Ulysses and the lilies

Ulysses butterflies clearly don't realise what glorious sights they make when out on the swamp lilies. Mostly, they jitter about among the trees - where they are almost impossible to frame for photographs. But it's 'wow' on those rare days when one gets out on the water flowers. (A snag with the lily flowers is their featheriness, so fine, light and tiny they almost always look out of focus.)

Another touch of local colour among the lilies: White-browed Crake pauses near the water before going back to 'tuk tuk tucking' in amid the scleria. 

Lot of rain and sudden heavy showers in past few days. Adding to those woes, my modem turned pyscho and refused to recognise me! Sorted out after Telstra on-line techie took it over and gave it a swift kick up the password!

Got into Tyto for a dryish spell today. Forget the jokes, all the rain has meant the ducks have gone. Along with much else. Kingfishers aplenty, including an Azure teasing a sleek juvenile with a fish it seemed reluctant to pass on. But some days, as with the Fairy Gerygone above, there's always a branch or two in the way. But at least the modem's behaving...

Tawny away with the Fairy

Tawny Grassbirds (Megalurus timoriensis) filled the air with their chiding descending songs in many spots at Tyto today. Though they've been noisy for some time activity has stepped up.

Field guides offer a range of northern breeding periods, from a broad August-April to a narrow February-April. Not much doubt, however, what all the to-ing and fro-ing is about.

Makes thing easier for birdos. Not so much easier for photographers, since the birds are so intensely busy and vanish in a flash. Nests, too, when built, are difficult to locate.

Got myself into great position today for the pictured bird. It struck a perfect pose. Camera - set on AI servo for tracking shots - found the low contrast and stillness too much! Perfect pose squandered! Sorry, but second-best has to do for now.

Different story, similar result with a hyperactive Fairy Gerygone (Gerygone palpebrosa).

The birds usually move through a wide variety of trees in groups of six to eight, rarely still and seldom low in foliage. (Unlike White-throated Gerygones (Gerygone Olivacea), usually in pairs, almost always in paperbarks, and scouring them from top to bottom.)

Today's solitary Fairy, busy foraging, stayed low in a small tree and near the outside of foliage close to me. Too close, in fact, since I had trouble locating the bird in the viewfinder.

In the end, no great picture. The bird was too quick and the foliage too thick. Pity, but there it is. Two almosts for the day. But two pictures to build future hopes on.