on Bird Life on Yanko Creek, N.S.W.



339



hollow. The tree trunk was hard and smooth, and to climb to

the nest I was compelled to chop steps in the tough wood ; even

then I had a fall into the boat, and barked my shins severely

before the object was attained. The nest contained four fairly fresh

eggs. My companion remarked that the Yellow Parrot was be¬

coming rare in the district, but in the course of the day two other

nests were found.


In a shallow knot-hole on a huge bent limb a pair of White-

rumped Wood-Swallows ( A . leucogaster ) had a nest, which seemed

beyond our reach. But my companion, after a stiff climb, and at

the risk of a ducking, secured the three nestlings, and we took

them ashore. They were just able to fly, and gave much trouble

to the photographer. One bird, in fact, flew into a tree, where

it was welcomed by the parents. Then the old birds continued

their efforts to rescue the other fledgelings. Repeatedly they darted

down to the branch on which the young ones were perched, and

occasionally made vicious dives at my head. Finally, the whole

family was united again, but the parents were not content until

we left the vicinity of the tree among whose branches the brood

was concealed.


An interesting nest was that of a pair of Black-cheeked Falcons

(Falco melanogenys), in a big hollow, at the height of about 40 feet.

The birds have nested in the same place every season for a number

of years, though I believe that the eggs have been taken more than

once. Several nests of the Nankeen Kestrel ( Cerchneis cencliroides)

were discovered, some being at a great height in living gum-trees.

One nest was in a hollow of a dead tree, on the bank of the creek.

The brood consisted of five, and, as the birds were well grown, they

were awkward to handle. We got them all out of the hollow

eventually, and, ranged on a bough, they made a fine picture. Four

were returned to the nest, but the fifth eluded us, and tumbled into

the creek. We feared it would drown, but, using its wings as

paddles, it managed to reach the other bank, and scrambled ashore,

safe, though bedraggled. The Kestrel preys mostly on small lizards,

field mice, and insects, but when driving into Jerilderie we saw one

swoop at a Wood-Swallow, and bear it aloft in its talons. Such

an occurrence, surely, is rare.



