Brookfield Conservation Park, shows a few of the gems which lie within!

Received a message last week from birding friend Tony Crittenden of http://tcphotosdotnet.blogspot.com.au/ fame wondering about getting together and doing some birding somewhere? Sounded good to me! and after checking with the 'boss'... I organised a window of opportunity on the Sunday of the long weekend. Now I hadn't been out to the Murray Mallee for quite a while.. about 6 months or so, I think! so got the nod from Tony about heading to the mallee and we arranged to head to Brookfield Conservation Park. A close and normally productive area of Mallee.
 The birding was a little quiet which is to be expected at this time of the year as the spring migrants are still a few months off starting to show. We birded though two different types of habitat the aforementioned Mallee and also through an area of Bluebush plain which is also in Brookfield. Unusually the Bluebush was more interesting on this trip then the Mallee habitat itself! Although I maybe being a little biased due to the amazing display put on by a couple of families of White-winged Fairy-wrens interacting near us for quite a while.. a stunning little bird! with the male and female of the species at complete opposite ends of the colour scale! The males just have to be seen to be believed! Enough said... just check the photos below!   

White-winged Fairy-wren males displaying at each other!

Not uncommon in their preferred habitat I still never get sick of seeing these little beauties!

Another Mallee speciality the Southern Scrub-robin

Mulga Parrot male also spectacularly coloured against it's dull habitat it prefers

This Mulga Parrot looks like a female but with the splashes of bright green coming through in a few spots.. I think it's an immature male just about to colour up!

Another Bluebush specialist the Redthroat, they are great songsters!

My favorite photo for the trip of a Red-capped Robin about to take off!

Robin on a rock!

Just one more.....!