In Touch With Nature

Hokitika Guardian, 12 March 1923, Page 4

In Touch With Nature

A WEST COAST OBSERVER’S | NOTES. ! (By J. Drummond, F.L.S., F.Z.S. j in '‘Lyttelton Times.”) .Mr A. P. Sharkey, of Ross, who has had an enviable life-long friendship with native birds, mostly in the dcu.c rain loi'ests of Westland, wrote on February fjtli that a week previously In .saw two shining etn kns, in splendid condition, picking spiders off an old wooden funce. He supplies the following notes: “Shining cuckoos seem to whistle very seldom at this time of the year; they are shyer now than when they first appear in the spring. I hey always appear in my garden between October Ist and Otli without fail. They are not in the least afraid then. They whistle within six feet of ne- in such a weak tone that anybody who did not see them would think they were a hundred yards away. A few minutes later out come the beautiful notes in full, rich, tones. Our shining visitors are very fond of the grey caterpillar grubs, darting down on them when they are turned up with the soil. The cuckoos disappear from here in March.” The shining cuckoo’s, plain long-tailed iclalive i. s ’the subject of tin’ following note from Alt' Sharkey: “Fishing in t-lie Totara River two months ago. I heard a commotion amongst starlings in a de-,-aved white pine. I was amused to see .. ' Umg-tailed mu koo tumble oil a hrancln It wn- aliaehed by a M'urm of starlings. It recovered itself bel ire il reached the igrmind. and U (lew into low scrub, leaving some of H-s leathers floating in the air. The starlings 1 no follow up the robber and tune ,t out of its hide in the way Inis would h-ive done. 1 never have seen he shining euekmi chased or attacked by anv hird." Mr Sharkey regretfully records a murderous assault by his old iiioi.fi -it" mi The incident was ileserthed to him by Mr E. Roehl’eord. who, when tn the hush cutting lireweod, felt drops ol blood fall on him. Looking up. I"' saw II tII i attacking a wood-pigeon, w ml- - silling half stunned on a hra'e >i -„„| hie, ding at Ihe head, which ‘he tut nec-kiin- cruelly. The wo.id-ptg "ms (■ill wa~ -pread out and it roe-“'l d v'c-:, I- ii'.-s until Mr Roehefnrd frlghl"iithe murderer away with a well-aim--tom-. Mr Sharkey adds: "I hat e tu: hundreds of times sitting ep- • ;,-iie w ci-id-pigi'ons on branches, -mgi.,.. ,1,1,1 croaking with their leather- -ill puYed Up right into the wiiiid-ptgeom ~nd playing and hopping aivm-o them, mil never attempted to mo'--: them. Tui.s are verv vetigel ill '..!■■ -• nesting. They will nut allow strange birds to go near, as the long- •!-■ cuc-k in! the starling know to lliett cost. | have seen a tin ''basing *tnr--lill -us like a furious bee. \\ I" t 1 h‘cii senree sinrf mml-’a' mtoi*; 1"; m odd one snows up ooensiomdr. • the noon l.ody must have migrat'd to mini Imr part of Urn count ry. ■ " the quickest and best birds lor de-li"'-;„c cardan pests, especially on ' lmes""biit thev are destructive to ! v-toriued berries on the «'„rra nt-hush-ruining a cron in ahoul two hour-. They are kept oil' most elleetn -'l\ V I he 'win--- feathers of a fowl stuck in a „ small potato, to res- ’Uim«' a c,„. H . a.-',,. 1 'la ee a piece ol -I ring around lb- potato. tie it " r,,i j thrust the end of the rod m tlie gren d , i„- is shintinglv el tl-'cni rant Im-lu-s. WI -it e-e.V''s anil sparrow -. , ,1,1 j 1.,, sa-irc-e-i'o" is a haw h ■ t hinkiiie tha C lie . ~ ".ill give the fruit a wide lurlti