Wednesday 5 November 2014

Wild Bird Wednesday 121 - Jacky Winter

The Jacky Winter is a small, active and not unattractive Australian Robin.  This is a special group of birds found largely in the Australian region, and despite being called 'Robins' they are not closely rested to the Robins of Europe or America.

Its common name - Jacky Winter - may well have been derived from its habit of singing all winter, even when most other birds have become silent - but the book where I find out this kind of stuff suggests that 'the precise origin of the name is unlikely to be resolved".  Some of its other common names relate to this species habit of sitting on open branches - or their human replacements, posts - these include Post-Boy, Post-Sitter and Stump-bird.

Its scientific name - Microeca fascinans - means 'bewitching similar small bird'.  I like this because I think its gives a bit of an insight into how hard it must have been to name some of these closely related birds when they were first recorded by European Scientists.

The birds I photographed were doing there best to sit in the open, while still remain hidden behind leaf buds and metal wires!

So, here we have a Jacky Winter - a symphony in grey!




And now its over to you - click on the blue button below and off you go.  If you are new here, all the joining in needs is a copy of the URL of your blog post and away you go.  Please feel free to invite new bloggers along - we used to get 70 - now we get 50!   SM

44 comments:

  1. Can it be that I am your first comment? I am off to do an Owl program this morning so I was glad to see you up early enough for me to post before I leave. This is a sweet looking bird and I love the name because it tells a story ... although no one has figured out what it is for sure. At least it tweaks a persons interest. Great post, Stewart.

    Andrea @ From The Sol

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  2. The Jacky Winter reminds me of a Spotted Flycatcher. A good looking bird.

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  3. it's a cute little thing - yes, very much like our bug eaters, here. :)

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  4. He's a sweet bird! I LOVE his name! Bewitching Similar Small Bird. Now that is a lovely name. Your photos of him are great. Sometimes we don't appreciate the grey birds as much as we should (or the brown birds) but the fact that he sings during the winter months says "Hey, I'm here! Appreciate me!" So you look for the source of the sound, and find a bewitching little grey bird! :-)

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  5. Pretty little bird. Cheers to you Stewart.

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  6. Gray can be beautiful. I guess that the birds instinctively obscure part of their profile, as this happens so often even when the seem to be out in the open. I find they also like to ge the sun behind them to better watch us. It must have survival value but can be frustrating to the photographer.

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  7. I don't know if you have any way to contact 1. on your links. Their amazing photo begged for a comment yet I can't find any way to comment on their blog. I've run into this before. Perhaps they will see this and realize there's an issue.

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  8. What a beautiful little bird and great captures for the day as always, Stewart! Hope your week is going well!

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  9. He's a cutie patootie [As Rosie O'Donnell says]!!

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  10. I rather like the name Jacky Winter. It sound like a name the early settlers might have used? And like Adam ir reminds me of a Spot Fly.

    Thanks for the hosting Stewart. It's good to be alomg.

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  11. Hello Stewart, it is a pretty bird..It does remind me of our flycatchers.. Great shots.. Have a happy week!

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  12. It's a very pretty symphony in grey!
    I've been away for a few months but it's good to be back.

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  13. I only ever saw these little birds twice but didn't get any shots of them your photos are lovely

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  14. I agree with Adam, it does look a bit like a Flycatcher. A really nice bird. From Findlay

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  15. The wires make for an interesting photograph. Around here we like birds that sing in Winter. Winter is pretty quiet.

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  16. It's grey colours do look a little bit frosty like winter :)

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  17. It's a very pretty little bird. Thank you for hosting, Stewart!

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  18. Great photos of a beautiful bird.

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  19. His soft coloring is very pretty!

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  20. Looks really a little like a flycatcher. It is a wonderful bird, but has few colors for an Australien bird (as far as I know them).

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  21. This is the first time I've seen one of these. Very handsome bird!

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  22. He does sort of blend right in with the colors of the branches. If you weren't looking for birds, you could easily walk right past without seeing.

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  23. Love that scientific name. And what a neat looking bird.

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  24. Beautiful little bird, great photos!

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  25. What a beautiful bird, Stewart.
    This is not in the Netherlands.
    Best regards, Irma

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  26. Sweet little fellow and he looks especially great on that branch. Your birds have some of the best names EVER --

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  27. Classical music is a passion of mine so it's no surprise I love this little "symphony"...:)JP

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  28. Aww... he is a sweet little guy.....

    I don't know what I have today.... but, he/she is pretty cute too....

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  29. I like a singing bird, especially during a season when the others are quiet. Thanks for sharing this beautiful bird.

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  30. I've never seen, or even heard of this fine looking bird. Great photos Stewart!

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  31. interesting commentary Stewart. I love the scientific name and how appropriate for todays ID minefield....

    Lovely post!

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  32. How lovely and elegant!

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  33. Interesting reasons for its name. What a cute little fellow.

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  34. Stewart, lovely birds, and what a cute name they have. It is a delight to see you have spring buds there, as we descend into winter, first snow flurries this past Sunday!

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  35. Hello Stewart, thank you so much for linking up you post! Have a happy weekend!

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  36. Wonderful photography of a very beautiful bird and most informative post even though I am not a 'birder' ~

    Happy Weekend to you,
    artmusedog and carol (A Creative Harbor)

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  37. Beautiful grey bird! I would have a hard time calling it robin, since the robin I have in my head is orange, Jacky Winter is much better.

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  38. "the precise origin of the name is unlikely to be resolved"

    In that case, I like your explanation. Pretty little fellow!
    ~

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  39. I love the name. It's a pretty little bird.

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  40. Love the symphony and the yellow accents!

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  41. Cute little flycatcher, what fascinating details about the name. It must have been bewildering trying to name so many new birds!

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