As I was zooming around the fruit trees on the mower, I noticed some tiny buds starting to appear on the fig tree (that was after I managed to get bogged, and after I was rescued by 2nd-daughter-superwoman).
Silvereye (Zosterops lateralis)
1/1000, f/7.1, ISO 800
The colours in this week’s image remind me of Peter Paul Rubens’ paintings and the exhibition that enthralled me (a scarily long time ago).
Silvereyes are tiny birds weighing about 11g and measuring about 11cm. They are easily recognisable by their colouring, especially the stark white ring of feathers around their eyes. Photographically it can be tricky to capture detail in the eye-ring feathers as it is easy for them to be over-exposed. I especially like the olive-green colouring on their head and wings, and the way their rufous flanks are set off by their pale tummies. Silvereyes from different areas around Australia have different colouring including WA birds having yellowish-olive backs while others have grey. It’s good to take a close look at Silvereyes as even regular garden visitors can be from different areas with birds from eastern Australia often migrating around the countryside.
Silvereyes can be seen singly, in pairs or in flocks of varying sizes. They eat insects, fruit and nectar. They have a high pitched, whiny kind of call that can sometimes sound like the whinny of a tiny horse, well that sounds a bit daft but it does sound that way to me.
Hopefully this will be a good year for figs, and a good year for Silvereyes.
Happy birding
Kim
PS my apologies for being so far behind responding to comments, I always enjoy reading your comments and plan to write back soon
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Very great picture of this silvereye Kim. I love this family. I met those from the Indian Ocean and Africa. But there are many others. I hope to see this one one day! With fruits, it’s a very nice image.
Now I’m wondering where you are from, Nath, I’ll visit your blog for a reminder. How neat to have seen so many species of Silvereye/White Eye. Thank you for your kind comments.
Beautiful
Thanks Stephen 🙂
Gorgeous shot Kim. 😀👍🦆
Thank you Jan 🙂
The silvereyes are welcome to the figs. Which is ironic. My dislike of figs comes from childhood duties of picking up the half-eaten ones which the birds (including these tiny charmers) had started and not finished. They fell from the tree and went mouldy.
Stunning photo of this beauty though.
Ew, what an odorous activity that would have been, no wonder you’re happy to leave figs to the birds. I tend to see a nice ripe one but somehow the birds manage to get to it first.