Welcome to May and your Bird’s-eye view calendar pinup, the Eastern Spinebill (Acanthorhynchus tenuirostris).
This photo was taken at Ballandean (near Stanthorpe), Queensland. It was the result of several attempts as these Eastern Spinebills were so quick and so tiny! They loved the flowers you can see in the image which were on a granite outcrop, but they were scarcely bigger than the flowers and so were quite tricky to spot and photograph!
The defining feature of Eastern Spinebills is their curved beak. They are honeyeaters and as adults (like the bird in the calendar), their head has a dark cap which is black on males and grey on females. Their distribution is from North Queensland down to Tasmania and South Australia. According to BirdLife Australia, you are more likely to spot them in eucalypt forests, as well as shrubland, heathland and suburban gardens.
This month in my shop there are some new designs and products. The Sulphur-crested cockatoo products are available now and the Beach-stone curlew products will arrive mid-May. I am not sure what’s coming next but stay tuned!
Hope you have a great May, and to those who celebrate Mother’s day – Happy Mother’s Day!