Although there is no standing water in my yard, the wetlands lagoon nearby attracts waterbirds who occasionally drop in to my garden to see what my vegetation might hold.
This elegant creature is a White-faced Heron, apparently common enough all over Australia, but not seen by me anywhere else I have lived.
It flew in for a brief visit, had a good look about and seemed to decide against what was on offer. The long brownish feathers on the chest and those sweeping grey ones on its back are called ‘nuptial plumes’.
Its legs look too spindly to support it, and as it high-stepped around, it undulated its very long neck in ripples back and forwards, as if swallowing something.
Its very perfunctory check of my back yard was clearly a negative result, except for the pleasure it brought me to see it!