Bathing Beauties

Unfortunately this is not a quality photo as it is taken through a window that has the sun shining on it with lots of reflections. But I really wanted it in my journal.

I have been feeding and watching tuis for a few years now but this week I have seen two totally new bits of behaviour. Tuis are bossy birds and at the feeder there appears to be the rule that the biggest and bossiest male goes first and the rest wait their turn higher up the tree. If they push this boundary, there is usually a spat and one or two will end up hanging upside down under the feeding tray to escape the snapping beak.

This week for the first time I watched two tui on the tray together sharing sips of the sugar water by taking turns and thought that it was unusual.

Today I found two tui sharing a bath together, I have never seen that before either - the bowl is hardly big enough for one, let alone two. There was water splashed for miles. I had to take the shot through the glass sliding doors so not to scare them off and the sun showed up every little smear and bit of dust on the glass, plus there were reflections, no matter where I stood. But at least I have a record of the sharing..