Such a pretty little bird! I took these photos and video in March this year. I was sooo excited when I got some reasonable images, this dainty little bird has been taunting me for years. The scenario goes something like this… a flash of the orangey tail appears before me, I whip out my camera, but with a flick of its tail it is gone, and all I am left with is a picture of a bobbing branch.
Click on the images below to embiggen.
A lovely patterned vest.
A colourful fan.
The video below shows the rufous fantail bathing in the waterfall of our pond at the cottages. A grey fantail joins in for a quick dip, but in actual fact the rufous spent most of the afternoon chasing the grey fantail away. I was hiding behind some bushes at the bottom of the pond at this stage, feeling slightly embarrassed.
If you are unable to see the video, try my YouTube channel here.
Well done! It’s great to finally get the pictures after all that time. What a beautiful little bird. (I’ve still never even seen one!)
Hi Snail, thanks, and yes, they are pretty sneaky, sometimes they wait until my back is turned (looking at another bird) before they come down for a drink, and I catch the orange flash out of the corner of my eye, and they are gone.