Silver Eye or Wax Eye

Known by either name, this small bird was self introduced into New Zealand. The Maori name is Tautou meaning 'stranger'  or more literally, 'new arrival.'

I don't know where they vanish to over summer but they mysteriously reappear in flocks in mid autumn and haunt the tui feeder.

They also like fruit and I have nailed half an apple to the rail of the deck. Soon after sunrise they gather there in a feeding frenzy. Later in the day, I only see them in ones and twos - usually at the tui feeder.

This morning there was a huge frost so I opened the sliding doors just enough to poke the lens through, in order to capture them. My front half froze and my back half was toasty. It was hard to find them sitting still long enough to take the photo - there was always some part of their wee bodies moving. Even when standing still, they quiver their wingtips.