Grey Fantail

 Maybe I should change the name of this blog to a new bird everyday as it certainly is the way it seems lately!

I was in the kitchen watching an eastern Spinebill feeding in the fuchsia when I noticed some aerial acrobatics going on to my right Hmm ... this is new I thought so grabbed the camera and Holy Moly these guys are fast!

It was magical to be standing under a tree where they were insect hunting the way they move and dart in the air is seriously like acrobatics! A couple of times I thought one was going to land on me it would fly right up and flutter right in front of me then a twist and a turn and dart away again.

I have taken a couple of short videos of birds lately but haven't spent the time to investigate loading them to the blog.

So here he is still and then he spots something and is about to dart off again.

 The Maple tree is stunning at the moment. A perfect backdrop.

Afternoon Tea?

A young Crimson Rosella enjoying a Crab Apple.

Yellow Rumped Thornbill

During our Egg hunt on Easter Sunday I hear a pretty song and looked up to see two birds I only took photographs of this one showing the brightest colour and being just slightly easier to photograph. Due to the marking on its face I believe it may be a Yellow Rumped thornbill.

Superb Fairy Wrens.

Another bird Identified as what is most common here, though they are not supposed to have blue tails according to my books. Not all members of this flock had blue tails. 

My book identifies a bird of colouring like the first pic as a Splendid fairy wren however they are not known in this part of Australia.

Could this little bird have sat in a more picturesque spot?

Black bird

The Blackbirds are so entertaining, they freeze and think you cant see them, usually they are scurrying about in undergrowth so you really cant see them but this guy wasn't fooling anyone!

Introducing ...

Big Orange one and Big Orange two. These are the original inhabitants of the algae pond. They now also share their abode with Large white and little red.

Red

These Crab apples are now so red and shiny it looks artificial.

The colour is brilliant

One of the Maples is starting to get showy too!

Rhododendron

I was trying to photograph variegated cyclamen foliage when I looked up through a particularly over crowded part of the garden and saw a flash of hot pink.

I had to walk right in there to establish it was what I thought it was. The first Rhododendron flowering!

Blue Banded Bee

I have seen these Bee's around here before but never managed to get a pic. The way they fly is different to regular Bee's and the way they behave on plants also different. There is usually just one amongst the common bee's here and the stripes were always identified by me as white not Blue. Yesterday I saw this one clearly as blue and was able to get a good enough photo to establish its identity.

Its a native Blue banded bee.

From what I read in my identity investigation, this is a male clearly displaying 5 Blue bands.

Crimson Rosella

The Rosella's alerted me with their crunching. We are not seeing them too frequently these days.

This pair still not fully mature judging by the green still showing through in them.

Aren't these feathers just stunning!

Advancing Season

This Photo taken mid March 2011

This photo taken from slightly farther back Mid April 2011.

More Eastern Spinebill ?

On Saturday as I walked under a crab apple to a chorus of about 1/2 dozen silver eyes I heard a fluttering commotion and looked up to see this guy amongst them. He was kind enough to hang around for 1/2 hour or so and eventually left his green little pals to seek out some solitude.

As best I can ascertain this is an immature Eastern Spinebill but I may be way off track here.

Again he/it was quick and agile and I was surprised to see this shot of him in flight.

Here is one of the few Silver eyes he cavorted and competed with.

This following shot was taken in the Crab apple.

  Then he headed out the back and called to alert me to his whereabouts once I thought he had departed, where he found himself some nectar.

Then he was off.

  Delightful!

Pomegranate

The miniature Pomegranate.

Still a mystery.

This was last shared here

The Second Camellia to Bloom

I was Fooled, I was expecting Dark pink after seeing these buds.

But no! The most delicate, not to mention petite, white flower is encased inside.

Rose Robin - possibly the cutest Bird ever

Another swift darting tricky to photograph little one.

Another one I have seen for the first time.

Though he was quick and very active in his movement he also seemed quite cautiously curious about me and would fly about and move quite close to me for split seconds also stopping every now and then to look at me from a distance. 

I think I will most enjoy getting to know the bird life that will visit us in these cooler months.

Looking a bit the worse for Wear

I heard the Cockatoo's screeching quite close and looked out to see this fella above the front door while his mates were hard at work in the persimmon tree.

Upon Closer inspection he seems to be missing a few feathers and is looking Raggedy but no less agile and determined!

He finally get a Rose Hip.

Misty Morning Webs

Saturday Morning I was out early in the Fog for a walk. I saw so many amazing webs on my walk I was back inside for the Camera and out in the garden as soon as I got home. Some of these are massive!