Some days you just don't feel like doing much, but on this one we had to be down at Rainbow Beach in the morning. After finishing there we met up with Mick to do some bird watching and photography in the afternoon. We ended up at Seary's Creek just outside of Rainbow where there are always birds.
Click on photos to enlarge.
Seary's Creek
We sat at Seary's checking out all the bird activity going on in what was left of the Melaleuca flowers. There were Scarlet Honeyeaters by the dozen. Also present were White-cheeked Honeyeaters, Silvereyes, Grey Shrike-thrush and a Grey Fantail. To top it off an Azure Kingfisher went flying down the creek, (sorry, no photos of that one)
Brown Thornbill (Acanthiza pusilla)
While Mick was taking photos of the Grey Fantail hawking for insects off logs in the creek, this Brown Thornbill landed in bushes right beside us. After letting Mick know it was there, we both tried for photos. I was higher and closer and able to get a clear shot, whereas Mick would have had to stand up for a better photo, but stayed low as to not make the bird fly away before I could at least get some photos first. Looks like I owe you one Mick.
Brown Thornbill (Acanthiza pusilla)
Brown Thornbill (Acanthiza pusilla)
Brown Thornbill (Acanthiza pusilla)
Some of the Heathland vegation at Seary's Creek
14 comments:
Beautiful! I'm glad you got some clear photos.
...another beautiful little bird I know nothing about. I'm learning so much! He is very much a sweetie...
Hard to get them in the bushes. Good try.
Fantastic shots, Neil and sounds like great outing too!
Neil, lucky you to get the Striated Thornbill! Is it quite rare in your area?
G'day Neil,
Bloomin Thornbills! You're probably correct, bit hard to tell from a picture, but that wouldn't be a 'Brown' would it? The buff forehead, reddish eye, down low rather than in the tree tops. Did you hear a call at all? Browns have a distinctive deep rolling like call rather than the high pitched tizz-tizz of the Striated.
Your heathland vegetation looks a little healthier than our stuff down here at present.
Regards,
Gouldiae
What an interesting and pretty little bird.
Thanks Mick,Kelly,Arija,Madahmas and Tranquility for your comments.
Bob & Cynthia no it is not rare in our area just hard to find and see sometimes.
Thanks Gouldiae. No it was not calling but it was doing a little hover on the outside of the tree for a while. Had the bird expert on the binoculars while we were trying for photos. He knows both the Brown and Striated and their calls.
That's a cool looking bird. Good job on getting the photo through the foliage.
Thanks MaineBirder they are very hard to get a good photo of in the trees when they are so small.
Once again mum you did well, just wait till i (we) get back from the islands this time. You should get some good shots over there to
Thanks Tarzan looking forward to it just hope for calm seas.
Nice to find your Blog.
For what it is worth, I am with Gouldiae, re the Brown Thornbill.
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I do not mean to be picky - rather, just trying to help out.
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The first image of the Thornbill shows the crescent shaped markings on the forehead (not white vertical stripes) and the third image of that bird shows clearly the dark red eye. Striated TBs have a grey eye, which is much less prominent because of the lighter colour. Small Thornbills with obvious dark eyes are nearly always Browns (on the east coast).
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Hope you take the comments in the cooperative spirit in which they are offered. "Mick" and I are blogging colleagues, and regularly offer constructive comments.
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Cheers
Denis Wilson
Thanks Denis constructive comments are all a part of learning thanks again will change it to a Brown.
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