Superb Fairywrens are truly superb.
I was stoked when this female Superb Fairywren landed in such a beaut spot. The lighting was perfect as the subject and the thin, gnarled perch were lit up nicely while the bushland in the background was in shadow. Female Superb Fairywrens have distinctive brown bills, lores and eye-rings (lores are the areas between the bill and the eyes).
The male fairywren above is in his eclipse plumage, he has lost virtually all of the blue feathers that adorned his body during the breeding season. If you look closely you’ll see a few minuscule blue feathers on and around his face. The males here are wearing their blues again. Older males can sometimes maintain the colour throughout winter.
I now have an ex-shed. I had cleaned it out recently and am very glad I wasn’t in there when the branch came down.
Next year’s calendars will be ready to order soon. I will share photographs so you can see what you think of the photographs I have chosen. I’ve been re-reading some of the fabulous comments I’ve received about this year’s calendar; it’s very rewarding to know they were appreciated.
Thank you and happy birding, Kim
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Beautiful! Great to see the difference between a female and non breeding male. Glorious to see so many about in the garden at the moment!
They are so gorgeous aren’t they! It’s impossible not to keep watching them whenever they appear xo
The fairy wrens do indeed deserve that accolade. And speaking of superb I am really, glad that you are doing another calendar and will order at least two.
That is awesome EC, thank you!
They certainly are superb birds -one of my faves. I love the way their little tails sit so jauntily at a 45 degree angle. I love watching them flit from branch to branch amongst the salt bush down here in bayside – they are so energetic, and they always fill me with optimism. If a creature so tiny can survive and thrive in our windy and wild weather – then I have no right to complain, either! I love that photo you took a while go, of the male carrying a yellow petal to present to his lady love – so charming. Trees are toppling all over the place with these gusty wind storms – gum trees especially seem prone to this, probably because of hidden termite damage to their branches, and the harsh winds blow them to breaking point. Probably a few poor birds evicted from that tree – lucky you weren’t pottering about in that shed, Kim! I treated my self to a charming little book the other day – and I think you should treat yourself as well, after a nasty shock like that – it’s ‘Poems About Birds’ a Macmillan Collector’s Library edition, only $23, and a lovely little hardback, you can pop it in your pocket and read in your garden, surrounded by birdsong. Just a joy to dip into. Birds are both prosaic and poetic marvels!
That’s an interesting thought about termite damage as we recently found termites in the wood pile, which is luckily quite a way from the house. That book does sound good. I think of William Blake and his poetry about birds, including (from memory) ‘he who shall hurt the little wren, shall never be beloved of men’ and ‘a robin redbreast in a cage, puts all heaven in a rage’.