Dusky Grasswren, Red-browed Pardalote and Red-backed Kingfisher

Back in the home environment and the birding continues to be amazing.

If the Centre has Spring, then it has sprung. Birds are nesting everywhere, and with a slightly cooler than average period at the moment, they are active under the cloudy skies.

The weekend activity included a short bike ride where Moses and I found a Red-browed Pardalote frenzy. They were calling non-stop and actively building their "nests" in the side of a dirt mound. The Red-backed Kingfishers were out as well, the one in the photo with the remains of an unfortunate, unknown small reptile.

But by far the most exciting was the Dusky Grasswrens I ran into today. I had tried to find them, and, after searching the spinifex-laden, rocky gullies, finally found some. One in particular was enjoying being a model for the camera.

I hope you enjoy the photos.

Dusky Grasswren

Red-browed Pardalote

Red-backed Kingfisher

A day that started and ended with a Hobby and a Butcherbird with some others in between

This morning I was up early, just before the sun broke above the surrounding hills. An Australian Hobby had caused the White-plumed Honeyeaters to send out the alarm call so I went outside to investigate. It had decided sitting on the power lines not far away was as good a place as any to greet the morning, much to the chagrin of the smaller birds around. Interestingly, one of the birds not so afraid was the Pied Butcherbird. It sat about 20 metres away and stayed there for quite some time, long enough for the sunlight to hit the hills in the background. Eventually the Hobby flew off, and the Butcherbird continued foraging and feeding on the insects in the grass below its perch for about an hour in total.

Australian Hobby

Pied Butcherbird

I spent the majority of the day in and around my mobile office and was amazed at the variety of birds that frequented this small patch. A Collared Sparrowhawk flew past at one point, Magpie Larks, Willie Wagtails, Yellow-throated Miners, Crested Pigeons and a lone Peaceful Dove that sat with the pigeons on the power lines. I was delighted to get another visit from the Red-browed Pardalote and managed a few more photos. I noticed the crown puffed up as it was making its noise.

Red-browed Pardalote

I played around in photoshop just for fun with the photo below, taking out the majority of the colour except for the bird. I actually like the adjusted one of the two.

After the work day had finished I needed to enjoy some quiet spaces and headed out to an old favourite spot. I had in my mind to take some photos of the dust settling over the road with some spectacularly coloured hills in the background. Although it didn't quite come out the way I had imagined, it was still close enough to add to this post.

Dust settles as the sunset lights up the hills

On the way to my "quiet space", I came across a pair of Major Mitchell Cockatoos by the side of the road. They didn't fly off as I was expecting and managed to get some nice close-ups.

Major Mitchell Cockatoo

Once I had arrived at my quiet place, there were only a few birds around, one of which was a Rufous Whistler chasing amoth. The original photo (the first of the two below) was "washed out" due to the sun position, but as with the Pardalote photo above, I had a bit of a play with colour and light and like the altered image better this time as well.

Rufous Whistler catching a moth

As I drove back, feeling refreshed from the hum of the day, I came across an unusual sight. The light was fading and I knew the photos wouldn't be very good, but I've added a photo showing my two original birds from the morning, although not the same two. Sitting perched on a bare tree were an Australian Hobby and a young Pied Butcherbird. The day had come full circle.

Australian Hobby and Pied Butcherbird

Red-browed Pardalote, Southern Whiteface, Fairy and Tree Martins

Red-browed Pardalotes are around Central Australia most of the time, but recently I have been hearing and seeing a lot more than usual. Generally, these cute little birds are elusively in the tree-tops, and I have struggled to get good photos showing their unique characteristics. Recently, this changed. I could hear two birds piping away to one another and eventually located them in a nearby shrub. Camera in hand I warily approached the bush, but unlike previous experiences, the birds didn't fly off, maybe they were too interested in one another to worry about me. Alas they were behind the spindly leaves of the tree for a really good shot, but even so, being this close demanded the photos to be taken. One of them was more in the open than the other so I concentrated on that one. I clicked off a few photos and then realised the shots would be about the same so unless the bird moved, I was to hold my fire. Eventually it did, and to my delight, it flew onto a nearby wire fence. It wasn't too far away from where I was but I didn't want to get too close, and instead hoped the lens would reach far enough. The bird did fly off and I was delighted with some of the photos taken of the bird inside the diamond shapes of the fence.

Red-browed Pardalote

 

The Southern Whiteface is another bird I seem to encounter a lot once I leave the main town area of Alice Springs. They can be quite noisy and their twittering to one another can be frustrating as being so small they can be very close but still unseen. This one was far more obliging.

Southern Whiteface

The Fairy Martins and Tree Martins can be hard to distinguish when they are flying, but much easier once they are perched. Zooming around collecting insects above water and then sitting on nearby fences to preen themselves, seems to be their main daily activities. Here are some who have become tired of the insect catching :-)

Fairy Martin

Tree Martin

Red-browed Pardalote

I encountered this little bird yesterday. At first I just assumed it was a Striated Pardalote, the more common pardalote I see and hear, but then the sound was a little different. As I was looking through the camera, I noticed the spots on the head, a sure sign it was in fact a Red-browed Pardalote. I am more cautious in identifying this species as recently in Darwin I took some photos of what looked like a Red-browed, but it was a Striated Pardalote that had more vibrant "brow" when singing. This one had the spots on the crown of the head and the "red-brows".

Red-browed Pardalote

Smaller birds from Alice Springs to Ampilatwatja

The smaller birds were out in force over the past few days with a few surprises.

The first surprise came at the Warburton memorial, about 60 kms north of Alice Springs. I could hear the Pardalote, but couldn't get a good look at it, and then suddenly it was there, albeit a little way off and in the shadows of the early morning, but I was wrapt to see it was a Red-browed Pardalote:

Closer to Ampilatwatja, there were some lovely groups of birds, flying around in small flocks, and apart from the Zebra Finches, Diamond Doves and Budgerigars, there were some lovely Crimson Chats:

This Rufous Whistler was being a really annoying bird, singing away loudly and contentedly, but staying inside the cover of a nearby bush. I kept waiting for it to come out and it just wouldn't. A bird flew out of the same tree and I followed it. Alas, it was a Crested Bellbird that flew into a distant tree. And then finally, after 15 minutes of waiting, the Rufous Whistler popped out and went into full song,. I messed up the first few photos because the song was so clear, loud and melodic, but I eventually recovered to take this one:

It was a shame it didn't come with sound as the Whistler really was just beautiful through the still late afternoon air.

Next on the list of small birds is the Zebra Finches. I can't explain what it is about these little birds, they are so numerous, so noisy and yet they have so much character and their sound reminds me of the Monty Python sketch "the ones who say Ni!"In fact the Pitjantjara language name for Zebra Finches is "Ni Ni" (I think, I'll double check that tomorrow and change this if it is the case but I'm fairly sure I remember correctly.
So to the photos for this post:

And finally, the Willie Wagtail. This delightful, chirpy little bird kept me company at my accommodation. The photos are good but only because it was so friendly:

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Happy Birding!