Tuesday 18 August 2020

Wild Bird Wednesday 421 - Eastern Spinebill

The Eastern Spinebill (Acanthorhynchus tenuirostris) is a small honeyeater that can be found in the south eastern area of Australia.  It's actually one of the birds I get passing through my garden on a regular basis.  Their small size and high speed movement make them hard to photograph unless they keep returning to the same flowers to feed.

This male bird was feeding on some flowers at Blackburn Lake a month or more ago (maybe a year, maybe a decade - its getting hard to tell!) so I was able to wait for it to return.  Shame that the flowers were in rather deep shade.

The down curved bill and chest patch of this species is a bit of a give away as to their identity when you see them, as there is really no other bird in the region that sports this combination.  They can also hover in front of the flowers on which they are feeding, which also makes them pretty distinctive.






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14 comments:

  1. One of my favourite birds; beautiful, confiding and ubiquitous.

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  2. Hari Om
    Very nice wee bird, wonderfully captured as ever, Stewart. Hope you and family are safe, at least. 2020 cannot get behind us quick enough, eh? YAM xx

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  3. Very cute indeed.
    A few weeks ago I saw the "Honey Buzzard" in Finland. Awesome!
    I will post it someday...
    All the best!

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  4. Handsomely marked bird! It sounds as if they have some hummingbird-like qualities.

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  5. What a pretty bird and clever too. Not to many can hover that way.

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  6. This is one thing I really miss here in France we have no hummingbirds, sunbirds or honeyeaters. These are fabulous photos of a very pretty bird. Well done for getting these great shots.
    Hope that all is well and things are on the mend in your part of the world. Stay safe and have a good week. Diane

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  7. Hi Stewart, beautiful photos of this Eastern Spinebill. (Bijeneter in Dutch). Greetings Caroline

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  8. That is a very nice addition to make up for your lack of hummingbirds! I agree with you about our now-distorted time sense. I cannot believe that we have already been cooped up for six months. As a high-risk target for COVID-19 I do not see any end in sight.

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  9. Love its colors..Beautiful pictures..Frameable..ENjoy the rest of your week

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  10. PS..This picture would make a lovely Christmas card..

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  11. Beautiful bird! Thanks for hosting.

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  12. Hello steward
    not so easy to catch the bird through the branches
    done great
    nice report

    Greetings Frank

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  13. Great shots of a quick little bird! I did have them just outside my window during the first lockdown, but they've disappeared now : (

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  14. Cudowny ptak! Dla mnie to jest egzotyka, bo w Europie takie nie latają. Pozdrawiam z Polski!

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