Out and about in the Muckleford Forest

I always find that the call of the Peaceful Dove is enticing, but it can be a hard bird to actually locate. The call seems to move about and getting a fix can be hard. When you do, the view is worth it of a beautiful dove.

Peaceful Dove. Photo by Damian Kelly, October 2011

With a distinctive call, but tiny size, Weebills are a hard bird to see as they zip about in the foliage. A lucky shot the other morning brought this little beauty into closer focus. Easily confused with thornbills, their distinguishing features include the wee bill (unlike the thorn of the others) and its distinctive call.

Webill. Photo by Damian Kelly, October 2011

White-browed Woodswallows are very common in the forests at the moment. Early the other morning I stopped in the forest near Newstead and the air was alive with bird calls – hundreds of this agile woodswallow were all about – in the trees, along the ground and circling high above the tree-tops. A remarkable sight. These two stopped briefly for me to get a better view.