Being a regular visitor to
Abattoir Swamp at Julatten I noticed a pair of Willie Wagtails building a nest
next to the exit on 2 January. The nest was already well advanced and the birds
seemed totally unperturbed by all the comings and goings of the workers
repairing the boardwalk to the bird hide.
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| Wrapping spider web around the nest |
Both birds where coming in with pieces of bark and grass
and carefully inserting them into the nest. Every now and so often one would
turn up with its bill and head covered in spider webs. It would wrap these
around the outside by turning around and around whilst standing in the nest.
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| The half completed nest |
After arranging each piece of nesting material they would
sit in the nest and shuffle around to shape the inside of the cup.
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| Shaping the inside of the nest |
On another of my visits to the swamp on 14 January the
pair was sitting on three eggs and still totally unperturbed by all the
comings and goings. Vehicles leaving the area pass within 2 metres of the nest!
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| Sitting on 3 eggs |
On my latest visit on the 29th January one of
the eggs had hatch and the chick was loudly demanding to be fed.
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| Nestling loudly demanding food |
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| Waiting quietly for food to arrive |
