Winter sun, winter berries

Winter is definitely here.   So little sun today and bad weather approaching.    Freezing cold wind, blackened twiglets but firey red in the Nandina berries.

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Autumn past, leaves cast.

The Cotoneaster leaves offered a wide palette of colours while the Nandina offered its scarlet intensity.  The past autumn with its crisp nights, clear sunny and calm days meant a more striking autumn season here in the garden.

And at last……Korimako, the New Zealand Bellbird.

 

I have been fortunate in the past three or more years to hear the beautiful song of the Korimako, New Zealand Bellbird.  Eventually I spotted one in the garden but it was a fleeting view as this fast moving bird was there and gone.

Two very tall Bottle Brush trees in neighbouring gardens provide food for our nectar feeding birds, especially the Tui and Bellbird.

My attempts to photograph a Bellbird have been futile so far.  But today our lovely visiting Bellbird ( or perhaps more than one) has been in and around the garden and singing temptingly close by.

With cold winter light offering little assistance I ventured out with my camera to try and locate Korimako feeding in the tree across the road.   The zoom on my camera is very good and I was able to gain one photo.

I crossed the road carefully and stood a way off from the tree believing that the bird would be fearful and take flight.  However food was a stronger pull and with plenty of foliage to hide safely in I was able to move closer and closer without causing the bird to fly away.

My luck held and I came home with some pleasing photographs and the great sense of achievement gained from ticking a “wanted bird” off the list.

I have included a link to a sound clip of the clear, bell like song of this very special New Zealand native bird.

Wordless Wednesday

Birds in the winter garden

Tauhou enjoying banana, Blackbird looking to me in the hope of food, Tui singing at full throttle in the afternoon sunshine.