I know each year our front kowhai tree flowers late, and usually when most of the other trees in the area have finished flowering. This makes it very appealing to the tui even though it is a dwarf tree. So having my camera handy is a given at this time of the year. Not being totally familiar with it, I didn’t have the settings where they should have been and when I picked it up I forgot to check. Consequently these images are a bit harsh and I have lost some of the detail on the birds, but it is all a learning curve and I think I am slowly winning the battle.
I love the way they twist their heads around to get into the flowers, and at times they appear to have their heads on backwards. The tui can be quite comical when bouncing around the kowhai. I love watching them go about their feeding, methodically going round the entire tree seeing out untapped flowers.
And then as quick as they arrive, they are gone…
