Readers’ wildlife photos

Today’s wildlife photos are by Rodney Graetz from Australia. His captions and IDs are indented, and you can enlarge his photos by clicking on them.

Mornings by a Wetland

An adult Purple Swamp Hen (Porphyrio porphyrio) using its foot to hold back the long grass and let its two chicks begin the day.  Their grassy cave was not a nest, just an overnight camp.  Likely about 2+ weeks old, the chicks will now be supervised to forage along the water’s edge, but not out on it.  Adult Swamp Hens can swim, but pin-feathered chicks cannot.

Cattle in peak condition are described by cattlemen as ‘fat and shiny’.  We would describe this adult Dusky Moorhen (Gallinula tenebrosa) as ‘fat and shiny’.  Bright-eyed, bright coloured, with chest plumage freshly groomed, standing on a small raft of Cumbungi (Typha sp.), surrounded by wetland and grassland full of insects.  Its world is looking good.

A wren in non-breeding plumage: most likely a female Superb Fairy-wren (Malurus cyaneus).  Unusual to have stayed perched long enough to be photographed.  Their typical foraging and socialising activities are best described as feverish: one of continuous, high speed, flitting movement.

An adult Black Swan (Cygnus atratus) sublimely cruising offshore.  It is a female, judging by the neck length and the mass of curled ‘bustle’ feathers on its rump.  So far, this year, no (creamy white) cygnets have been sighted.

A Straw-necked Ibis (Threskiornis spinicollis) with a cape of iridescent feathers captured with bunched toes doing a wing stretch.  The ‘straw’ chest display involves specialised coloured and shaped feathers.  If you look closely, the deep ‘Saturday Night Fever’ vee-shaped gap in them indicates it is a male bird.  Spectacular formation fliers, they are great nomads.

Aware that the bird photo encyclopedist, John Avise, recently posted his photos of Australasian Darters (Anhinga novaehollandiae), we add a complementary one of a adult female stretching its surprisingly large gape, given its needle-like beak.  One can imagine the size of the fish that could be swallowed.

This Great Cormorant (Phalacrocorax carbo) is also ‘fat and shiny’ and in the breeding plumage of the bright yellow beak surrounds, and a barely visible crest low on the head and neck.  It is Australia’s largest cormorant species with a wingspan of 80+ cm (30+ inches).  It has a small feather stuck on its beak from an interrupted grooming.

We have posted this photo of an Australian Wood Duck (Chenonetta jubata) family before.  We repeat it here to contrast the next two puzzling photos.  The takeaway impression here is the close supervision of the 10 ducklings by both parents, especially the ever alert male: behaviour that makes this species a very successful breeder.  With this in mind, go to the next photo.

A cluster of 11 (Wood Duck) ducklings, aged 4+ weeks, instinctively huddled together for warmth and security.  Missing are any adult parents: a critical absence that we have never seen before.  These ducklings look ragged and stressed, so our conclusion is they have been orphaned.  But how?  All possible predators of just the adult birds – people, fox, native water rat – are implausible, plus there were no signs of struggle, feathers, etc.  We can’t accept that they were just deserted.

The cluster spontaneously but listlessly moved out onto the water to sit there, seemingly bewildered, and obviously lethargic.  Where now is safety at night: on land or on water?  On land would be most comfortable but unsafe, and ducks are reputed to never sleep on water.  Their future?  We’ve unsuccessfully searched for them since.  A mystery, still.

From Jerry: The abandoned ducklings broke my heart.