I have been hearing Black-Faced Cuckoo Shrikes for a few weeks now and seen them flying over Elster Creek and along my street with what seemed to be mouthfuls of food. Last night I finally found, a few hundred meters down the road, their nesting/roosting area, a juvenile and its parents. A return visit this evening and I found two juveniles and short while later two parents turned up with the evening meals. This is not a very common bird for the inner suburbs – it is much more common in the drier country to the north. While I was photographing the Cuckoo Shrikes a new neighbour drove up and started to chat about what I was doing (nearly getting run over by the cars coming home from work). As it turned out Mady has a pet Rainbow Lorikeet called Arcus (Latin for Rainbow). She brought her out and I took a few photos (after Arcus took a climb around my neck and shoulders and bit my finger)
Black Faced Cuckoo Shrike chick waiting patiently for a parent to bring a meal
Juvenile Black Faced Cuckoo Shrikes
A bit of a stretch of the wings while waiting
A meal finally brought in after a few hours of waiting…
Mady and Arcus – both new to the area…
Arcus likes to get into places like eyes, mouth and nostrils…
Mady and Arcus III
Mady and Arcus IV
Arcus seemed curious when Mady’s hair blew around…
The Gap Year and Beyond 