His Nibs At the Sugar Water Dispenser

Meet the male bellbird that includes my garden in his extensive territory. Since the cold weather set in he has been a frequent visitor to the sugar water that I put out for the waxeyes. He is nearly twice the size of the waxeyes and he drinks so much I had to install a much larger dispenser than the usual one. When the sugar water level is getting low he does not hesitate to call me, and he has trained me to hurry out with fresh supplies. As a reward I am treated with the most beautiful song.

Today I took my camera out with the sugar water, hoping to get a shot of him. What a tease! He flew into the cabbage tree above my head where he sang nonstop his bell-like notes, interspersed with raspy squawks. I couldn’t see him and stumbled around the garden looking up for several minutes before he came down to drink. I was so frustrated that I fluffed the settings and didn’t get him as sharp as I’d like.

I also captured a hen sparrow. See extra shot.