Eastern Rosella (Platycercus eximius) .. a colourful parrot native to SE Australia. It has also been introduced to NZ. #BirdingAustralia #parrots

A pigeon with a funky hairstyle ✂️😄 . Crested Pigeon (Ocyphaps lophotes) #BirdingAustralia #pigeons #doves

Mallee is semi-arid scrub characterized by small, multi-stemmed Eucalyptus. Home of the endangered Malleefowl (which we couldn't find 😩). Great for birds, but the flies were brutal. In your nose, in your ears, around your eyes. Brush them away and they are back in a nano-second. #BirdingAustralia

A tiny, neon jewel among the dull, dun semi-arid scrub of the mallee.... a male Red-capped Robin (Petroica goodenovii). All that intense, retina-blasting bling can't be good for avoiding predators, but somehow they manage to survive. #BirdingAustralia #robins #BirdingSouthAustralia

Finally got a decent look at a male Rufous Whistler (Pachycephala rufiventris) #BirdingAustralia #BirdingSouthAustralia #whistlers

One more image of the #flyingfoxes These four were having some sort of discussion 😂 Sound on! #WildAustralia #megabats #bats

The Gray-headed Flying Fox (Pteropus poliocephalus) is the largest bat in Australia. Impressive sight when they all take flight at once... like they did when a Harley roared down the street. I guess the noise and vibration was too much for them. #WildAustralia #flyingfoxes #megabats #bats

Spectacular sight to see all the Gray-headed Flying Foxes (Pteropus poliocephalus) at the Adelaide Botanical Gardens. Thousands hanging from the trees. Here is one having a stretch. #WildAustralia #flyingfoxes #bats #megabats

You've heard of the TV show Fox & Friends? Well, here is Flying Fox & friends .. just hanging out in downtown Adelaide. 😄#WildAustralia #bats #flyingfoxes

Best phonescope photo I could manage of Red-capped Plover #BirdingAustralia #BirdingSouthAustralia #plover #waders #shorebirds

Here's an adult Nankeen Night Heron (Nycticorax caledonicus). It was surrounded by so many branches, that I just couldn't get a clear shot at the whole bird... only the head. #BirdingAustralia #BirdingSouthAustralia #herons #waders #nightherons

Juvenile Nankeen Night Heron (Nycticorax caledonicus) #BirdingAustralia #BirdingSouthAustralia #herons #waders #nightherons

Cowabunga! 😂 Spiny-cheeked Honeyeater (Acanthagenys rufogularis) in attack mode! Fortunately it wasn't me it was after, but another Spiny-cheeked. #BirdingAustralia #BirdingSouthAustralia #honeyeaters

Another image of Spiny-cheeked Honeyeater (Acanthagenys rufogularis). Check out those mutton-chop whiskers. 😄 #BirdingAustralia #BirdingSouthAustralia #honeyeaters

Bound to run into my first wild Koala & today it happened. Photo a little dark because it was before sunrise. Surprised at how they sleep all day in very exposed positions. Apparently their diet of eucalyptus leaves makes their flesh so unpalatable that many predators won't touch them. 😂 #koalas

Female Rufous Whistler (Pachycephala rufiventris). I think the genus name translates as "thick head" 😄 Definitely has a big head relative to the body. #BirdingAustralia #BirdingSouthAustralia #whistlers

And speaking of #honeyeaters , here is a very cool one from today.. Spiny-cheeked Honeyeater (Acanthagenys rufogularis). A big boy, with a big bill. 😄 #BirdingAustralia #BirdingSouthAustralia

Haven't had many description birds on my trip so far but here is one from today... White-fronted Honeyeater (Purnella albifrons). Indicated as rare on E-bird. Primarily an outback and desert species, so a bit uncommon close to Adelaide. #BirdingAustralia #BirdingSouthAustralia #honeyeaters

Another image of the Owlet-nightjar (Aegotheles cristatus) showing its huge eyes. One of two we saw today. Sometimes colloquially referred to as the moth owl, but it's not related to the owls at all. Just a small goatsucker. 😀 #BirdingAustralia #BirdingSouthAustralia #nightjars #goatsuckers

One of the highlights of today's birding was this Australian Owlet-nightjar (Aegotheles cristatus).. a small, dainty nightjar with a big head and huge eyes. It is Australia's smallest nocturnal bird. #BirdingAustralia #nightjars #BirdingSouthAustralia

Black-faced Cuckoo-shrike (Coracina novaehollandiae) #BirdingAustralia #cuckooshrikes

Another tiny, long-tailed bird that seems to be everywhere... Gray Fantail (Rhipidura albiscapa). What surprised me is that these #fantails seem to be indifferent to "pishing" while the fantails in NZ go absolutely crazy for it. #BirdingAustralia

Male Superb Fairy Wren posing for the camera. 😀👍 #BirdingAustralia #FairyWrens

A pair of Superb Fairy Wrens (Malurus cyaneus). Small, but really spectacular birds... and so common. That was the biggest surprise for me. Didn't expect to see them everywhere and in a variety of habitats. #BirdingAustralia #fairywrens

The Silver Gulls may not stand a chance, but the Giant Petrels are big and strong enough to take on the #albatrosses for their share of the fish guts. 😋 #pelagicbirding #BirdingTasmania #BirdingAustralia #seabirds #albatrosses #giantpetrels

