While at least one of the male Variegated Fairywrens has come in to its full colours, this one has not yet got there. You can just see some of the blue coming in to the head, but it'll be a week or two before this one is in breeding plumage.

#VariegatedFairywren #bird #AustralianWildlife #WildOz

In this early spring weather we're having at the moment, the Variegated Fairywrens and Brown Thornbills are becoming quite a regular occurrence around my yard.

Shown here, we have both the female and male #VariegatedFairywren and a #BrownThornbill up close (so close I had to take a step back to get it in focus).

#bird #AustralianWildlife #WildOz

Also on the driveway were a pair of Variegated Fairywrens, the female of which had caught a moth for lunch.

Later, in the backyard, there was a curious White-browed Scrubwren, and a tiny Brown Thornbill.

#Bird #AustralianWildlife #WildOz #BrownThornbill #VariegatedFairywren #WhiteBrowedFinch

Birds I saw when I wandered down the driveway* to collect the mail today.

The Variegated Fairywrens were out and flitting about happily and are pretty much in full breeding colours now.

And the Rose Robins are back! Ok, one of them anyway, but there are probably more.

#bird #AustralianWildlife #WildOz #VariegatedFairywren #RoseRobin

* the driveway is about 120m long

I popped outside at lunchtime to see what was about. Plenty of chirping to be heard, not many visible birds, but these two Variegated Fairywrens turned up briefly.

The female (the duller of the two), was licking sap from vines under the Cocos Palm, whereas the male, not yet fully in breeding colours, was flitting about, generally showing off.

#bird #AustralianWildlife #WildOz #VariegatedFairywren

The Variegated Fairywrens are just starting to change colour. Here are photos of one rather damp female, and three of the males. When the males have changed to their breeding colours they will have bright blue heads, a patch of russet red on the neck and blue tails.

#Bird #WildOz #AustralianWildlife #VariegatedFairywren

A young male Variegated Fairywren (mid-colour change) and an adult White-browed Scrubwren, I saw outside from the veranda this morning.

#bird #photo #nature #AustralianWildlife #VariegatedFairywren #WhiteBrowedScrubwren

Couldn’t resist a quick edit to remove some spurious sticks from this shot.
#bird #VariegatedFairywren #edit

Variegated Fairywrens in the garden this morning. I went out to chase down the Eastern Whipbirds, but they were too wily, so fairywrens it is.

Also, who knew fairywrens had whiskers? (see the tight crop facing the camera).

#bird #AustralianWildlife #VariegatedFairywren #photo #nature

This wee female Variegated Fairywren seemed to have something wrong with her right leg. Of the 30 odd shots I took of her, on different branches, she's always only standing on her left leg.

#bird #photo #nature #AustralianWildlife #VariegatedFairywren

The Variegated Fairywrens were quite active this morning because of the presence of a young Pied Currawong.

There were several males flitting between branches and calling, like this fellow.

#bird #photo #nature #AustralianWildlife #VariegatedFairywren

Male (bright blue) and female Variegated Fairywrens as seen from my veranda this morning.

The female was close enough that those shots aren't cropped.

Canon EOS 1D MkIV, 400/5.6L + 2xTC (effective field of view equiv to 1,040mm due to the 1.3x crop on APS-H sensors)

#bird #photo #nature #AustralianWildlife #VariegatedFairywren

A male Variegated Fairywren I spotted just now while doing an #AussieBirdCount session (closes this arvo counters, so get counting).

#bird #photo #nature #AustralianWildlife #VariegatedFairywren

Some of the birds outside at home today. Some Blue-faced Honeyeaters (and a juvenile with a greeny-yellow face), and some Variegated Fairywrens.

#bird #photo #nature #AustralianWildlife #VariegatedFairywren #BlueFacedHoneyeater

This morning's tiny bird, is this male Variegated Fairywren I spied hopping amongst the bushes beside the house.

#bird #photo #nature #AustralianWildlife #VariegatedFairywren #wren