from July 2010 Newsletter
Back in 2009 when I was a member of NATF I was fortunate to be passed my 1 and only Drongo bird that had migrated here from
The Drongo was very weak, undernourished and had a bone protruding from it’s chest. It was taken to a vet who promptly pulled the bone out with some tissue still attached. We never did find out from what part of the body the bone came from.
The Drongo survived all this treatment and care and as a group of Drongo’s were found up near Nelson Bay, it was released with them ready to build up it’s flight muscles for the long migration back to New Guinea.
Well to everyone’s surprise the bird migrated back to Nelson Bay this year (see picture where it is sitting on the edge of a table ready for a dip in the home owners pool as they love swimming in pools).
It is full of mischief, coming down when it needs a support feed, eating the cats food, not that the cat minds I’ll have you know, it sits there and just watches.
What a great success story for a bird, when released we were not 100% sure that it would survive the migration to New Guinea let alone coming back the next year.
We know it is the same bird as I taught the family to support feed it when released. The wild ones who have been coming there for years to this property won't go near the house or occupants, only this one as it knows them. Doesn’t go near their visitors either. Date stamped and everything. Also in the photo you can see the right wing is slightly higher than the left. This bird presented with right wing out of alignment and unable to fly till protruding bone was removed. Then it could fly again but wing never fully re-aligned.
What an inspiration this must be to others, to go the long haul with care for unusual and unique birds we occasionally get into care.
Valda Barton
Head Carer Birds