Shy Albatross bum-rushing the boat, determined to get its share of the chum, while a Silver Gull looks on. 😄 #BirdingTasmania #BirdingAustralia #albatrosses #seabirds #pelagicbirding

I'll share a few more images of the Shy #Albatrosses on our pelagic trip because they are just so darn photogenic. 😃 #BirdingTasmania #BirdingAustralia #seabirds #pelagicbirding

A pair of adult Pacific Gulls (Larus pacificus) at Pirate's Bay. Found only along the south coasts of Australia. It doesn't seem to be that common in Tasmania despite tons of good habitat... unlike the Kelp Gulls which are everywhere. #BirdingTasmania #BirdingAustralia #gulls #seegulls

The White-bellied Sea Eagle being harrassed by a Kelp Gull. #BirdingTasmania #BirdingAustralia #eagles #birdsofprey

From white-chinned to white-bellied. 😀 This adult White-bellied Sea Eagle (Ichtyophaga leucogaster) was following our boat for a while... no doubt hoping for a handout from all the fish guts we had on board. 😋 #BirdingTasmania #BirdingAustralia #eagles #seaeagles #raptors #birdsofprey

Another bird from our pelagic trip... White-chinned Petrel (Procellaria aequinoctialis). The white chin is so tiny that you can't see it unless the bird is 2 meters away. 😀 #BirdingTasmania #BirdingAustralia #petrels #seabirds

Royal Albatross (2 species) along with Wandering Albatross (3 species) make up the great #albatrosses (Diomedea genus). All are the same size. A dark line along the cutting edge of the bill indicates a Royal, no dark line indicates a Wandering. #BirdingTasmania #BirdingAustralia #seabirds

Another image of Saturday's Southern Royal Albatross (Diomedea epomophora), gliding effortlessly over the waves on its 3.5 meter (11.5 ft) wingspan. #BirdingTasmania #BirdingAustralia #seabirds #albatrosses

Another Giant Petrel (Macronectes halli). The pale head & neck indicates this is an older bird. The nail on the tip of the upper mandible is pinkish, while in the Southern Giant Petrel it is greenish. This is the main way the two species are separated in the field. #BirdingTasmania #GiantPetrels

One of several Northern Giant Petrels (Macronectes halli) we saw yesterday. The dark plumage indicates this is a young bird. Of the #tubenoses , the #GiantPetrels have the longest tubes .. extending almost the entire length of the bill. #BirdingTasmania #BirdingAustralia #seabirds #petrels

The Indian Yellow-nosed Albatross taking flight. Interesting to watch the #albatrosses taking off. They extend their wings and it only takes one or two flaps before the wind lifts them off the water. #BirdingTasmania #BirdingAustralia #seabirds

Another lifer from yesterday .. Indian Yellow-nosed Albatross (Thalassarche carteri). #BirdingTasmania #BirdingAustralia #albatrosses #seabirds #pelagics

A few more pics from yesterday's pelagic trip from Pirate's Bay #Tasmania This was my life Salvin's Albatross (Thalassarche salvini) #BirdingAustralia #BirdingTasmania #albatrosses

Slight road hazard on the Port Arthur Highway yesterday morning. A Southern Elephant Seal decided the asphalt was a good place to flake out. Coming in at a svelt 2 metric tons (4,400 lbs) there's not much anybody can do about it. 😄 #Tasmania #seals #elephantseals #Eaglehawkneck

Tug of war between a Shy Albatross and a Northern Giant Petrel over some chicken skin. #BirdingAustralia #BirdingTasmania #seabirds #albatrosses #petrels

A pair of Shy #Albatrosses fighting over the chum. #BirdingAustralia #BirdingTasmania #seabirds

The most abundant albatross on our pelagic was Shy Albatross (Thalassarche cauta) aka White-capped Albatross #BirdingTasmania #BirdingAustralia #seabirds #albatrosses

Pelagic trip today from Pirate's Bay in #Tasmania . Here's one of the six albatross species we saw... Southern Royal Albatross (Diomedea epomophora) #BirdingTasmania #BirdingAustralia #seabirds #albatrosses

Now we know what's at the end of the rainbow. A Silver Gull! 😄👍 #BirdingTasmania #BirdingAustralia #gulls #seegulls #Hobart

Just now on the Hobart waterfront... one of the most intense #rainbows I've ever seen 😲 #Tasmania

Dusky Woodswallow (Artamus cyanopterus) Love that blue bill! The common name is a bit misleading as it is not related to swallows at all. #BirdingAustralia #BirdingTasmania #woodswallows

Little Wattlebird (Anthochaera chrysoptera) .. the only wattlebird with no wattles. 😄 #BirdingAustralia #BirdingTasmania #wattlebirds #honeyeaters

Another image of Yellow-throated Honeyeater (Nesoptilotis flavicollis) .. this one showing its olive-green back and wings. #BirdingTasmania #BirdingAustralia #honeyeaters

A Tasmanian endemic... Yellow-throated Honeyeater (Nesoptilotis flavicollis). #BirdingAustralia #BirdingTasmania #honeyeaters

Dozens of Shy #Albatrosses (Thalassarche cauta) were visible today from land at the Fossil Bay Lookout on the Tasman Peninsula. The strong wind probably had something to do with it. Here is one that came close enough to shore that I was able to capture an image with my regular camera. #seabirds