Food on the wing - and the legs

Plenty of birds carrying food on the wing as breeding carries on apace. But not all in this selection were selflessly thinking solely of their young. Horsfield's Bronze-Cuckoo leads the way (cropped too tightly, to show off caterpillar).

Fairy Gerygone with something bearing appearance of a spider but perhaps insufficient legs.

Young Welcome Swallows open wide in expectation, though it might appear they are screaming defiance at blurred Rufous-throated Honeyeater intruding into the picture.

And finally on theme of food on the wing, it's up and away from a blue water lily for two pollen-laden honeybees.

Sadly, no food - or anything else - being carried to Lovely Fairy-Wrens' nest. Since first found the nest gained final touches, then an egg, then all wrens vanished, and today the egg was gone. The search will start over again!

Cuckoo happy on the ground

Horsfield's Bronze-Cuckoos (Chalcites basalis) spend more time on the ground than other cuckoos. (Yet are often seen in the open at the top of trees, after being first heard issuing their slightly melancholy whistling call.) They also appear more often than other cuckoos to take over care of their own young. After the parasitised parents have done the early hard work!

Here's junior today, with, I think, an Orange Dart (several similar species). The parent bird was taking caterpillars from the grass - and not doing much sharing. So I don't know if the butterfly was natural prey or just unlucky collateral damage as the juvenile learned the ropes.

Also popping up on the ground, a pair of Bush Thick-knees (Burhinus grallarius). Thick-knees??? Well, as I've just found, the accepted name guide for Australian birds, Chrisitidis & Boles 2008, drops Stone-Curlew in favour of Thick-knee. First time I've noticed the change. Not sure many birders use it. And, as you may see, the knees aren't that thick!