The two Curlew chicks have
survived and are at a stage where
they are seen leaping about trying out
wings , ready to launch . The
Berlin Wall has been opened up so that
they can come and go from
the safety of the backyard.
They still hang about
the backdoor at certain times of the day , 6am and 4.30pm , knowing
that they will
get fed . After
listening to the
2am news on the ABC ,
a posse of possums thunder
across
the roof . Rise from bed , don dressing gown , tiptoe
out to backdoor so as not
to wake wife .
As I go to step onto the verandah , intending to
enter the den and fire up the computer , the possums
gallop overhead. Grab a broom
, turn back light on just in time to see
possums leap off roof into palm trees .Two fall down, dong one
and it sprints up a tree. Shake tree and
bark like a dog (what will
neighbours think? ) to put wind up
the critters. Curlews
screech in alarm . Turn
off outside light
and hunch over computer . All is quiet...
Suddenly a
Curlew indicates it is not
happy. Leap up, turn on outside
light and there seems to be a veritable flock of possums –on the ground . Grab broom , make noise
like attacking feral cat (what
will
neighbours think ? ) and possums
race off in different directions. One
pauses at the base of the mango tree , so launch
the broom at it like an Exocet . It
runs up the tree and I
harass it with
the broom and loud killer cat
sounds . Retreat to den , like a Gladiator , and the
possums go silent . About 4am, lurch out of den , make
breakfast for wife who had
not heard the possums .Then slip
into bed to catch up on much needed beauty sleep.
Wake up about 8.30 , bleary eyed, look out window to check on
Curlews . All well .Then a movement caught my eye
in the mandarin tree . At first I
thought it was a bird caught in the netting . No-a bloody
possum ! A young
one well and
truly caught . My wife says it has a lovely face . Standing unsteadily on a chair , with
a pair of secateurs
and a sharp
knife ,
wearing a glove on one hand , I free the possum.
The possum
took a liking to the glove and did not want to let go. It
looked up at me with its
cute eyes as if it
thought I was
a distant relative – a polecat? - with my dishevelled hair . Placed on the ground , it
just sat there , looked back at me ... then bounced off , like a
rubber ball , straight a t the
adult Curlews, causing them to screech
and spread their
wings . After negotiating the mesh
fence , it rapidly climbed up
a large palm
tree . The nights have
been quiet ever
since .
