The Eastern spinebill (Acanthorhynchus tenuirostris) is one of the smallest honeyeaters, curious and trusting enough for me to be able to pick him up off the verandah step where he was standing, just standing, almost trancelike.
The arch of the black beak is perfect for nectar gathering especially from the Grevilleas covered in masses of flowers at the moment. Now that's a red eye, and no flash! The lovely olive coloured feathers behind the cinnamon collar suggest he's an immature, and maybe a fledgling I thought by the way he wobbled off through the air after staring at me for a few minutes.
How small? This small -
What was especially pleasing was the amazing detail I lucked on with the iPhone, which I usually can't manage at close range. And one-handed too.
