Willie Wagless

Wandering along a creekside the other day I could hear the pretty calls and scolding chatter of a Willie Wagtail which soon showed itself by landing beside me on a fencepost.

Willie Wagtail

It was a young bird with soft new feathers and no tail. Photographing birds that have both black and white feathers can be tricky as the exposure has to capture the whites without over-exposing them while retaining detail in the blacks. I particularly like the various browns that can be seen on this bird’s back and sides, along with the fluffy pure whiteness of its underparts, lower back and eyebrow.

Willy Wagtails are lively little characters that live across mainland Australia. It’s surprising that they haven’t reached Tasmania, especially as they are found in New Guinea, the Solomon Islands, the Moluccas and the Bismark Archipelago. More information about Willie Wagtails, including their significance in Aboriginal culture, can be found at The Ubiquitous Willie Wagtail

Happy birding, Kim

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