Food Relay

Yesterday I watched the Pardalotes while I was washing dishes in the kitchen (which opens onto the family room). Both adults were very busy collecting food for the babies in the nest.

One would fly in with a morsel in its beak, perch on the heater flue next to the nest and chirrup to announce its presence. The other would emerge from the nest hole and fly off up to the 'exit' above the high windows, and the one with the food would disappear into the nest; gentle chirps would be heard at times emanating from the hole.

When I finished the dishes, I installed myself on a chair with the camera but there was a lull in the food production line I almost caught one shot of Mum or Dad with what looked like a grasshopper in its beak (too fast for me, so a bit blurry, sorry).

One of the adults popped its head out and waited for a bit, then seemed to get tired of waiting for its partner, so flew off outside. I caught it on video (click on link below thumbnail for YouTube clip):

“Can't wait any longer…going out!” 

I could hear Pardalote calls outside, so with my camera on Movie mode, I went out to look - usually a vain endeavour as the tiny birds are easily hidden amongst the leaves of our many trees and the penetrating quality of their call makes it difficult to locate the source. Just as I think I've worked out which tree to concentrate on, I'll hear the call further away!

Pardalote Call in Tree

So this video shows just a tree with an audible Pardalote's call...and a Butcherbird call at the end - a lovely sound but I hope they stay down in the valley and don't come hunting near our house, as we have swallows nesting under the eaves as well as the Pardalotes looking for food for the babies - not to mention their babies once they venture into the outside world.