Monday dawned all nice and bright.  No rain, little wind, a good day for a stroll along Moonee Ponds Creek at Woodlands to look for Flame Robins.

But, by the time I’d arrived and walked into the paddock, the weather turned a dismal shade of grey.  So back to the car, put on the Driazabone (they really are!), and put in the wet weather covers for the cameras. Thank you Mr Aqua-shield.

As it turned out, I had only arrived down at the creek, when the first of a number of Flame Robins began hunting in the area near me.  In between showers, I managed to find 5 birds, and all of them seemed to be young males in state of moulting through.  I didn’t spy any males nor single females.

But the rain set in.  Down by the Billabongs is a lovely place,  lots of wonderful Red Gums and plenty of shelter from the rain, so I headed there. So did a large and significant sized flock of Yellow-rumped Thornbills, together with their tame, pet Willie Wagtail and a flotilla of Silver-eyes. So we all sat in the shelter of the Red Gums.  I had chosen a particularly large tree with a dry side, and plenty of shelter from the wind.  I think the birds chose it at as  an alternative feeding area.

The rain eased and I took the time to walk around to near the Cumberland homestead site.  I could hear the “Mip, Mip” of a Black-shouldered Kite and through the mist eventually I spotted one on a tree, and then another further down the range.  They both flew when the rain eased and one came down to a tree near me, but the rain was simply toomuch to pursue the issue any further.

Heading back up the hill toward the old Church site, I spotted the Flame Robins at work in the paddock.

Here is a male who posed long enough for me to get organised.