Sunday, June 27, 2010

Eastern Whipbird

The Eastern Whipbird (Psophodes olivaceus) has one of the most distinctive calls of the Australian bush. You can hear its call here. It is quite common to hear the call but it's taken me half a life-time to actually see this elusive bird! I saw my first Whipbird yesterday and even managed a photo - slightly blurred I admit but even this one made my day extra special. Whipbirds prefer dense undergrowth and it's impossible to go into places like this without making all sorts of noise which immediately warns all birds to fly off quickly. The bird I saw was sitting somewhere up in a tree but as I approached it saw me and dropped down into the undergrowth. Then as I walked closer it flew up again into a near-by tree and I had one chance to shoot off some quick photos. Then it was off again into an ever denser patch of bush.
For more bird photos visit the Bird Photography Weekly.

15 comments:

  1. Great that you managed to catch a glimpse of your elusive Eastern Whipbird. It does indeed have a distinctive call.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Thanks John. It's astonishing that it's taken me this long to see it when they are so commonly heard.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Hi Mick. It certainly has a very distinctive call. Congrats on capturing this elusive species...your patience paid off at long last...FAB.
    BTW It took me some years to see a Cetti's Warbler AND I still haven't managed to get a photo!

    ReplyDelete
  4. Thanks Frank. It's surprising to me that a medium sized bird like this is so hard to actually see. I'd still like a better photo though!

    ReplyDelete
  5. Congrats on your sighting, I am happy that you finally got to see the Whipbird. And your photo does show details. Nice bird!

    ReplyDelete
  6. what a cool bird and what an awesome photo ! Great stuff!

    ReplyDelete
  7. Nice, Mick! It's a great feeling when you finally get to see, let alone photograph, a long-elusive bird.

    ReplyDelete
  8. Thanks for commenting Eileen, JN and Wren.

    ReplyDelete
  9. First one is the hardest, Mick. Be easy from now on.

    ReplyDelete
  10. Hi Tony - it would be nice if that were true!

    ReplyDelete
  11. All over the world there is one or more very elusive bird. Well done for finding the Whipbird and recording the call but it wouldn't be as much fun if we always saw everything would it Mick?

    ReplyDelete
  12. Hi Phil, you're right of course - all birders like a challenge.

    ReplyDelete
  13. I could not listen to the call. :(
    Maybe he system was down. Anyway, seems like an interesting bird.

    ReplyDelete
  14. Hi NF sorry the call did not work for you. It is a most distinctive call which makes it all the more astonishing that it is so hard to actually see it.

    ReplyDelete
  15. Sweet goodness. He is such a Beauty!
    Congrats on this awesome Lifer :D!

    ReplyDelete