The Ruru have gone

The Ruru have fledged and while they hung around the property in the pines for a couple of weeks they are now well and truly gone.

I haven’t heard any calls now for days, which is unusual. I am quite worried as our neighbours decided to trim all their shelter belts (ours need doing too but I asked the guy to come back next year because all the birds are nesting at this time of year), prior to him turning up with the monstrous spinning blades of death I had heard the ruru from time to time, but since he came I’ve heard nothing. Of course the birds can fly away, although the young would struggle to fly far and would probably fly from branch to branch but may not be able to escape completely.

I haven’t found any signs of their demise and so I’m hoping they have just sought refuge somewhere else. What’s strange is how early they fledged this year, I’m not sure if it had something to do with the nest box and cameras or some other disturbing behaviour, I don’t want to believe it’s the former because its doubtful she would have laid not two but three eggs if she didn’t fancy the box.

Thyra and one of this Years offspring

I guess I will have to wait and see now if they return next Year, but currently I honestly don’t know if I will still be here on the Farm next Year and I have also made a promise to myself that I would spend next Christmas in the Northern Hemisphere because I really miss the “normal” Christmas and would love to spend some time filming some of the wildlife there. Time will tell I guess.