Olive-backed Sunbird on Lantana Camara

Olive-backed Sunbirds are frequently seen on my Lantana camara shrubs. They are ingenious in the way they collect nectar from the flowers. Being small-bodied, light and possessing a long, narrow, curved beak helps.

This sunbird alights on a slender stalk ...


and insert its curved beak into a tiny flower.


It then flips up to approach a flower facing upwards.


See how its fine beak can be inserted into the teeny weeny florets.



These globular heads are left behind when all the flowers drop.


 

Lantana flowers non-stop and add dashes of colour to the garden where ever the seeds disperse and take root.



This variety has touches of pink.

In this variety of orange-yellow florets, the buds first appear pink.

Heliconia x nickeriensis - The Parakeet Flower

Heliconia x nickeriensis (Parakeet Flower, Parrot's Beak) is a hybrid between H. psittacorum and H. marginata. It can be planted in partial shade to full sun and is almost disease-free. A very vigorous growing plant, it can reach up to about 6 to 8 feet in height and is a prolific bloomer. It likes humidity and with fertilizer, produces blooms throughout the year.
  

 

The more colourful orange parts are actually the bracts. Bracts are orange-red with a yellow border and yellow rachis. The wide stretch of the bract makes an ideal perch for this tiny sunbird.

 

The striking colours make them stand out dramatically against the green foliage. They can also be planted in containers and make excellent cut flowers.

 

Its tall upright lance-like leaves have long leaf stalks that look more like banana leaves. 

A colourful insect bearing the same colours as the bract-flowers purposefully ascends, towards the flower spikes.

  

The 'stem' is actually made up of rolled leaf bases and the flowers emerge from the centre. When the flowers fade, the stems should be pruned off to to encourage new growth and also to generally tidy up for improved appearance.

 

Heliconias are generally invasive. As seen here, it has invaded a flower bed of Allamanda cathartica.

 

Red-green leaves of Dracaena marginata, tiny red flowers of Russelia equisetiformi and Heliconia nickeriensis  growing happily in tight confines.

This series of pictures were taken very early in the morning when it was still not bright.

A female sunbird landed on one of the bracts to ponder the nectar within.

When it was done, it suddenly took flight. I didn't have time to dial up the shutter speed, resulting in a blurred image.

 
 
 
The maturing flower spike.

 
A fully formed bloom with eight tiers of bracts. 

 
  A solitary ant did an investigation of the flower.

 

A bee posturing at the tip of a true flower.  


   An Oriental Magpie-Robin (Copsychus saularis) hope from a flower pot onto the ledge of the flower planter box and ... 





rest under the shade of the foliage.

Ruellia Elegans and Sunbirds

The various flowering plants in the garden are a great source of delight as they bring in the birds. The easy to plant Ruellia elegans is one such plant. They bloom year round and the birds visit daily. Any time that I step out into the garden, there would be avian activities to amuse me.

I saw this cluster of red Ruellia elegans flowers bobbing up and down and sure enough a sunbird was busy nectaring.

 

 

It sipped with its fine curved beak, while at the same time looking up intermittently to watch out for signs of danger.

At the slightest sound, it flew off to secure perches, but returned soon after.

 
  The bud with fine silvery hairs.

 
 
The pretty bloom.

 
 
 
It dropped of after two to three days, but still attached to the plant through a fine filament of the reproductive system.
  
 
After the flower had completely detached.

 
 Ruellia elegans and Tecoma stans.

Thanks to Andrea of Kalantikan, Ruellia is spelt without the 's'. I've make the correction.

Tecoma capensis - Cape Honeysuckle

Tecoma capensis (Cape Honeysuckle) is a scrambling shrub which may grow very tall, up to 10 feet in height. It is widely cultivated here as it is  easily  propagated. Propagation is through cuttings or the even easier way is by removing rooted suckers. Cape honeysuckle is a sun worshipper but can still thrive in semi-shade.

The compound leaves comprise elliptical leaflets with a ziz zag outline.

 

Tecoma capensis is an ornamental garden plant and commonly planted for its high visual appeal.  To keep this shrub neat and compact, it must be constantly pruned back to promote new growth and flowers.

 
It flowers all year round. The tubular flowers vary from red to deep orange
.

Stamens protrude from the flowers ending in purple-red anthers,

 
Clusters are terminal. In the background is the yellow Tecoma Stans.



 Tecoma capensis is not only ornamental but is a magnet for birds and butterflies. Sunbirds are particularly attracted to its nectar and thus aid in its pollination.

 

 
It checked out the flowers in the cluster one by one.

Its curved long beak fits snugly into the tubular section of the flower.

When it was done with one cluster, it turned to another.

 

Here it is getting ready to take flight.

A single flower bud.

Some foamy bubbly stuff was deposited here. It didn't stay long as the heavy showers washed it off the next day