The Kowhai tree on the reserve next to our property is in full flower. My intention has been to gather some very close up photos of the Tui feeding. So far I have been thwarted. The light has been wrong, the birds too wary of me, too many loud noises in the neighbourhood, a busy road, the speed of the birds as they harvest the nectar and tangled branches that obscure that perfect image.
I persisted today and have a few photos I am relatively happy with. Here is one:
However later in the day one of the Tui decided that the three Tom Thumb Bottle Brush bushes that are very close to the kitchen window had plenty of pickings to feed on. Repeated visits happened all afternoon.
Here is a selection of images that I am thrilled with.
ordinarygoodness 
These images are outstanding! Congratulations
Thanks. Taking the Bottle Brush pics through the grubby kitchen window has meant a bit of light glare/reflection but this Tui was so happy to come very close to the window. A real treat!
I am thinking I should clean the window!!!
Wow, well done, Lyn! They are magnificent birds.
Thanks Jo. Magnificent and full of personality. The Bottle Brush visitor was full of courage to get so close to the window and my/our movement.
Gosh, they are wonderful. Do you think we are such elegant eaters?
Aren’t they wonderful. They are incredibly fast and efficient eaters who hide their brush tongue flicking in to gather the nectar. We are much less elegant and ungainly and we don’t dress as well to eat at every meal….well I don’t 😉
I watched this same Tui swoop past me and back into the Melia tree and I realised it had caught a flying insect which fast disappeared. Tui are hungry at the moment – babies to feed I would suspect:-)
Thinking about ungainly and methods of eating….I have yet to see a bird with crumbs on its chest or food dribbling at the corner of its mouth….all things that happen to me. 😀
Tee hee you are right about tidy beaks and feathers. Thank goodness for serviettes and tissues to tidy us up! I relate to your experiences;-)
And aprons!
Oh yes!
These are so beautiful…..and I’m in love with the one fourth from last….it’s composition is perfect 🙂
Thank you. I think I have “Tui compulsion” or “obsession! It is such a thrill to have them around us all the time nowadays. As I child I did not see them at all. So much effort has gone in to restoring the populations of our uniquely wonderful NZ birds and I am relishing the results. Blogs are just great for sharing such beauty around the globe. Thanks again:-)
I confess that I had never heard of them until this moment….but I think that obsession might be contaigious 🙂
I’m sure I will have more photos to post on my blog for you to enjoy!
Wonderful photos Lynley! Your patience and persistence is certainly paying dividends. It’s such a treat to have such an intimate look at the tuis.
They are splendid birds. There is quite a bit of aggression from them towards other Tui and even sparrows at the moment so my eyes are peeled for spotting fledglings any day now!