Kookaburra in the old gum tree

Australia has more gum trees than I care to count; I would hazard a guess that no-one has counted them all.  We have gum trees sheltering us.   Their falling leaves are another story ... I have the self-appointed task of raking them up and transferring them to a bonfire.

 

Two days ago I heard willy-wagtails creating a raucous.  Willy-wagtails are a small bird with a huge inbuilt survival kit.  Spring is when they nest; spring is when they chase any bird that looks like attacking their young; spring is the time they dive-bomb humans who venture too close to the nest.  A willy-wagtail making a dive at one's head is not funny!

 

Wondering what was worrying the wagtails I peered into the old gum tree.  Three wagtails were flying in close formation around the head of a lone kookaburra.  Give Mr Kookaburra his due, he ignored the onslaught!  My sudden appearance decided the wagtails the battle they were waging was not worth the effort and they flew away, which made me wonder if this was simply a learning curve designed to teach the young how to protect themselves.

 

I hurried indoors and managed to take a photo of the kookaburra who sat undisturbed on an overhanging branch.

 

 

The wagtails did have a case re the attack as I believe kookaburras are not against raiding the nest of a wagtail.