Wild Emus at The Lilly Pilly Tree

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The Old Guy Here went for wee in the early hours. Turned on the light. And a female emu vocalised to the east. It's surely Offsider.

And is Offsider 'guarding' Limpy Chick? Heaven knows, readers! She comes and goes for wheat. (She's not entitled, as she's not a home-team bird; but it seems mean not to give her some.) She vocalises during the day, and perhaps last night.

Yesterday afternoon, we tried to track her when she happened past the house, but gave up about a quarter mile later, as she seemed to have no pattern to her movement -- just the way she'd move if she didn't want to be followed. She is clearly much smarter than Supreme Emu.

And an odd thought: what might have happened if Undersized Emu and Sandy had stayed two days more? If Limpy Chick was incubating, would Offsider still seek to control the house-clearing?

 

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https://imgur.com/dOTSJQM

 

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https://vimeo.com/1086639443/0773b8a786?ts=0&share=copy

Let's get these clips up: this is perhaps the last one of Undersized Emu. Is Sandy visible? He was just on the edge of the clearing behind U.E.

 

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https://vimeo.com/1086639634/e33fa59537?ts=0&share=copy

This is the closest we got to Sandy in the few days he was here. Quite a nice-looking male.

 

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https://vimeo.com/1086640483/4d9b12bfae?ts=0&share=copy

This is Offsider in dawn light this morning. (Dawn observations are fine. Yesterday's dawn was cool. Today's was outright cold.

We were able to tell from repeated vocalisations where she was down to about twenty or thirty yards. If the female is close, and the air is still, you can do that.

 

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Undersized Emu and Sandy are here. U.E. is being hounded by Offsider.

 

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A certain three emus here this morning

 

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https://vimeo.com/1087325883/4dfbc10a05?ts=0&share=copy

 

[AntiqueB]

Undersized Emu and Sandy are here. U.E. is being hounded by Offsider.

Perhaps this means Limpy Chick is still nearby, with a nest.

 

[briefvisit]

It's likely one of two things, Antique. The wheat -- even though it's just teaspoons -- is a factor. So, maybe Offsider has finished and task, and 'left' . . . except just over there is some wheat.

The other possibility is that Offsider has chosen to stay in the vicinity. It's contrary to the literature, but it's what we saw with Greedy and Felicity.

PS Mustangs just north of the house-clearing at dusk. Mare and foal, from the poop.

SE