A gorgeous White-winged Fairy-wren, Glossy Ibis in full colour, and a scared cat and a dingo

Sometimes you get the chance to take some close-up photos of birds that can be quite timid. This happened recently with a White-winged Fairy-wren male. I find these birds can be extremely difficult to photograph at times, but not on this occasion:

White-winged Fairy-wren

A Glossy Ibis has been present at the local ponds recently, and I managed to finally get some decent photographs of this very colourful bird.

Glossy Ibis

I was walking towards the bird hide in the middle of the main ponds area, and noticed what at first I thought might have been a Whistling Kite sitting atop the wooden post to the right of the hide. I have seen Whistling Kites on the post before, so was not really expecting the bird to turn into a cat. I was sure it would jump off well before I approached to a close distance, but to my surprise it seemed stuck in its position. Eventually when I was within about 4 metres, it jumped down, alas to the far side of the Hide. I was a bit confused and tried to see where it had jumped to, and then promptly forgot about the cat as I could see some birds to my left. As I swung around, I saw something that made me realise why the cat had stayed in atop the post for so long. A dingo was only about 10 metres away.

The cat atop the post

The dingo, seriously needing a feed.

Some of the birds, animals and scenery walking the Larapinta Hills

I am very lucky to have a beautiful place to walk the dog in the mornings and evenings - the hills behind Larapinta in Alice Springs. Over the past 6 months I have seen a wide variety of colours, animals, reptiles and birds. I haven't quite made it as far as the Larapinta Trail, but I'm sure if I kept walking I would eventually run into it. Some times I take the camera with me, other times it is really nice to be able to just experience everything the area has to offer without concentrating on trying to get a great photo. I have been amazed at the variety on my door step. Here are some of the photos. I hope you enjoy.

Black-shouldered Kite

Horsfield's Bronze-cuckoo

Rufous Whistler

Splendid Fairy-wren

Western MacDonnell Ranges

Spinifex Pigeon

Dingo

My companion on the walks - Elsey with Heavitree Gap hills in the background

Grey-crowned Babbler

Brown Honeyeater, Zebra Finch, Whistling Kite and a Dingo

I am currently at Papunya, NT, and headed out to one of my favourite birding/photography spots late this afternoon. I attempted to get a bit closer to the action and there were a few birds who seemed to be confident I meant them no harm. One of the most delightful ones was a pair of Brown Honeyeaters, who sat on and hopped around the dead bush in the water. Some lovely opportunities through the lens.

Brown Honeyeater

Zebra Finch

Whistling Kite checking me out

Dingo having a drink

Dingo breaks up "featherweight fight" between two female Budgerigars

A late afternoon session in a creek bed. The cicadas were being "outvoiced" by the innumerable Budgerigars fluttering around and chirping in the trees above. Every now and then one or two Budgerigars would flutter down and drink at the puddle remaining in the creek bed, and I was constantly entertained by a pair of Magpie Larks with a beautifully crafted mud nest in the branches above. A bull was bellowing in the distance, thunder clouds rolled by without precipitation, a Sacred Kingfisher fed its young in a tree hollow further down the creek, and an Australian Hobby would zoom by every now and then. A few cars passed, curious to know what I was doing sitting in a creek bed, then wished me luck when I said I was trying to capture the Budgerigars drinking.

Further up the creek there was a disturbance as two budgerigars fluttered down, squawking louder than any others. They tumbled into the sand of the creek bed, rolling around, feathers flying, claws out, beaks bunting. It looked like a wrestling match for midgets. The camera was clicking away and one looked like it had got the upper hand when WHAM! A dingo came flying from the creek bank and jumped right on top of both Budgerigars. I had seen the dingo earlier but didn't imagine it would try for a feed of birds. The budgerigars forgot their own tiff and scrambled for their lives, one going left, the other right. The dingo decided to chase the Budgerigar that went right. It looked as though it was going to get dinner but the Budgerigar was still able to zip left and right and slowly but surely gained height, the dingo still chasing, until finally the bird was too high to catch and safely flew into a nearby tree. The dingo, still not done, leaped up the bank beyond my sight. It returned a few minutes later, obviously lacking a meal and looking wistfully towards the water. It drank from a much smaller puddle and continued up the bank. Two very lucky budgies!

The Featherweight Fight

and the Dingo chase

Alice Springs to Haasts Bluff stopping at Ellery Creek Big Hole

Spinifex Pigeon

This morning I drove from Alice Springs to Haasts Bluff, stopping at Ellery Creek Big Hole to break the drive. The Spinifex Pigeon above was one of a pair I spotted on the other side of the road from the turnoff. I'd pulled up there not for the Spinnies, but for some other smaller birds, Weebills, that had flown across the road as I pulled back onto the highway. It was unusual to see so many (about 10) so I followed them just off the road and stopped. I then heard a low "Ooomm" from the other side of the car and turned around to see something scurry in between the spinifex grasses. I love these birding moments where you see something totally unexpected.

Below are some more photos of the carpark and waterhole at Ellery Creek Big Hole and more of the Spinifex Pigeons. Hope you enjoy.

Australian Ringneck

Dingo in the carpark at Ellery Creek Big Hole

Pacific Black Ducks "ducking". The Eurasian Coot is not amused

Pied Butcherbird

more Spinifex Pigeon photos