Along the Track

Forest and Bird, Issue 91, 1 February 1949, Page 13

Along the Track

WANGANUI.Today I have in my garden an exact replica of that lovely little story about fantails in the last number (August, 1948, issue, Number 89), “Fantail Family at Breakfast.”

MARLBOROUGH.—A few trees ' near my home used to harbour a number of small birds, and . among them the hedgesparrow was frequently seen searching for food along a hedge and among the branches of fruit trees. During the last twelve months, the birds have become less noticeable and are now rarely seen. In the spring, a plum tree was a mass of bloom admired by many visitors and a good crop of fruit was predicted, but it is a failure. The fruit is not yet ripe but an odd green plum can be seen. A close inspection has revealed that the branches of the tree are loaded with vermin of the aphis type, and the leaves are disappearing. Such a state has not occurred previously and is thought to be due to the arrival of German owls, which have either killed the blight-eating birds or driven them off. There are several owls in the neighbourhood, and night after night their screeching disturbs all and sundry.

MARLBOROUGH.—On visiting a friend, I found there was small need of fly-papers or D.D.T. in the house. A pied fantail was a regular visitor to the —often flying through the window and performing good work in reducing the fly population. One morning was very cold, and the moment the window was opened the fantail flew straight in to alight on the handle of the kettle, where it basked in the warmth of the stove before it began its work among the flies.

HAUTURU.About a dozen pukekos were seen flying over the top of the Hauturu range, which is from 1500 to 1700 feet high. They, we imagine, had come from somewhere in the northern King Country and were making for or in the direction of Kawhia Harbour. When seen they were about 800 feet above the bed of the Awaroa River, which runs into Kawhia Harbour. Are there records of pukekos making long flights?

(Yes, most rails have two types of flight—the usual short, apparently difficult flight they do when disturbed, which gives one the impression their flight is weak, and the occasional strong flight which our Kawhia correspondent has observed, when they appear

to take a new lease of life and fly far and, if necessary, high. Ed.)

NAPIER.Last October I found two birds lying prone and quite exhausted on the floor of the porch. To my astonishment I found that they were shining cuckoos. They remained there for about an hour slowly recovering and then flew away. •It seemed such a strange place for them to take shelter. Do you think these birds were exhausted as a result of their migration or what other reason would have caused them to act like this? We had heard the call of the cuckoo in the garden a fortnight or so before this happened. (Probably in the stormy and cloudy weather prevalent at the time they had come in from the north-west and been blown across to Napier before realising they were over land—they would of course, be exhaustedor possibly blown east above New Zealand and then returned.—

MARTON.Although we live only five minutes’ walk from the Post Office we have the joy of regular visits from tuis, waxeyes, bellbirds, warblers, fantails, goldfinches, chaffinches, yellow hammers, starlings, linnets, while lots of thrushes, blackbirds and sparrows are always with us. Of the native birds, I’ve only seen fantails and the warblers actually building. in our native trees. A few years ago the warblers built their nest in an akerautangi as early as August 4. Our bird bath is very much appreciated by nearly all of the birds. At times it is full of waxeyes splashing away gaily. Only after I had water laid on to the bird bath did the tuis visit it; the other birds were content with the bath being filled up with a can. hat with kowhais, banksias, proteas, cydonias, gums, lucernes and many native trees, and food we give the birds, they are fairly well cared for.

DUNEDIN.— was very interested in the account of the feeding of baby fantails in a recent number of “Forest and Bird.” I watched a parent bird feeding four youngsters. They sat in a row on a branch and they were fed in rotation, 1,2, 3 and 4. This order was strictly adhered to by the parent. However, No. 4 apparently decided he was really very hungry so, following the feeding of No. 2 and during the absence of the adult bird, No. 4 changed places with No. 3. The parent returned, completely ignored the imposter and fed the correct bird, No. 3, at the end of the row, No, 4 was fed next,