Emus

Unexpected visitors

September 29, 2019

For the past week we've been seeing emus nearby. They've been on the other side of the road and a little towards Sapphire. There was a group of 4 that looked like 2 mostly grown chicks and 2 adults as well as a pair (distinguishable as one had a blue neck and the other white) that we saw on numerous days. There's a bit of water still in a few dams, though not much as we're in a nasty drought: we've had 1mm in the past 2 months and 25mm in the 2 months before that. All the grasses are dead, hence the desperate cattle and endlessly roaming camels.

Anyway, the emus seemed to be sticking close to the water and we did wonder if our dam - which still has some water - might attract a few. Yesterday our question was answered. Anthony went to close the laundry door in the evening and was startled to see an emu just over the fence. He had chicks in tow and was wandering around the dam rim to find a good access point that he and the chicks could negotiate. He found it halfway around and headed down. Anthony had called for me when he saw them and I grabbed my camera. Unfortunately I didn't get a good shot until they were on the other side of the dam.

The striking thing about the chicks is how well their stripes, and especially their spotty heads, camoflauged them against the dead grass.

Once they were on the other side of the dam we wandered out to the washing line as we felt the male wouldn't be worried about us at that distance. He certainly kept an eye on us but otherwise didn't seem disturbed as he strode slowly along with the chicks running around his legs. It was tricky to count them, but eventually we determined there were 11.

Sadly it's likely only one or two of them will make it to adulthood but it was a joy to see them so close. We've got a plover nesting nearby which was annoyed by their presence so we'll be keeping an ear out for its call and checking to see if the emus have come back again. Here's hoping!