Walking along a path in Manly Dam park this morning, I saw a flash of movement down at ankle level. A little bird had flown straight into the bank on the left of the path:

Pardalotes, tiny as they are, are unusual in that they dig holes in banks of earth to nest in. Here’s a closer view of the area where the bird disappeared:

So I trained my camera on the area and waited. After a few minutes, my patience was rewarded. In the video below, watch the top right of the picture. You’ll see the tiny head of a Spotted Pardalote appear. The bird examines the surroundings carefully before emerging and flying away:

Update: A week or so later, on 12 June, I was walking in the same spot when a bird emerged from the same nest and perched on a branch close by. I managed to get a still photo. Here it is:

I’ve posted more pics of Pardalotes in earlier posts.

Common name: Spotted Pardalote
Scientific name: Pardalotus punctatus
Approximate length: 10 cm
Date spotted: 6 June 2021 (winter)
Location: Manly Dam Park, New South Wales, Australia