u/sarahmaddox

A Welcome Swallow pins its gaze on a puddle. Perhaps something moved in the mud, or perhaps the bird sees its own muddled reflection? At Wilpena Pound, Flinders Ranges.

I was recently at Wilpena Pound in the Flinders Ranges. A trio of Apostlebirds arrived at our campsite early in the morning and scampered around looking for scraps. Often these birds appear to be a darker, more bluish grey. This one was caught in a ray of sunshine next to the barbecue.

Outside the Living Desert State Park near Broken Hill, NSW. Apologies for the fuzzy photos! I was far away and not sure what I was looking at. It's exciting to see these Chestnut-crowned Babblers. They're super pretty, and they're found in a relatively small area of the world.

A White-plumed Honeyeater being a borb in Nyngan, NSW, Australia.

Near the Living Desert State Park outside Broken Hill, NSW. A group of small, active birds flitted from tree to tree and chirruping busily. After consulting the Merlin Bird ID app, and confirming with The Michael Morcombe Field Guide to Australian Birds, I’ve decided they were Chirruping Wedgebills. 

It’s rare to see a Royal Spoonbill at Manly Dam. In fact, this is only the second time I’ve seen one, over the many years that I’ve been walking at the dam.

This one is a lovely bird, with those yellow stripes above its eyes that make it look a little supercilious, and those intriguing patterns on its beak.

Early in the morning a couple of days ago (27 June), I went for a walk along the bank of the Brisbane River, in the New Farm area. This gorgeous Little Heron was perched on the opening of a pipe in the river bank, poised to leap off and grab a fish or other unwary river dweller.

During my bush walk this morning, the alert calls of Noisy Miners alerted me to the presence of this beautiful Pacific Baza. It's grasping a stick insect in one foot.