Sunday, 14 August 2016

Go South 09 -- Bowra Station, Cunnamulla


Bowra has three species of fairy-wren. I was fortunate to see all three on the one day.

The first is White-winged Fairy-wren Malurus leucopterus leuconotus. These guys were hard to find, let alone photograph. I staked out a set of bushes in the middle of an open plain but, despite hiding behind a large bush, was unable to get as close as I would have liked.

Male!
Female!
Next is Variegated Fairy-wren Malurus lamberti assimilis. These were quite approachable. All I had to do was find some mucking about in bushes, remain quiet and still, and they came fairly close. These are all male birds coming out of their eclipse plumage.

Last of the threes the Splendid Fairy-wren Malurus splendens melanotus. I particularly wanted to get some good images of these birds as they are ... splendid! I found a male in a bush, partly obscured by leaves and branches and twigs [which doesn't help the autofocus] and he came closer and closer until he was in the open about one metre away. Wow. Magic! f-anything but be there!

First sighting. A bit out of focus.
Better.
Betterer.
Gasp. Best.
Quietly retiring.

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