The winter light was perfect today for showing off the stunning colours of the Tui. This image is a rough one but the iridescent blues being highlighted make it worth posting. This bird had just swept through moving another Tui and several Sparrows away from the sugar-water feeders. His flight-path saw him perch briefly here in the Wonga Wonga vine. Tui look black from a distance but any dark feathers are brown.
Many readers of my blog will know how much I enjoy feeding the Tui and taking photographs of these iconic and special New Zealand birds.
As word has got about in the Tui world that we have two sugar water feeders on offer, the number of birds visiting each day to drink their fill has risen. Antics at the feeders have increased substantially too.
Moulting season has come and gone this year and with it a small but delightful collection of feathers have been left in my garden.
Here is a selection from my collection:
Filamentous feathers of a Tui’s white, double tufted curled feather wattle
Filoplume feather from a Tui’s “shawl” around its neck and across its upper back
Wing or tail feathers showing some iridescence
Soft brownish breast or underbelly feathers showing some iridescence
Possibly fledgling’s soft downy feathers?
And in other feathery news I have spotted a Bellbird investigating the feeder and also checking out the bottle brush bushes….no photos…..or Bellbird feather treasure……yet…..
ordinarygoodness 