With the arrival of New Zealand Spring the local birds are getting busier and noisier. One of the most active and entertaining is the Tui.
Tui are boisterous, medium-sized, common and widespread bird of forest and suburbia – unless you live in Canterbury.They look black from a distance, but in good light tui have a blue, green and bronze iridescent sheen, and distinctive white throat tufts (poi).
NZBirdsOnline
You can see the lovely blue green plumage of this bird in our garden, perched on our nectar feeder. We buy a tailor-made mix and add water while the bird’s perch impatiently nearby. I am sure they are tapping, the avian version of a wristwatch if we are late!
The Tui bird here is perfectly happy to tip head first down towards the nectar tray and sip away. I thought they would need to perch ‘upright’ but from these pictures you can see, they don’t mind how they drink, as long as it’s the sweet stuff.
You can use honey in water as an alternative, I am guessing the solution is similar to hummingbird hydration?
I managed a fun shot of one looking at me, as if to say, OK finished now can I drink?
Here’s a closer shot of the Tui showing his white feathers. he is just raising his beak from a drink of nectar. They are some of our favourite birds in the garden and I hope to improve my Tui shots over time.
PS I have to share the Kitties Blue catio review from yesterday. This looks amazing for indoor kitties.
Cat Photographer, Instructor and Writer
Professional Member of the Cat Writers Association,
Winner of the Kuykendall Image Award
Published at the Guardian newspaper
Wow, what beautiful plumage!