Three Honeyeaters  ❤  ❤  ❤
Channel: zuditaka
Date: 2014-07-24

Three types of honeyeaters, here:  the Red Wattlebird (Anthochaera carunculata); the Spiny-cheeked Honeyeater (Acanthagenys rufogularis); and the White-eared Honeyeater (Lichenostomus leucotis)--all sipping sweet sugar syrup up in the native cypress (Callitris columellaris) tree.

There does seem to be a pecking order that obtains here. The largest honeyeater I have seen, the Red Wattlebird, will chase out the smaller Spiny-cheeked Honeyeater who, in turn, will drive out the yet smaller White-eared Honeyeater.

You can make a simple nectar bird feeder like this, as I did. Simply take an empty plastic sports drink bottle. Fill it with your sugar solution. Invert the bottle and loosen the lid until the bottle drips when it is moved slightly. Tie the bottle (upside down) amongst some twigs and branches of a tree. Attach a bright red-coloured flower--or plastic flower--to catch the bird's attention. I used red gumblossom; and also a piece of red ribbon. 

Now just sit back and wait. Eventually a honeyeating bird will roll up and avail itself of all the sweet goodies to be had. Should suit American hummingbirds as much as Australian honeyeaters!

I often sit patiently with the camera; waiting for birds to arrive. Sometimes I am lucky to get some good footage; and sometimes I am not. It all depends on if the "intelligent focus" is not acting unintelligent; and also how long the flitting birds can be caught holding still for. (They don't stay in one spot for very long at all.)

Thanks for (bird)watching!

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