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.