Elegant Sufficiency

For some years here on the south eastern slopes of the Mt Lofty Ranges in SA spring heralds the arrival of a handful of Elegant Parrots. Sometimes they breed here. Increasingly, spring has heralded the arrival of the dreaded South African Cape Weed in increasing density, smothering all in its pestilential path, especially in open areas yet to be colonized by native grasses, herbs & ground covers or covered with litter from native trees & shrubs. Managing Cape Weed is tedious, to say the least because of the thousands of fine seed it produces & its ability to continually produce flower stalks seemingly no matter how much it is mowed. 

But wait! All is not lost! The density & spread of Cape Weed this year has been such as to attract a variety of seed eating birds. Red-browed Finches, Galahs, Adelaide Rosellas, Red-rumped Parrots, Crested Pigeons & last, but not least, Elegant Parrots have been dining out on the Cape Weed seeds. The least of these seed eaters has been the feral European Goldfinch. 

Ms Woko & I counted 7 carefully camouflaged Elegant Parrots feeding on Cape Weed seeds this morning, all adults. I counted 2 young ones a few days ago. So that makes at least 9 Elegant Parrots so far this spring. With widespread land clearing for development still occurring in the Mt Lofty Ranges it gives a warm feeling to know that Elegant Parrot numbers are increasing in spring in our neck of the woods.