Exploring Pigeon Valley: The young ones
The riches of Pigeon Valley Nature Reserve explained by Glenwood resident and chair of the Friends of Pigeon Valley.
This is the 54th in an ongoing series that highlights the riches of Pigeon Valley, the urban nature reserve in the heart of Glenwood. The focus of this article will be on the youth of summer.
From late Spring new sounds start to emerge in the symphony – sounds I can’t quite place. I believe that I should recognise each bird call that is typically present in Pigeon Valley and get a bit thrown when I can’t. Some of these, though, I suddenly realise, are youngsters who are trying out the calls and have almost got it right, while others are youngsters making odd sounds that are not close to the adult repertoire.
The behaviour of young fledglings is designed to ensure the most effective emotional blackmailing of the poor parents – quivering, calling incessantly, and gaping bill. It reminds me of street urchins who bend their heads dolefully while thrusting out their hands. And the parents generally seem to respond appropriately, as if driven by guilt at their shameful neglecting. In the photo, a young Spectacled Weaver begs to be presented with food from the fruit of a Fluted Milkwood that has split open on a bench.
ALSO READ: Exploring Pigeon Valley: An unknown Cryptocarya
Of course, the ‘I’m a hungry child!’ behaviour becomes most unreasonable when the chick is an interloper, hatched from an egg placed in the nest by its parasitic parent. To see a diminutive host use all its resources to feed a demanding chick that may be much larger offends our ethical notions. Yet, in the end, the species will use its strategies for survival.
Crispin Hemson chairs the Friends of Pigeon Valley, a group that undertakes clearing of alien plants, keeps records of bird and mammal sightings and alerts management to any problems.
The Friends have a monthly walk at 7.30am on the second Saturday of each month. Email: friendsofpigeonvalley1@gmail.com.
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