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There is something joyous about the way Grey Fantails forage in the garden, diving and swooping to catch flying insects on the wing.

It’s been especially funny to watch them recently as the youngsters frequently fly after large bugs and miss with a resounding clack of their bills. But most fascinating at the moment is the reappearance of a Grey Fantail sub-species that doesn’t usually live in this area. It’s the ssp albicauda which is usually found in central Australia. I haven’t been able to photograph it yet so have shared my favourite juvenile Grey Fantail shot to finish up 2022.

An albicauda visited years ago too, which I was helped to identify by two Birdlife Australia surveyors. They are strikingly different as their tail feathers are significantly whiter. Also they forage much lower to the ground than the ssp albiscapa which is the usual species here. I’m assuming this is because the habitat in central Australia is typically more desert-like, with lower trees, so flying insects are closer to the ground. This makes the visiting fantail truly beautiful to watch as its acrobatic twists and turns can be watched at eye level, or even looking down on them.

Two parts of today’s story have made me think about the coming year. Today is the last day of 2022 and we often wish each other health and happiness for the coming year. I’d like to add two lessons that the fantails have shared with me. Let’s also wish each other perseverance when things are tricky; if the juvenile fantails gave up when they missed their prey they’d go pretty hungry, there’s no other way they’ll get what they need. And let’s also wish each other adventures; not only is the albicauda experiencing a new habitat with different birds but it’s bringing joy as it does so.

So, I wish you health, happiness, perseverance and adventures for the coming year, all liberally sprinkled with birdsong.

Happy birding, Kim

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