Wild Emus at The Lilly Pilly Tree

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This is the Legendary Eric. The chicks are about the same age as in the other photo. But I fancy that you see that the chicks in this photo -- they are classical 'black head' -- got some chutzpah.

SE

 

[briefvisit]

And just for fun: this chick is close to full grown; but it has lost its Daddy and siblings, and was running about cheeping for them:

https://imgur.com/AJ1bMRL

 

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5:49.a.m: GB Emu vocalizes to the west. The interloper female replies immediately. I sit, in the mist, on a warm cushion, drinking coffee.



A ‘resident’ female(s) will often vocalise for hours in the wee hours. So the fact that GB went silent is indicative.



GB and Consort came out for their wheat. He is tamer every day.

https://imgur.com/u7g5tbQ

Why is this photo small?

 

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Meanwhile, the interloper was grazing quietly, out of sight, on the other side of the clearing.



Now, I had an idea of capturing a nice neat decisive stoush between the two females – like yesterday. But what happened was that Consort wandered off. GB did a perimeter check. The interloper was standing quietly down behind the fig tree.



And here’s today’s money shot:

https://imgur.com/RZPp0aO

It's GB drifting down towards the interloper. No decisive action. No feathers flying. And this is soooo usual. It’s what wild emus (usually) do. They jockey endlessly for position, with occasional confrontations.



And: I do this every year. It’s wild spring weather from the ridgecap of the house:

https://imgur.com/eClYBZy

 

[briefvisit]

GB turned up yesterday morning without Consort.

GB turned up this morning without Consort.



Let’s back up: at dawn yesterday, GB vocalized once; a female opposite returned the threat; GB fell silent.

 

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She came for breakfast. I was out observing. No Consort. She scoffed her bit of wheat, then rushed off into the bush.



I thought at the time that it portended something bigger than the interloper female who has been playing mind-games with her.



GB was away all day. I was in the garden in the late afternoon. GB turned up. And so did three wild birds.

 

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https://imgur.com/x6uw8jE

Here is the remarkably 'sandy' visitor.

And my images refuse to upload. Wait.

SE

 

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GB sat down to her bit of wheat. The three visitors crept right up, and GB made almost no fuss at all.



Now, GB is here now -- the following morning. Two other emus have vocalized hard by. It’s fifty-fifty that it’s the trio from yesterday. Let’s see who turns up today.

 

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https://imgur.com/0gn20fj

Here are GB and the three interlopers yesterday afternoon. You can see the sandy bird on the left, and the fourth bird is juuuuust visible for a second, on the right, in the last second of the clip.

The mystery is why GB is so accommodating.

 

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And Consort is back!

https://imgur.com/DmrfOsO