Southern Emuwren

Last weekend was a special one, where I was able to track down a beautiful pair of Southern Emuwrens. These elusive little fluff balls weren't easy to see as they are pretty quiet and don't exactly sit right out in the open.
Thankfully luck was on my side as this male was super comfortable and playful.

To be honest, I thought these birds might have been a myth since I haven't managed to spot a glimpse or even hear a peep in the various spots where these guys get reported (clearly there's a big skill gap between me and the experienced birders in my area).

Every time I heard the name "Emuwren" I could never quite understand why since the plumage isn't really similar at all the Emus. However, this picture really show off the where the name comes from, the tail!!
How unique are those tail feathers and how similar are they to the feathers of an Emu! They are also extraordinarily long for a small bird.

This is also a great time to mention how well the Olympus 300m f4 lens holds it quality even with the MC14 attached to it. The sharpness is just otherworldly. Here is a really tight crop for reference.

Hopefully I get to see these guys up close again.

Here are the other photos from the outing: