A New Garden Visitor

For a week or so my husband - who spends a lot of his time relaxing on the front veranda - has been telling me that he has seen a new pair of Honeyeaters in the garden. Unfortunately never when I am there with him. Funny, but as soon as I turn up with my camera, the birds seem to go off and hide.

Several days ago I installed a Christmas present in the front garden - a lovely red ceramic bird bath. I have just cleared, weeded and replanted this part of the garden and I was doubtful if the birds would use the bird bath as it is quite exposed. To my delight, while I was sitting admiring my handiwork, the Honeyeaters appeared and used the bird bath. hardly daring to believe it, I crept in, collected the camera and crept out again

Snap!! Got one. Not a very clear shot as I had a long zoom setting on and was in a bit of a hurry before the little fellow disappeared, but clear enough to identify a Yellow-faced Honeyeater - the first I have seen in the garden.

These birds are quite common, but migratory, breeding in southern forests in Spring, then moving north in Autumn to northern NSW and SE Queensland. Our area of orchards and vineyards doesn't see them very often.

And to add some humour to the excitement, I was able to capture this little Fairy-wren having a tug-of-war with a worm.

In this shot below it looks as if the worm is fighting back and the wren is really struggling to pull it up.

Liz Needle  - linking with "Wild Bird Wednesday".