The Adolescent.

Since I started feeding my wild Rainbow Lorikeet friends two varieties of specially made formula for nectar eating birds, it has encouraged the Honeyeaters to visit more frequently as well.

Young Honeyeaters, aged up to 16 months, have a large yellow ring around their eyes, which changes to a beautiful brilliant aqua shade as they mature.

So this Honeyeater must be an adolescent.....with a yellow/aqua-ish shade around its eyes.

I had lunch out today at a Japanese restaurant in Coolangatta, which serves absolutely delicious food (love their sushi!) and the best green tea I've tasted. After running a few errands and having a visit with cousin Robert, who is in Australia just now from South Africa, it was late afternoon by the time I arrived home. I was lucky to catch any photos of the birds before they tucked themselves away all cosy and warm for the night.

A few people have asked what temperature is "cold" in the area where I live, as all creatures great, small, feathered, skin covered and furred are noticing the cold.....well, most mornings it's about 5 - 8 degrees Celsius, although the temps have gone down as low as 2 degrees on a couple of mornings. During the day it seems to be averaging around 20 degrees just now.

Keeping the temperatures in perspective though, during summer, which lasts around nine months of the year here, we can expect around 25 - 35 degrees every day. So when the temps drop so low (for us) at this time of year, we feel the cold. If we lived in a colder climate, we would wear warmer clothes too, but what's the use of buying thermals, to be worn only once or twice a year?

I'm loving this cool weather. Today, even though I was out and about and rushing around, I didn't break out in a sweat, not even once all day! Cool days here are heavenly.... :)