong about Felicity being evolutionary toast – though he pleads that it was a fair call on the basis of data to that moment.

After going into the house after watching the birds as described above, guys, I poked my nose into the front bedroom, to check up the drive.

That’s because, with the figs within three or four days of finish, and the green pick coming up around the clearing, and the first berries on the lilly pilly up for grabs, the birds’ pattern has shifted from sneak-to-the-fig-tree-from-the-gums-down-the-back, to wild birds sweeping in formations everywhere all day long.

S.E. is sure that it’s not just the food, but part of the ‘flocking-up’ dynamic: the birds (goodness, how many times is S.E. gonna ask: ‘Where have all these birds been all these months??’) are moving about, readers.

They are sweeping about in schmoozes and flocks, in long arcs, definitely on the move.

There’s less drama, and at least eighty percent of the birds are clearly in pairs. My careful identification of birds is over – it takes a lot of time; but it’s still not hard to see that some birds have been ‘in orbit’ for several weeks now: Dark Dad and Chick; Audacious is still around (havin' trouble, K.B., identifying E.F.); Dark Couple has come through (orange eyes); etc.

So, that’s why I checked the front drive: birds skirt the clearing on their way here and there.

And . . . there was Felicity Emu, patiently plodding down the driveway, to come claim her brekkie. S.E. was disappointed and concerned because she was on her own.

Then . . . I saw a bird emerge way behind her. It was Noddy, and he was coming down from the highway, following Felicity down through the gate, towards the house. Gee! Is Noddy a National Park bird!!?? Has Felicity been crossing the highway to look for a mate? (Readers may recall that she has usually ‘operated’ from the east, over near Coffey’s, and comes up a long aisle of gums to emerge at the clearing.)

‘Kay, guys. The report above is days old now. Felicity Emu is a whole noo emoo!! She’s not outright in charge of the whole house-clearing, but she’s holding down three quarters of it.

This is quite satisfactory – there’s a hell of a lot of competition in the droves of birds about at present.

Noddy stands and watches meekly.

Felicity cranks up the ruff, and shunts weaker birds about.

Though I’ve not yet seen any ‘100% Mode’ displays from any birds, come to think of it. Just half ruff and mild booming.

And the pairs don’t move far when Felicity hassles them. There is a ‘ceremonial’ element to it – maybe she’s showing of for Noddy!! On a couple of occasions, I’ve seen Felcity on one side of the fig while a pair was grazing on the other side.

(There are only two birds known to us that could outright hold down the whole house-clearing at this point in the season. Eric is one, but he’s probably left for good for this season. The other is Greedy in Top Form.

If’n you guys ever get a chance for a go-back-in-time ticket to see that gig, bust open the piggy bank!! I’ve seen it a couple of times, and it’s awesome:

every bird of any size shape or form that showed its beak in the clearing or within a hundred yards of it was unceremoniously driven off: ‘Move it or lose it, weaklings!!!!!!’

I’ve seen Greedy sight a bird; take a thirty-yard run-up; and slash a chunk of feathers off its chest . . . all in fifteen seconds. Actually seen little drifts of chest feathers floating to the ground. Whole groups of birds – six, seven, eight – all bolting from her.

It’s not misplaced pride in my bird. She is (was), in simple fact, a double-alpha phenomenon.)

Noddy is rapidly becoming acculturated, as the consorts do. I talk to them, which helps, I think – but the wheat is the bottom line. A handful of wheat for a wild bird is a first-in-a-lifetime event. It’s so very pleasing to see Felicity and Noddy both down on their hocks, finishing their brekkie wheat together. (They have only been coming for brekkie, not dusk feeds -- ??)



So, Go, Felicity Emu!!

 

[Tame Emu Guy]

The photo below was taken from the bench in the garden:



Here below is a wild-eyed Felicity scoring figs from branches that S.E. pulls down. This is our fifth season doing it together. What fun!!

 

[Tame Emu Guy]

Here’s the view from the new garden, guys: no fence; all emus. From left to right: Alpha Chick, a dark bird, and Felicity on the Cruise, gonna move that dark bird on!



Really good photos of the wild birds ‘mashing’ their way into the fig tree would sell, I reckon. S.E. bemoans a final time the lack of skills and equipment (though there are a couple of better photos to come, photos from the Good Camera). Extra Female is surely the most aggressive bird at this that I’ve ever watched. She disappears into the tree. Completely. The branches thrash back and forth like something out of Jurassic Park, then she emerges, head first, having done a 180-degree turn in there!

 

[chickenzoo]

Sorry I've not checked in a bit......I've missed your photos and reports. ill catch up on all of it. Hatched 3 little moos and have been enjoying them.before they find new homes....

 

[yinepu]

I'm so glad Felicity is there with a mate.

Also rather impressed she has claimed 3/4 of the house clearing too!

 

[Tame Emu Guy]

Hey, Yinepu!!

The Felicity Thing?? Let’s wait wait wait. She has had a ‘named consort’ before, but lost him (Foxtrot Charlie).

And the power dynamic of the clearing? I find it centrally interesting. It’s the primary reality of The Emoo Thang Here: except when a bird or pair has the clearing to themselves, every step a bird here takes is governed by rank.

Indeed, we know from last year’s observations that vocal warnings are issued at a distance of a half a mile or more: ‘You come over here, Distant Female, and I’ll whup you!!’ Here is Felicity doing this last winter:





Bear in mind, Y., that Felicity does not at present face Greedy. There is also the possibility of a wild alpha bird setting up shop. To claim is one thing. To hold at length is altogether another!

[Go, Felicity!!]

S.E.