Taking a long slow walk around the Baldry Circuit at Green’s Bush, I am still finding many birds hard at work building nests and feeding young. Some of the early starters like the Pardalotes, Rosellas and the Eastern Yellow Robins are just about done with many new juveniles now flitting amongst the branches waiting for a free feed from their parents. Another group are just starting their breeding duties. A pair of busy Grey Fantails were flying in and out of the lower branches of an Acacia. The material they were collecting was a mix of finely shredded dried grass and spider webs interwoven into a small goblet shape that the Fantail could barely sit in. A fantastic little structure fit for purpose for just a few months and then will disappear.
Grey Fantail building a nest, Greens Bush, Mornington Penninsula National Park, Vic
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Off for more spider-web
Further around the track I found another Eastern Yellow Robin’s nest that appeared to be done for the season. It was empty inside and I waited for a while nearby to see if any Robins visited but none appeared. It is also made up of finally stripped bark and spider webs as well as decorated with bits of moss and lichen – great camouflage. The nest was in plain sight (if you could recognise it) next to the the path in a low prickly bush.
Eastern Yellow Robin nest, Greens Bush, Mornington Penninsula National Park, Vic
The Gap Year and Beyond 
Really great shots of the fantail and nest, all that spiders web really does hold it together well. I am always amazed at how they make such a beautiful bowl shape with just a beak.
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thanks Ashley, it does give a better view of the Fantails life rather than just that frenetic hunt for insects…
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