I dragged myself out of bed early this morning to head up to Samsonvale to see what was happening with the White-Throated Gerygones. I stood around feeling like a bit of a numpty for a half hour or so, with no sign of the parents, and couldn't tell whether there was anything in the nest. Then mum came back to the nest and fed the kid twice.
After she left the second time there was a great commotion in the nest, with the little bird scrambling around, and before I knew it, it poked it's head out, and then took flight. (Unfortunately) It jumped the wrong way from where I was standing to catch a photo of it. As it flew away, one of the parents swooped down almost to greet it. It then flew a short distance to a fairly dense bush where it sat cheeping away quietly. The parents came and fed it several times, and then it flew up quite high in the same tree as the nest.
Was a really special little moment to be able to watch its first flight.
Thanks to Reflex for the heads up.
Gosh that's the cutest shot you have snaffled, with it's beak wide open and little head just peeking out of the nest entrance, adorable. What a brilliant moment to be able to witness, capture and share. He/she looks a little wide-eyed and world wary finally out there. Thanks for sharing windshear!
West Coast Tasmania
That's quite something to see, and very well described.
Lovely photos ... Such cute little birds. You have done well to get shots through that foliage.
Good stuff! Great set of photographs Windshear. I nearly went out there this morning but went up to Mount Glorious instead.
I noticed only one of the parents had a leg band on. Do you think it was the male bird?
Samford Valley Qld.
I think so, it seemed to have brighter, and less kind of streaky, yellow feathers than the other one, looking at my photos from tuesday as well. I could be wrong, but in a lot of birds the females often have less-colourful feathers. That was my thinking anyway.
A very special moment, windshear.
Great excitement for that little bird and its parents!
I hope it was as much of a thrill for it as my first solo was for me 47 years ago!!! LOL
Roly
Healesville
https://www.flickr.com/photos/36062443@N04/sets/72157632450588204/
Thanks guys. I felt rather privileged to be there.
Here are a couple of bonus (so-so) ones from the other night when I was battling fading light. (and not having my aperture set right) Parent might be a bit Out of Focus, but love the hungry mouths.
You did well to get those shots Windshear. Wouldn't it have helped if a few of those pesky leaves could have been pruned out of the way. I noticed there are two chicks and almost as big as mum and dad.
Samford Valley Qld.
Yeah, you're not wrong about those leaves. Although I suppose it's good camouflage. :P