Wild Bird Wednesday - The thrill of another lifer . . .

More birds from the Port Augusta

Arid Lands Botanical Garden

If you take the trouble to hike out in the blazing sun 

to the bird hide on the hill

you will be rewarded by a nice breeze cooling you down

through the viewing slit

as well as sightings of some uncommon birds

female Zebra Finch

Zebra Finches are a common enough sight 

near inland waterholes

here a female is playing leap-frog

over a male

for me however, this was the big thrill,

a tiny White-winged Fairy Wren

the female, above is much like that of the 

Superb Blue Fairy-wren except for the lack of the red eye ring

but the male is a superior being of iridescent blue

with startling white wings

difficult to photograph with all the grasses hiding him

as both he and his little hen bathed 

in a palm sized puddle

I was lucky enough to also capture an immature male,

obviously their offspring.

The fairy wrens are on my bucket list, 

I have three colourful ones to my credit 

with this lifer

but time is running short . . .

Linking with Stewart's

Wild Bird Wednesday

Wild Bird Wednesday & Nature Notes - Zebra Finches

These Zebra Finches, Taeniopygia guttata, were from our 

trip to Wirrealpa station in the desert country east of 

the North Flinders Ranges.

The first shot is just to give you an idea of the size of these 

busy chattering little birds. 

The little female kept watch in the Acacia tree by a waterhole

while her mate cautiously went for a drink

her ladyship is on the alert

while himself is at the bar guzzling down a few beers as fast

as he can

she checks him out and thinks he has had quite enough and,

like the good fellow he is, he joins her and they merrily fly off.

Although these birds can be found almost Australia wide, they are

more prevalent in the arid inland of the continent.

Linking with Stewart's

Wild Bird Wednesday

and Michelle's

Nature Notes