Baza News
8th April 2000 - A great Baza experience! - We haven't seen Baza for about 7 weeks then on Saturday I was outside and could hear Baza calls off in the distance. I whistled back in anticipation it might be our Baza. Looking out to the horizon high above the ridge to our east I could see several birds that, by their flight pattern and whistles, I knew where Bazas. At one point I counted 7 of them. I watched them with Karin & my neighbour for 25mins or so. The group where soaring in circular patterns with occasional individuals tumbling down in a ungainly fashion then rising again. After a while they all seemed to land or disappear behind the ridge at more or less the same place. I couldn't resist and just had to go up to see if I could find them. I marched up to the ridge a little over a kilometre from our house and on reaching the top I again heard their calls about a 100 metres away so I went to them. Well, next thing you know I am standing there in a clearing with a whole flock of Bazas circling around me. I was doing my Baza whistle and calling Baza's name trying to figure out if he was amongst them and, which one is he? I kept trying to count them but it was hard because they where ducking & diving behind trees. At one point I made a definite count of 12 but there may very well have been 2 or 3 more. Anyway, the exciting thing was that they stayed around me for about half an hour! I was in 'Baza Lovers Heaven'. I'm not sure why but maybe because they were curious about my calls or maybe because our Baza was carrying on a bit. You see, one of the birds was much more vocal than the rest and I suspected it could be our baby. So, what do you think happened the next morning? Sure enough, Baza arrives out of the blue after 7 weeks of absence and with his usual fanfare of whistles. He had 2 others follow him in and they circled around the house for 5 mins or so and slowly circled back toward the ridge. Baza stayed about for a couple of hours, flew into the house and got up to is usual antics as if nothing was different. Now I think this is amazing because I doubt we would of had a visit from him if I hadn't gone up and rekindled his memory. He probably thought, "oh shit, haven't seen mum & dad for a while, it's Sunday, better pay'em a visit" Karin & I were absolutely thrilled, we hadn't seen him for that long we were starting to think if we ever would again or that he might have died or something. A more positive possibility was that, maybe he is procreating even though it is very late in their breeding season. There he was though, looking so good. His eyes have become bright yellow and most of his juvenile brown feathers have made way to almost black, stunning! He has made brief appearances a few more times since, about every second day. We are feeling proud & happy to have brought up a bird that is magnificent, and has assimilated so well with his kind. It is clear to me that Bazas are VERY social birds. Our guy is obviously having a conflict of loyalty because he has come just to pay a visit, not for food. He showed little interest in the offerings of a crayfish and minced offal that we know he likes. Eventually he did join us on the veranda and eat some of the mince but more out of politeness or maybe habit, rather than out of hunger. I think that maybe, come Winter, when I suspect feed might be more scarce, Baza will be back & maybe stay about a bit more. 14th April 2000 - Baza has called in a few times over the last week but it seems he is not as willing to stand his ground when the Kookaburras or Butcher Birds have a go at him over the territory. This morning he arrived, sat on the TV antenna for a minute and was promptly chased off by a Kookaburra. He returned an hour later and swooped on a crayfish we offered him. This time, instead of taking it to the shade house roof, we call "the fancy eating table", in his usual manner, he returned to the antenna and after a few moments took off, crayfish in talon, back to the ridge. We figure he wants to show off to his mob just want kind of gourmet fare he gets from his human friends or, is he helping raise some young Bazas? Later in the afternoon he was back again and spent a quiet couple of hours just happy to sit on a veranda rafter and spend time with us. Last visit up close - July 2000
Nov 2000 Baza is having fun out procreating. He/she hasn't dropped in since July but about once a week we get this Baza doing a fly-by, giving us a few chirps and aerial twirly whirlies then off with his/her mates. Sometimes it's a solitary bird but often in the company of 1 or 2 others. Only one does the chirping and deviates from the general direction of where they're going, to circle a few times over our house. It is happening so often and it is too coincidental to be any other than our baby. What an amazing relationship we have and what a blow-out it would be to have him drop in with offspring one day. Then again, I suppose we all have our own lives to live and we are happy enough that Baza is out enjoying being a bird.
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