It took me a while to identify this bird. The long, thin, curved beak made me think of a honeyeater or a spinebill. I’d seen Scarlet Honeyeaters in the area before, and this bird was the right sort of size and shape to be one of those. But it has no red around its head or throat, and its legs are orange instead of grey.

It’s a young Scarlet Honeyeater:

I’ve posted some pictures of previously-spotted Scarlet Honeyeaters, where you can see the lovely reds of the adult birds.

There’s a small hint of red on the back, just above the tail:

This is the view the bird was enjoying:

Common name: Scarlet Honeyeater
Scientific name: Myzomela sanguinolenta
Approximate length: 10 cm
Date spotted: 26 June 2024 (winter)
Location: Dobroyd Head, New South Wales, Australia: 33°48’34.0″S 151°16’14.8″E