These Noisy Miners (Manorina melanocephala) have been flitting around the back deck lately, pulling the stuffing out of cushions and picking up clumps of dog hair, obviously for their nest. They are well-named because they have the loudest shriek I've ever heard. This afternoon, I was sneaking around the backyard taking shots of the Rainbow Lorikeets in next door's mandarin trees, when I heard a great squawking and thrashing about in the mango tree above my head. There were these two going at it with great enthusiasm. Being a dedicated 365er, I knew it was my duty to try to catch them; just had time to point and shoot before they flitted away to go on with their nest-building. Noisy Miners are honeyeaters, native to the east coast of Australia; not to be confused with Indian Mynahs, a species that has invaded the continent to the detriment of native birds.
@princessm Thanks, Decima. They were in heavy shade, which has probably affected the colouring here, but their colour is grey on the back, tail and breast with white otherwise underneath and white scallops on the nape and breast. We haven't got any brown ones. Maybe a bit different from yours down south.
Great capture!