The Little Darwin resident Curlews have produced another two chicks .TOP : Mother with two day olds. CENTRE : First chick spotted peeping out at world from under wing. ABOVE : More adventurous chick exploring surrounds .
The birth process was stressful - to this blogger and partner . One night , lolling off to sleep during a television documentary on polar bears invading a community in the Arctic , this moulting twitcher was informed that there was something upsetting the Curlew sitting on the eggs up the backyard.
It could not possibly be a polar bear , because we are going through a prolonged hot, humid and dry spell. It could be a feral cat , none of which have been caught in the trap , except possums.
A snake could not be ruled out because ace builder Terry Gaffney had three episodes with a persistent python which kept trying to get at his caged Cockateils , one called Lucky , who , unluckily, escaped and has not been seen since. There are at least two Cockatiels missing locally, according to the community notice board .
Terry , a drummer in a popular Townsville band called Midlife Crisis , caught the snake after the third raid and released it in a wildlife reserve not far from a backpackers resort where , with any luck, it will devour an Irishman sprawled out on a nearby beach in a comatose state after a Full Moon Party .
Lurching out the backdoor to investigate the uproar , the Curlew was heard screeching loudly and on running, more like stumbling , up to the nesting spot a large Possum, a baby on its back ,was seen standing right next to the bird, flat on the ground in protective mode, wings outstretched, screaming Blue Murder.
Banging throngs together caused the Possum and passenger to disappear up a palm tree ; the shrieking ceased . Now that the chicks have arrived they will have to be guarded , especially at night , against cats, snakes and the murderous Barking Owls. Daytime has other dangers .
Five of the six chicks born previously did not survive . The one that did live was firmly told to leave home when the parents again became broody . And just now it has been noticed that the male bird , who injured a leg previously , is again walking with a slight limp. He also screamed Blue Murder when he was captured and had his leg expertly attended to by the wildlife carers from the bespoke Man Friday Mexican restaurant on Magnetic Island .
