Olive-backed Sunbird

Nectarinia jugularis.

While at Flaggy Rock Ice-creamery, we went for a wander in the grounds and spotted a pair of Sunbirds flitting around this bush. I quickly returned to the car to collect the cameras and then came back to find them gone.

While everyone else wandered off, I stuck around and waited and sure enough they came back and I was rewarded with several decent shots of the male of the species.

The female was somewhat shy.

View all photos taken: Sunday, 5th July 2009, This photo: 2:03pm

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Comments

  • accesser said:
    Nice reward indeed worth the effort/time then,
    I am quickly learning that sticking around appears to be the trick :-) I was up in the Mt Mee state forest last weekend and sat down for around 30 min and what should come hopping past but a pair of Red legged Pademelon small wallaby's great to see them but did not get a pic as I had just switched to the wide to do some scenic stuff, Still cool to see them I hope to find them again some time and get a shot.
  • James Lagden said:
    I'm quite surprised you left the camera in the car to start with. Great find Dave.
  • David de Groot said:
    Ah yes Pademelons are pretty cool - haven't seen one in a while. Hope you catch a shot of one next time :)
    Well we'd stopped for lunch and ice-cream, lugging kit with me seemed overkill while eating :P
  • Out_and_About said:
    What a stunning shot! Well worth the patient wait. Good work as always Dave
    MichelleL
  • David de Groot said:
    Thanks Michelle :) I did fairly well with the birding on holidays. Got some firsts (for me) and some reasonable shots too.
  • photobitz said:
    Great shot Dave :) The red flower balances out the colours very nicely.
  • David de Groot said:
    Thanks Dan. Quite pleased with the overall tone on this one, you're right about the red flower.
  • Cass n Dan said:
    What a beauty
    I LOVE BIRDS :)
  • David de Groot said:
    Pretty little things aren't they ?
  • fatimka said:
    all vivid colors in one photo :)
  • David de Groot said:
    Indeed!
  • Andrew Hing said:
    Nice David, I love the bright colours and the DOF! very nice
  • David de Groot said:
    Thanks Andrew :)
  • Grauniad2 said:
    Beautiful, colorful capture, David.
  • David de Groot said:
    Thanks Rodney :)
  • gecko47 said:
    Well worth the wait. Those Calliandra flowers are a great attractant .
  • David de Groot said:
    Definitely, on both counts :)
  • ßlϋeωãvε said:
    Lovely birdy shot. Australia is truly spoiled with colours.
  • G.M. Photography (Busy) said:
    BirdsPhotos
    Please add this great bird photo to "Birds Photos" group
  • Thea M said:
    Fabulous shot - awesome in large. The feathers on the throat are iridescent.
  • apurdam (Andrew) said:
    Wow! That's a beauty!
  • David de Groot said:
    Indeed we are - makes up for the often dry and brown landscape :P
    Pretty cool eh ? :)
    Indeed Andrew. They're very pretty little birds (and I mean little!).
  • Ross_M said:
    Simply beautiful Dave and the composition and colours are spot on.
  • David de Groot said:
    Thanks Ross :) I was really quite happy to have the chance to shoot these adorable little birds.
  • redlittleman said:
    Super sharp!!! Amazing colours
  • David de Groot said:
    Thanks! :)
  • Lynda W1 said:
    Great shot.
  • Ursula Skjonnemand said:
    Isn't that sensational! Colour everywhere and excellent bokeh.
  • David de Groot said:
    Thanks :)
    They're great aren't they ? So tiny, but so very colourful.
  • AustralisWilds said:
    Fabulous colours! I love small honeyeaters like these guys, this is just amazing!
  • David de Groot said:
    Thanks :) I'd wanted to photograph one of these for a long time. They appear on the cover of that massive tome, The Readers Digest Book of Australian Birds (title is something like that).