This one's for Beckett - baby Wattle Bird

Beckett gave an interesting and informative talk on bird photography at our group this morning and set us a challenge.

This doesn't fulfil the challenge criteria but it does show the baby wattle bird that is growing up in my garden. This little fellow is flying short distances from one tree or bush to another and getting bigger and stronger day by day. He's still got lots of his baby down on his breast especially, which must be starting to itch as it loosens and falls out because he's doing lots of preening. Just before this, I'd noticed him trying to balance on the edge of the bird bath and wondered if he'd be brave enough to try a dip like his parents love to do at least daily - but he didn't venture in, though he did have a drink from his perch on the rim. I sneaked quietly the long way around to get my camera but of course he'd gone into the banksia tree by the time I came back, where it's much harder to get a clear line of sight.

Both wattle bird parents take responsibility for feeding their babies and make excellent and very protective parents. Baby WB cheeps constantly, even whilst preening, so he's quite easy to locate.