My first morning at Wirrialpa Station in the North Flinders Ranges,
I fully expected to be a flop.
I was out there as the sun rose and nothing stirred at all. As my
hands got colder, my camera got heavier and suddenly there they
were, a Variegated Fairy-Wren (female), Malurus lamberti
with a pretty iridescent pale blue tail.
A young male coming into colour,
just see how tiny it is against the leaves
and miracle of miracles, a mature male in mating plumage whom
I almost missed in sheer excitement. I only got one shot at him and
this blur was it.
If you can imagine anything smaller still, here is a Chestnut-rumped
Thornbill, Acanthiza uropygialis, the tiniest of tiny cuties.
Just check out those soulful little eyes!
This Hall's Babbler, Pomatostomus halii, in contrast, is almost the
size of a blackbird.
They have quite a long sharp and strong beak.
And lastly, a Singing Honeyeater hiding in the bushes.
This was just my first morning's birding, there are many more to come . . .
