Ripe fruit.
Feb 10th, 2010 by Duncan
Along the river and creek the Tree Violet is in fruit, and the shrubs are attracting a variety of birds. One big old shrub was alive with Red-browed Finches, Superb Fairy Wrens, and Grey Fantails. The finches and fantails had a successful breeding season judging by the juveniles I saw. In contrast to the adult, the juvenile red-brow lacks the red brow and bill. Their diet consists mainly of seed and insects, I couldn’t find any reference to them eating fruit, so perhaps they were drawn to insects that had a sweet tooth. That would also explain the presence of the wrens and fantails, both insect eaters.
The juvenile grey fan was a really scruffy looking little bird.
And here’s a shot of the Tree Violet, Hymenanthera dentata in fruit.
This dragonfly is also immature in a fashion, it’s a teneral Blue Skimmer, Orthetrum caledonicum. Perhaps it too was picking up insects around the tree violet. Click all pictures to enlarge.
