Getting to know a bird. Emu-wren.

Southern Emu-wren Stipiturus malachurus to be more precise.

Southern Emu-wren (male), Yambuk

The Port Fairy Folk Festival has become an annual March pilgrimage for us. In the last three years I have visited the Yambuk lakes area and / or Deen Maar and have managed to hook up with this quirky little bird.

This has been a learning experience from scratch.

1st year - didn't know what was seen until checked photos (my gosh that tail)!
2nd year - expected to see them. 'Knew where to look but had fleeting contact with one bird only.

On this year's visit I was just about to declare a disappointing "dip" when I was alerted by a call and flutter of foliage. In the ensuing 20 minutes a family of 3-4 emu-wren tormented me (and I in turn probably tormented them!) as they moved largely unseen around the reeds and heath.

So I have learnt the following about Southern emu-wren:

• They are extremely difficult to photograph!
• They are quite happy to hang around the observer - however the only observations are of moving foliage!
• Noting sufficient discerning features for ID may take a while!
• On the ground or lower branches of heath, emu-wren are confident in their obscurity and may even approach (you just won't see them).
• A bird in flight may give quite a buzz! - just to see the bird in full view with it's ridiculous trailing tail! Of course too brief and too much head rush to contemplate even trying to photograph the thing.
• They seem unlikely to get more than 60cm off the ground (this may help me quickly sort out next time some of the 100+ fairy-wren sightings before the first emu-wren)

Anyway some pictures. I think I'm inclined to waffle more when the photos are lousy!....

Show's over, I'm off! (It was a very brief show)

Another typically difficult view of a male bird. At least the tail feathers can be made out.

From what can be seen of this bird I think we may have female.

Bird on!