We're always on the lookout for Pardalotes, so imagine our delight upon actually spotting not one, not two, but four Striated Pardalotes! Their contact calls alerted us to their presence, and think maybe one of the birds was a juvenile begging for food. The Striated Pardalotes are supposedly "common" but this is one of only a handful we've ever seen. They are tiny (9 cm) little birds who feed high in the Eucalypt canopy on insects, and are one of the colourful cousins of the very rare 40-spotted Pardalote (there's also a Spotted Pardalote). We think this bird is at the entrance to a nesting cavity in the tree. Note the jaunty yellow forehead "brows," and the bright red spot at the base of his/her wing feathers. Other races of Striated Pardalotes have striped (striated) crowns, but in our area, the birds have a solid black crown
A family of swams paddling placidly through the wetland. Swans pair for life, and sometimes live in small colonies. This group had three adults.
The two little gray puffball cygnets were adorable!
A black-shouldered kite high up in a bony snag tree, we almost didn't see him, he blended in with the tree so well!
Scarlet honeyeaters are also a beauty to behold, being so vividly, well, scarlet!
Birds, Bangalow -style. Bangalow is a cute little town inland from Byron Bay. We sometimes go there for Market Saturday to hang out and enjoy the scene and local crafties.
A lovely red-backed Fairy Wren. Or maybe he doesn't want to be called "lovely" since he's a male? These little fire-balls of energy flit around the grasses with their bevy of "girls."
