What yachting function for this?

[Troppo]

When my sister visited from Sydney, I took her out to see Windchaser. She knows little about boats and being the older sister, she wanted to avoid embarressment from asking too many stupid questions. After some time on the boat, which she started to fall in love with, I asked her if she had seen the little cup sitting on the rope and wire I mount the pulleys for hauling the outboard out of the well.

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She replied she had noticed it but was totally mystified as to its maritime function.

I said it was a Wilie Wagtail nest (Rhipidura leucophrys). She then admitted she believed it looked like a nest but didn't say anything as she thought with the mysteries of yachting it probably played a significant role and she didn't want to show her ignorance.

We both laughed.

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[Phillip]

G'day Troppo,

During January when Shaun and I were holed up in Fame Cove in Port Stephens I had a vist from a Wilie Wagtail.

Now this Wilie Wagtail had been hanging out around Seaka for a couple of days and as I had been quiet when he visited, he had become quiet tame.

One day I was down below quietly reading, as you do, when this Wilie Wagtail appeared at the cabin door, looking at me, he then flew up
and entered the cabin and in little flutters proceeded to fly slowly around the cabin looking it over. I was so awed by the sight of this
Wilie Wagtail flying around the cabin that I didn't dare move, even to get the camera for a photo.

After he left Seaka he never came back as the weather socked in with high winds and rain.

But I'll always remember Fame Cove for the day that I was visited by a friendly Wilie Wagtail.

[Troppo]

That's interesting, Phillip. Seems the Willie Wagtail is a much better appreciater of sailing craft than I had given the species credit for. Seems those little birds love the Top Hats : ).

[Phillip]

Here you go, knew I had a photo of the little chap!

[Shaun]

Here's one I saw, not a willy wagtail (i dont think so, unless its a young one), looks like some type of finch.

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[Troppo]

Phillip, that's the one. Cute little birds that always seem filled with energy, flitting around the place.

Hmmm, Shaun I think this one is a white-breasted woodswallow (Artamus leucorynchus). While not actually closely related to swallows, same family as butcher birds and magpies, they do catch insects on the wing like swallows do.