Scarlet Hay Fever

You rarely see something so enchanting it seems like an illusion, but that’s how it was last spring. Outside, checking the blooming Bottle-brush trees, a red pompom zipped past me. Didn’t see much, the bird was so fast it blurred.

Tomato red, black eye-band, grey-white belly-the loveliest creature I’ve ever seen. I think. It didn’t keep still for a millisecond, so I couldn’t catch it entirely, just a touch of bright beauty as the bird flashed past.

I walked to the bottom of the garden where the Callistemon were blossoming. These whizzbang birds were completely focused on drinking, and had brilliant camouflage among red flowers.

The air was abuzz with bees and hazy with pollen. There were also more zippy red blobs with long curved beaks and pert grey tails.