Grey fantail nest building, Phillip Island birds

Grey fantail, Phillip Island

Such a song - often heard but I'd not watched one singing close up before. The bill really opened wide for the highest silvery notes at the end of each song phrase

"I think I might build something of greatness ..."

Foundations, 50cm from a previous nest (last year's?) about a metre off the ground

Poor view of the arrival of another load of some fibrous plant matter.

What's good on TV? Spider webs of course

Sticky stuff though!

This nest building requires some agility! There was much rapid fussing around the edges.

The next shots were taken one day later and the nest has taken greater shape. It gets tested for size ...

The all important interior design cannot be ignored

One week later ... Voila! What a fine creation. Pizzey describes the fantail nest as a "beautiful small grey cup, tailed like wineglass without a base".

This one's wineglass stem is a little off!

A peak inside reveals a single egg which is not shown well in this iphone shot

I wonder if I'll find a second egg soon.

Sharing with Wild Bird Wednesday

Bird on!

Hide & Seek with a Spinebill - Birding Phillip Island

Silverleaves was pretty wet at times this last winter.

As the old saying goes: It was good weather for ....

Australian wood-duck took to the water where there was usually just grass

A few Chestnut teal had also moved in 

Waterlogged. "The Common" at Silverleaves

Birding was still OK albeit with damp feet! This Eastern spinebill was hanging around our house playing hide & seek.

Hiding in the correa. Eastern spinebill, Phillip Island

Playing peek-a-boo with a grevillea. Eastern spinebill, Phillip Island

There's nowhere to hide on fence wire! Eastern spinebill

 Another individual I'm getting to know is one of the local kookaburras. "He" also like sitting on wires.

Laughing kookaburra. This is his good side.

Here it is giving all in song. At first I thought his eye was just closed but his right eye is not normal

I see him 'round from time to time

The Common - uncommonly wet (Winter 2014)!

Bird on!

Gorgeous Golden whistler - Birds of Phillip Island

Golden whistler, Silverleaves, Phillip Island

I was treated to easily my best views ever of a male Golden whistler at Phillip Island yesterday. This species has often had me craning my neck looking into the canopy to try to find where that marvellous sound was coming from.

As you can see I had several minutes with this fellow as it fed in some smaller trees.

The bird was adept at detecting the presence of small grubs. This one was whacked repeatedly and wrapped one way then the other around this branch before being dispatched.

Bird on!

Shadows & Silhouettes, birding Phillip Island

Had some fun with the last low rays of sun at Phillip Island last weekend.

It is certainly the best time to photograph Hooded plover (and the only way of catching that red eye ring)!

Hooded plover (Silverleaves / Observation Point Beach, Phillip Island) casting an emu shadow!

Can you guess the silhouettes?

Another "Small bird, tall shadow" shot! Red-capped plover.

Sharing with Wild Bird Wednesday

Bird on!

Silverleaves Snipe and Spoonbill Style

Now that we have that necessary bit of alliteration out of the way here's a little update from Silverleaves, Phillip Island.

It's Spring - and it's wet.

The low-lying land is a wetland once again, now deep enough to get Royal spoonbills interested. I counted four there recently and I took the chance to photograph them even though yet another Bass Strait squall was pushing through.

All birds demonstrated bleeding plumage. I read that the males and females look similar

I was pretty happy with some of the angles this bird gave me, showing off its aigrette plumes.

"Oh my! Would you look over there at Reg. What is he thinking? He's been seeing that new stylist"

Rachel couldn't bear to look at him

Quelle horreur!
Here is a Royal spoonbill having an itch in a stiff breeze! 

In other breaking news… The Latham's snipe have returned to Honeysuckle Grove.

I have been driving past this marshy paddock for 26 years. It was not until the 27 November 2011 that the car was brought to a sudden halt one evening (might be dramatising a little, it is a 40kmh road shared with pedestrians) ...

Latham's snipe - such gorgeous markings!

As with the November 2011 experience these photos were taken from the car. On this occasion there must have been at least 20 birds.

Bird on!