Great birding moments #35 Female Superb Fairy-wren

Female Superb Fairy-wren

I have a confession to make.

I have just informed my wife that I insist on doing the clothes washing.

Reluctantly she has agreed to my request. My reason is simple; many times in recent years I have had some wonderful birding experiences while hanging out the washing on the clothes line – or bringing in the dry clothes. My eyes are always gazing upwards when doing this easy household chore and I have seen some great birds during this activity. Perhaps the most stunning was seeing a Peregrine falcon at top speed heading for what I think were some pigeons. Whoosh!

Adding to the birding dimension is the fact that our clothes-line is surrounded by trees and low to medium Australian Native plants (see me wife’s site here), so there is always some bird activity all around me. Distractions are common!

My latest Great Birding Moment happened yesterday while taking in the washing. I had almost finished and a female Superb Fairy-wren  landed on the clothes-line next to me. As it cheerily chattered to me I could have reached out and patted it. It stayed there calling quietly to me for nearly a minute – a whole magical minute!

How wonderful.

I felt so privileged – and truly blessed.

Good birding.

Further reading:

• Great Birding Moments #1-35 The above article is one of a series of articles along a similar theme.

Male Superb Fairy-wren