Silver-eye Bliss!

By far my cutest shot today but not my sharpest.

I couldn't resist this lovely little Silver-eye sitting amongst New Zealand's national flower the Kowhai. He was very excited as he sipped the nectar.
There's a little bumble bee as well.

The Kowhai is widespread in lowland forest margins, riverbanks, lakesides on all three main islands, also in gardens and along streets. A semi deciduous tree with rough grey or dark brown bark.  Flowers in small clusters are bright sunshine yellow, tubular and drooping.

In traditional times Maori used the Kowhai tree as medicine. The bark was heated in a calabash with hot stones, made into a poultice to treat wounds or rubbed on a sore back or made into an infusion to treat bruising or muscular pains.

Other names for the bird are: Wax-eye and White-eye.
Maori name: Tauhou.
The Silver-eye is widespread in most habitats. It is protected and native to New Zealand.

A thunderstorm has just come through with huge hailstones and the temperature has dropped along with our lovely blue sky.

Many thanks for your kind words for yesterdays 'Whoosh', I'm glad you enjoyed it :) It was nice to be on the spotlight page, thank you :))

That time of the day again to think about tea, probably a quiche and salad tonight - I'll be back later to look at your journals :))