Alphabetical list

Initially I thought that it was a swallow. In a close-up however you can spot differences between these two birds. Despite the fact that willie wagtails are quite common in Australia, I didn’t see them too many times. The most interesting photos were taken on the periphery of wetlands, maybe due to the fact that they eat mainly insects. The willie wagtail measures about 20 centimeters and it’s a pity that I managed to capture its beautiful fan-shaped tail only in one picture.

Distinguishing Marsh Tit from a Willow Tit, at least for me, is quite a challenge. I have read the literature and carefully studied the pictures. I assume that I did it well, though I am not sure. There is practically no difference in size nor looks. Weight of both species is around dozen or so grams with a wingspan not exceeding 20 centimeters. I have not found nor observed differences worth mentioning, that is why I have decided that the comments on both of them will be the same.
Last minute news 04/2014

Willow Warbles are quite numerous in our forests. This small bird, as its weight is 10 grams with a wingspan of around 20 centimeters, can be easily observed. It is a little harder with taking pictures as it is a very frisky bird, that does not sit in one place for long. Adding an insult to injury, it happens that where it can be spotted, even on a sunny day, limitation with an access to light makes it harder to obtain comfortable (short) exposure times for pictures. Willow Warbles come flying to us in May and, after breeding, they fly away in October.

Albatrosses, fulmars, shearwaters, storm petrels…

Hummingbirds-text common to species photographed in Ecuador

Well, swallows are a difficult object to photograph, not to mention the pictures of these birds in flight. So far on my site seven species of swallows have their galleries and none of them is rated as 4-star. After returning from South Africa I counted 4 new species and, interestingly, I was able to record the voice of a greater striped-swallow.