world Bird Wednesday - At the Pond Again

The other day, just before our heatwave hit, I went to the pond

and fed the gander with the Sacred Ibis watching and an idle magpie

flying past.

Suddenly it seemed as though all the birds accepted me, I

walked around the side of the pond to quite close to the ibis

but they minded not at all. Oddly, the rosellas screeched no

alarm calls, nor did the blackbirds. I sat on my bench, half hidden

by a Wattle and little birds flitted all about me. First the Grey

Fantail (below) and a number of blue wrens.

The Little Grebes seemed bored and turned tail . . .

a Black Duck (right) went about it's business with an as yet

unidentified friend, no longer unidentified due too the kind

response of Stewart M, who recognised it as a Eurasian Coot.

Thank you once again Stewart.

another Fantail posed in the shade quite near me

and a Willie Wagtail checked me out and was joined by a friend

but then the most remarkable thing happened and the White-

faced Heron landed and grazed his way around the edge of the

pond. Here in the shade you can see where he gets his name.

Normally at the first sound of a human or car he would already

have taken flight.

The Ibis wandered over to have a chat with the heron and a

few ducks and after the heron left, I too walked to the other

side

where a Singing Honeyeater joined me

and showed how mean he could look flying straight at you with

that black robber mask on.

Another Grey Fantail. I was surprised that they are already here

in numbers as they normally come in February and presage the

autumn rains.

Here he is again out in the full sunlight.

It was a wonderful feeling to be so accepted only because the

gander ate out of my hand. I know my photos aren't so clever

but the experience was just great.