Now look here….
Apr 15th, 2008 by Duncan
Gave myself a good talking to today, “Now look here Dunc” I said, “People will be getting sick and tired of all these moths and creepy crawlies you’ve been dishing up lately, it’s about time you got yourself into gear and went out and got some bird pictures. If you don’t you’ll be getting drummed out of the regiment.” Yeah, well maybe you’re right I thought, so screwed the big lump of glass on to the front of the camera and went out to Bellbird Corner. As soon I got out of the car I was greeted with enthusiasm by the neighbour’s big dog, he was raring to go on a walk with me, and being the soft hearted bloke that I am I couldn’t refuse him. Thought to myself though, there goes my bird photography, I’m not going to get any chances with a lolloping great Labrador prancing around me. Anyway, off we went with dog investigating every tussock, and of course sending every low-foraging bird off and away. Got a nice surprise halfway along the Wombat Track, heard an unusual for the area call, a White-throated Treecreeper. Soon spotted it on the trunk of a blackwood, but photos into the light were hopeless, so I gave it best and went on to the picnic ground where I got my second surprise, a Wanderer butterfly feeding on Yam Daisy flowers, first I’ve seen for ages.
Ah well, looks like another invert blog I thought as I pressed the button, and then slowly continued on along the Bellbird Walk. At about this time I realised that dog wasn’t with me any more, he must have got sick of waiting for me, or perhaps he remembered a nice bone at home, wasn’t sorry because I immediately started to see birds low down, Silvereyes. I’d missed a good shot of one of these the last time I was out there, and they beat me this time too, but there was always the return journey for a second chance. When I got to the junction of the Macalister and the Newry Creek, I could see movement in the huge old Woolly Teatree where Guy’s Gully runs in. I only got glimpses for a start but eventually saw that there was a Grey Shrike-thrush and a whistler preening after bathing in the creek. Biding my time I waited and eventually the whistler moved into open shade and I got shots, it was a female Golden, which gave me a short burst of song before flying off to resume feeding.
Heading back along the track I came to the place where the catchment management reinforced the river bank with rock after the last flood. A lot of weeds have come up in the disturbed ground, including quite a bit of nightshade, and there were Silvereyes feeding there. I focused on one and took several bursts of photos of this fast-moving little bird.
Still a few jobs to do before day’s end so time to head for home, paused where the big manna gum came down in the wind, much to the annoyance of a Willie Wagtail, fair dinkum, these little blokes seem to think that they own the place. Not very cooperative subjects for the camera either, but I was too good for this one, he got just a bit too cheeky and too close.
The pictures of the whistler and silvereye are clickable for larger versions, gotta go now, its dark outside and time to light the moth lamp. 
I like the silvereye. It reminds me a little of our tanagers.
John, it’s interesting how we have similar and equivalent birds occupying the same niches in the environment half a world apart. The Nuthatch and our Sittella is another example.
Great shots!
Thanks Moe!
The Willie Wagtail looks like he has his hands on his hips saying “Well, Whadda ya want? Be gone, now!”
Great shots.
The silvereye is a fair cool bird.
Thanks for the story and photos.
It was very enjoyable. I hated to see the walk come to an end. I would liked to have spent another hour on the trail.
Until next time,
Troy
Spot on Troy, Willie Wagtails are feisty little characters. It’s strange how the Silvereyes can eat the poisonous nightshade berries with seeming impunity.
I would have liked to go on for a bit longer too, but my gouty toe was telling me to call a halt.
Wow, we call them white eyes for some reason, well my husband does, will have to mention this to him. What is he eating, nightshade?
We have had monach butterflies on the other side of the divide, our mountain view looks a little the same.
Well it is nightshade, how amazing.
Linda, another name for them is the Grey-breasted White-eye, but generally the southern birds are called Silvereyes, while the northern birds in the group are called White-eyes. Looks like we’ve got the same sort of things around us!
Love the wanderer butterfly and the silvereyes…you got some good bird photos that day after all!!!
Yes, turned out well for a change IR, often go out and come back empty handed.
Willie wagtails? Silver eyes? Wow, what interesting names! That wanderer looks similar to a Monarch butterfly. Do you know how to tell the difference? We have a bird called a Verdin here in Tucson that look similar to your silver-eye. Nice post.
Kathie, the Wanderer is the Monarch, it first appeared in Australia in the spring/summer of 1870/1871. Apparently it island hopped across and then flew in on cyclonic winds that season, hence I guess the local common name of Wanderer.