Hiding away in the rainforest

Rainforest  offers enticing shelter from streaming summer rays, but shrouds  most of its birds. Spent 10 minutes up Paluma Dam way  yesterday begging this Rufous Fantail (Rhipidura rufifrons) to sit still. 

During same wander along the dam road, came upon Grey Fantail (Rhipidura albiscapa). Didn't seem to like flash, so pumped up ISO. Result: noisy picture of quiet bird.

Unlike this Northern Fantail (Rhipidura rufiventris), which 'chooff-chooffs'  about the Jourama Falls forest most mornings.

Even quieter most days, Grey-headed Robin (Heteromyias cinereifrons). Another of the birds hiding away in the Paluma gloom.

Almost always to be found somewhere in tropical rainforest, Pale-yellow Robin (Tregellasia capito). As often the case, bonus closeup of tree trunk, near Wallaman Falls. 

So too with female White-throated Treecreeper (Cormobates leucophaea), also  close to the falls. If only more species would take to marching up well-lit trunks, though the treecreeper isn't a rainforest specialist.

Honeyeater rifles cheesewood seed

Cooler months see Macleay's Honeyeater (Xanthotis macleayanus) return to Tyto. Riflebird-like in much of its foraging, species is said to be sedentary, but appears not to like summers in hot, dry woodlands.

Caught this bird today with red seed from cheesewood (because fruit resembles segmented round cheeses) tree. New Speedlite 580 to thank for both pictures.

Also for rather soft image of Rufous Fantail (Rhipidura rufifrons), another species dropping in as temperatures 'plummet'.

And to close, very soft image of green ant crawling down head of Amethystine Python. Snake didn't move as I almost walked over it in a grove, so no surprise when it ignored the (tres)passing ant.
(Click pix to enlarge)       

Rufous Fantails, rueful birdo

Here's my bogey bird. Rufous Fantail (Rhipidura rufifrons). The bird that won't turn up most days, rarely sits still when it does turn up, and never sits still in the open anywhere near me.

Today, two turned up - an extremely rare double act in Tyto. They then took turns in teasing me, flying close by and taking up tempting positions low in trees before darting away into the upper foliage.

As a variation they'd wait till I got near and then flash across the Razor Grass in the now dry creek bed. One bird wearied of the sport after about five minutes. The other vanished more than 10 minutes later.

Got one usable picture. Lovely pose, but focus isn't great and it took some tweaking to get an image that merely hints at the most colourful of the fantails. One day ...