My favourite garden visitor arrived today and melted my heart.
1/1000, f/4.0, ISO 4000, handheld
Canon R5, Canon RF 600mm f/4 L IS USM
This tiny Rufous Fantail (10g) was first glimpsed at lunchtime by my daughter. I raced to the window just in time to see it flying back to the bush from the birdbaths. I was working pretty hard in the garden today; mowing, sawing, collecting bark, weeding, all the usual jobs but I kept looking and listening for this exquisite migratory visitor that spends some summers at my place. They are insectivorous and feed mainly near the ground or in the mid-level of the canopy. They like deep shade in damp places, so my little patch of swampy riparian woodland seems to suit them nicely.
It reappeared much later in the afternoon, when the light was abysmal for bird photography. But I did my best with some quick setting changes, including an ISO of 4000, to capture a shot that gives me shivers of delight even though it’s far from perfect. I am totally besotted with these little fantails and I hope you are too.
Happy birding, Kim
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Beautiful Kim
Thank you Valda. I keep hoping I’ll see it again today but no luck so far.
Exquisite Kim. Thank you.
Thanks Sue! Lovely to hear from you x
What a superb photo, Kim! I love the smear of orange on his head, and the big splash of orange on his fantail – really charming the way the fan spreads out like that – almost like a peacock- in miniature! A touch of serendipity for him to visit your garden. Where do they migrate from?
I love their warm rufous colouring Deirdre. The birds that live in Victoria and NSW during the summer head north to Queensland in the winter – like lots of humans do too!
Super gorgeous!
Thank you for spotting it first!
It may have been poor conditions but the photography as usual as beautiful. What a gorgeous cheeky shot, thanks for sharing.
Thank you Syndy. Looking at the photograph again this morning I see that there is plenty of detail, even in the tiny droplets of water on its back. I hope it comes back in better light though and is thoughtful enough to do when I have my camera in my hands!
What an absolute stunner. I can quite see why it is up there with your favourites. And how lucky to see it when it returned. I do hope you see much more of this beautiful piece of feathered enchantment over the coming weeks.
And, as an aside, garden work is never done.
I can hardly make myself look at anything other than the birdbaths this morning! You are so right about garden work, thankfully it’s a very pleasant work environment.