Stroppy Willie disturbs the peace

I'm having a pretty good morning snatching stuff from above the water at Payets Tower when this bleeding stroppy Willie Wagtail turns up and gives me the old shirtfront.

Mad? I was flamin' hopping, I'll tell you. First off, it's my patch. The bird's a bloody blow-in. Room for both of us, I said. No, little bastard wanted the lot.

Then ... then it went for my throat. What could I do? Bigger than me. And trouble. Always trouble with black and whites. Aggressive? I'll say. They'll all have you, quick as that.

All peace and quiet over the pool one minute. Next thing, whammo-bammo, they're into you. I'm thinking of packing it in and heading back into the forest. But these dragonflies go down a treat, so guess I'll stay and see if Uncle Blue-wing mightn't give Warring Willie a whack or two for me. Family's gotta stick together, I say.

Going to ground and crawling around the mound

Becoming a bit of a crawler lately. Getting down isn't too hard, but age shows in the creaky rising. And there are certain mounds of material best avoided. But those same mounds come in handy, as above for Australasian Pipit (Anthus novaeseelandiae).

Plenty of the same in dusty territory of Willie Wagtail (Rhipidura leucophrys), another local at Mungalla Station.

As also is this Australian Bustard (Ardeotis australis), in a greener part of the station.

Young Willie lucky and healthy survivor

Young Willie Wagtail (Rhipidura leucophrys) opens wide near Tyto hide.

Quick service guaranteed in past few days because - unusually - it's the lucky and only survivor of a probable clutch of three or four. It's a jungle out there, for Willies as for us all.

Willie Wagtail whistles into intruding Kite

Whistling Kite (Haliastur sphenurus) may look menacing in flight above Mungalla Station but ...

... Willie Wagtail (Rhipidura leucophrys) doesn't scare so easily. (Always bet on the black and white bird in any avian conflict: the kite moved on).

Black Butcherbird gets the message

"Oi! On your way. You're not getting a chance to eat my little darlings." Willie Wagtail (Rhipidura leucophrys) gives Black Butcherbird (Cracticus quoyi) the message in Tyto today. 

And a happier Willie a while back.