Bell Miners, often called bellbirds, are well known in parts of Eastern Australia. We don’t have them in the area where I live, but I’ve heard them often when visiting nearby places. The odd thing is, though, that I’ve never before managed to actually see a Bell Miner. Until this weekend.

I was visiting the area of Capertee, about three hours’ drive west of Sydney. Bell Miners were chiming away in the trees:

For a while, as usual, I couldn’t spot a bird. There aren’t any clearly visible in the video either. Then, a flash of olive green, and a bird alighted for a brief moment:

The image is fuzzy, because I didn’t have time to focus on the bird. But at least I now know what they look like!

Here’s another Bell Miner in the same tree. This time it’s a juvenile bird, darker in colour than the adult:

Common name: Bell Miner, often called bellbird
Scientific name: Manorina melanophrys
Approximate length: 18-20 cm
Date spotted: 22 April 2023 (autumn)
Location: Long Ridge, Capertee, New South Wales, Australia: 33°09’53.9″S 150°00’06.2″E