Fantails always seem happy, maybe it’s the way they flit around after flying insects, maybe it’s their lilting call.
Grey Fantail nest – please view Grey Fantails in an egg cup for more images and comments on the importance of nest photography ethics
Fantails use cobwebs to bind their nests. Seeing them with bills full of white fluff is often the first sign I see of a nest in progress.
Grey Fantail
I wish the fantail’s head had been turned a little more towards me so I could have made better use of the perch and the background.
Grey Fantail
I’m very fond of fantails and particularly like taking images of small birds in low light. Greys are lovely and Rufous Fantails are my favourite small birds. One day I hope to get images of Rufous Fantails that are good enough to share, currently my best images of them are heart photos, in my memory only.
Happy birding, Kim
NB It is possible to receive a weekly email letting you know that lirralirra has been updated – just add your address to the ‘Subscribe to email’ box above right.
Also, I have added a Facebook ‘like’ button. Thank you to all ‘likers’ – much appreciated!
hi kim
it a really nice specie, and well presented with 3 nices pictures :))) well done
see you soon and happy birding
They really are a lovely species, I’m glad you like them too 🙂
Gorgeous photos!
Thank you Gunilla!
Great Photos of such a cute little bird.
I have caught some Grey Fantails in a bird banding project I use to manage. They are remarkably light, only slightly heavier than a Superb Fairy Wren and they have been recorded traveling over 1,200 KM !
Hi Mal, how magical to have held Grey Fantails and how fascinating that they can travel such distances. A few years ago we had one here with a tail so white it looked like an albicauda. I had some experts out to look at it, one agreed, one didn’t and one said we’d need DNA. It foraged over the ground most of the time and was exquisite.
Hi Kim
Grey fantails are one of my very favourite small birds. I used to think how friendly they were towards people until a serious naturalist responded to my delight by describing this as advantageous behaviour for picking up any insects which I may have disturbed on my perambulations. Ah well I derive great joy still at their close flitterings on my bush walks.
Yesterday visited the Tidbinbilla Sanctuary,near Canberra and was thrilled to watch a red bellied black snake hunting for dinner oblivious, seemingly to my presence, plus my first semi wild sighting of Magpie Geese. A lovely pleasant place for lots of birds and reptiles to visit.
Kind regards and thank you always for bring feathery subjects for our enjoyment weekly.
Alison
Hi Alison, although fantails may be taking advantage of our movement they are extraordinarily comfortable with us – I agree that it is lovely to have them nearby; robins too! Your trip to Tidbinbilla Sanctuary sounds wonderful, I’ll add it to my list of places to visit. Thank you for your beaut comment, Kim
I love the nest shot and your small bird photography is the best I’ve seen! Seriously! 🙂
That’s a lovely compliment Sherry, thank you.
What a cute little bird. The nest shot is adorable. Wonderful series, Kim!
Thank you Eileen 🙂
Such an enchanting bird. In that final image it is almost spherical – a feathered ping-pong ball, with infinitely more charm. And I can well understand that they are a bird that you hug to your heart.
‘A feathered ping-pong ball’ – what a great description EC!