One-shot wonder!

Today I was extremely lucky to catch this New Holland Honeyeater (Phylidonyris novaehollandiae). I had my camera on a monopod, and had settled on some settings for various birds I was trying to shoot.

All of a sudden this New Holland Honeyeater settled on a sunlit branch, with no leaves - right in front of me. I swung the camera onto him and got in just one shot, and then he was gone in a flash. Probably perched there for 3 to 4 seconds till he saw me, and then off.

The blue sky and absence of leaves made this a dream shot, as birds love to partly or fully hide behind leaves whenever possible - when they are in trees.

Worth a look in LARGE.

With long, slender beaks and a tongue which can protrude well beyond the end of their beaks, New Holland Honeyeaters are able to probe for nectar in the deep flowers of various plants, but especially Banksias and Grevilleas.

It is a smallish bird of around 18cm and is mostly black and white, with a large yellow wing patch and yellow sides on the tail. It has a small white ear patch, a thin white whisker at the base of the bill and a white eye. This honeyeater is an extremely active bird, and rarely sits still long enough to give an extended view.

The New Holland Honeyeater's range extends throughout southern Australia, from about Brisbane, Queensland, to just north of Perth, Western Australia.

They love woodlands and gardens and are said to be inquisitive and happy to come close to humans. This one did not stay long!