The first was a spectacled monarch (Monarcha trivirgatus), which I had previously stalked and photographed at Kingfisher Park near Julatten. Although the view wasn't quite as good as at Julatten, where the bird flitted through the leaves above my head, I didn't have so far to travel to see it. I took this photo from the living room window.
The second was the black-faced monarch (M. melanopsis). Although the two species look similar, they are not very closely related.(The spectacled is likely made up of a couple of species, of which one is sister to a black, grey and white New Guinea monarch. Bird phylogenies, eh?)
The third was a pied monarch (Arses kaupi), which deserves its generic name. Just as I pressed the shutter, the bird flew off. What should have been a lovely shot showing its handsome black and white plumage and gorgeous sky-blue flash around the eye became a blur. The trunk of the Melicope comes out looking nice. Because, you know, that's what I was photographing in the first place ...
