Tuesday, May 29, 2018

Spinebills

The garden bed along the front of our house attracts several species of small birds. It brings me great joy to sit inside watching them so close to the windows. The bethel sage (Salvia involucrata 'Bethelii') provides regular food for several eastern spinebills (Acanthorhynchus tenuirostris):
These little birds are amazing. Sometimes they hover like hummingbirds, sometimes they hang up-side down, and sometimes they just sit on the flowers like this. They don't stay still for long, though; they are constantly on the move. And thus very hard to photograph!

In the photo below there is unfortunately a leaf in front of the bird, but you can at least see how long and thin and "spiny" their bill is:
You can also see in the background that the liquidambar still has a few pretty leaves hanging on.

11 comments:

Vireya said...

Comment from me so that I can be notified of future comments...

Jeanette said...

A great reward for planting such useful flowers.

Kate said...

I used to love watching the small birds in my native garden in Perth. Unfortunately the neighbours cats moved in and the birds had to flee,

Needled Mom said...

Great picture! It is so hard to get a photo of those birds that flit around like that.

Sue SA said...

Such a pretty bird and flowers are magnificent, especially like the colour.

jacaranda said...

Photo wonderful with the bird sitting still.

Ivani said...

I love watching birds

hetty said...

Great photos. These birds are new to me. Very interesting.

Maria said...

Beautiful Photo of your bird. I'm having lots of birds visiting my flowering gums..

Jeann of Melton said...

Great photos. You are so lucky to have so much wildlife around.

Wendy said...

Hi There - You now have me looking out for some Bethel Sage! We had a Spinebill visit recently and it would be good to encourage them more! My Native garden is still very much 'under construction'.
Cheers Wendy