Bird snaps

It has come around to the time of year when our Red-hot Pokers (Kniphofia sp) come into flower.
 This is attracting a range of honeyeaters.  Thus far I have photographed 2: Eastern Spinebill  ...
 ... and New Holland Honeyeater.  This species only turns up at our place when the pokers are in flower.

The number of New Holland Honeyeaters increased to 3 by 10 January.  I couldn't get three in one snap, but here are two.
On 13 January there were 4 New Hollands in, on and around the pokers.  Two of them seemed to have very dark plumage...
 .. suggesting they are immature birds.  As they were feeding them selves and flying strongly I can't count them as dependent young, but I'd bet they were born not too far away (in time or space).  A day or so later I saw one of the young birds being fed so have recorded it as Dependent Young.

The Noisy Friarbirds finally discovered the pokers on 13 January.
It's not only Honeyeaters: on the evening of 15 January there was a major war between the 4 New Holland Honeyeaters and about a dozen Silvereyes.
In the late afternoon of 6 January a young Rufous Whistler tried taking a shortcut through the house.
Windows only look as though they can be flown through.  It sat on the deck for a few hours and judging by the amount of guano emitted it was pretty well concussed.  However I moved it into Frances potting shed and it took a small flight so hopefully it will be safe in there and fly out tomorrow.

It was still alive in the morning but hadn't flown anywhere so I took it into the garden and put it under a bush.  It fluttered around a bit and after an hour had disappeared.  Whether it did so under its own steam or if it got an assist (see next section) is unknown.

There were two Collared Sparrowhawks flying around above the Creek today.
 One of them at least was carrying afternoon tea with it.
Again the prey is a passerine.

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