Wednesday, March 14, 2007


The trees behind our house are in blossom. They act like a sweetly perfumed magnet, attracting lorikeets and honeyeaters during the day, and enticing hungry bats by night. The chatter and screeching first drew my attention to the tree, which for the rest of the year is an unobtrusive part of the scenery. When I saw the lorikeets I knew I had to bring my camera out and try for a few shots. Their vivid colours seem to reflect their outrageous personalities. As I was photographing them they were quietly conversing with each other, a contrast to the loud shrieks they use to convey outrage to interlopers. The green on their backs blends seamlessly with the trees, but they are so colourful from the front, that it's obvious camoflage is not an issue in the life of a rainbow lorikeet.



Their visit to our yard will only last a few weeks. When the blossoms are gone they too will depart. We'll spot them feasting in other yards, in other trees, but I'll miss their company while I am hanging out the laundry.

9 comments:

Melissa said...

That third photo is absolutely wonderful!!

. said...

Oh my GOSH!!!!! Those are incredible! We'd only see something as colourful as that in a pet shop lol...I can't IMAGINE seeing those flying around wild. WOW!

Tammy said...

Oh my, you lucky duck! ;-) How gorgeous! The only way we would see such a bird flying about our neck of the woods is if it escaped from a pet shop!

Sara Laughs said...

I LOVE lorikeets! They have them at the Philly zoo and you can go in and feed them nectar. It's our favorite part of the trip. Yet again you've made me wish I could move next door to you.

Here's my Steve at the zoo with the birds.

meggie said...

I love the lorikeets too. We used to have them here all the time, but we had to replace our old wooden pergola, & they dont come round now.

Frank Baron said...

Lovely pics!

So, are they any good to eat?



KIDDING!!

:)

Kelli said...

Your photographs are beautiful Emma. Lorikeets must be more prolific in Queensland. We are blessed down here to be visited from time to time by the red-tailed black cockatoos. They have quite a gentle call (for a parrot species!) Thanks for sharing these wonderful photos - you're a very good photographer!

Lisa said...

How beautiful!! Thanks for taking photos!

Anonymous said...

Oh my, they are just gorgeous Emma! A little different from the house sparrows we get, Lol.

Great pictures.

p.s. thanks for the bidet story, I laughed over that LOL!