Photo of the Day
Each day, we highlight one extraordinary photograph from National Geographic. Check out more of our photos here.
A black-and-white photo of an Australian wattlebird balancing on a native Australian grass tree that has five flower spikes.
September 29, 2026 | An Occasional Bloom
An Australian wattlebird (Anthochaera) balances on a native Australian grass tree (Xanthorrhoea). These slow-growing perennials produce towering flower spikes that can reach two to four meters tall and drip with nectar, attracting birds, butterflies, and native bees. In a press release, photographer Raoul Slater says that he has photographed this tree for a decade but has never seen it produce more than two flower spikes at once. After a particularly rainy year in 2025, the tree responded with five spikes. This photograph was a winning entry in the 2026 Bird Photographer of the Year competition.
