Monitor with right-of-way not spotted right away

Who gives way on footbridge, Yellow-spotted Monitor or unspotted bird watcher? Naturally, dinkum locals have right-of-way. I step aside, Spotty ambles forward, glances to the left and tumbles clumsily to ground about 30cm below. Dawdles off without a backward look. All in a morning's stroll through Cape Pallarenda Conservation Park in Townsville. 

Peek-a-boo, yoo-hoo, toodle-oo, tally-hoo

Four days of nonstop rain in tropical North Queensland and cabin fever setting in. Calls for something light and bright to break the monsoon misery. So, harking to a sunnier, funnier day: Galah peek-a-boo

Magpie Goose goes yoo-hoo

Osprey passes, toodle-oo

Silver Gull says tally-hoo

 

  

Look sharp when menaced by spurred bird

Masked Lapwings (Vanellus miles) not so long ago were called Spur-winged Plovers. For good reason, as evidenced by the sharp yellow spurs menacing me in a Townsville park recently. Names change, mostly, probably, for good reason. But something is often lost as taxonomic correction demands the old give way to the new. Whatever, those entering their ground-nesting territory must be aware of the threat they pose. My advice: look sharp and watch your back!  

Chilly relations between Brush Turkey and Raven

Chilly relations between Brush Turkey and Australian Raven witnessed in Townsville's Cape Pallarenda Conservation Park today (15/01/25) quickly sourced to discarded tub of . . . 😂 sweet chilli sauce.

Turkey first to the tub. Raven barged in. Turkey pushed back. Raven took to grabbing Turkey leg from behind. Turkey turned to jab at Raven's head. Raven grabbed Turkey's tail. Between times the birds slurped up much of the sauce.

Overall, a fair draw and the birds went off to look for less fiery fare. (Yes, I know, they probably felt nothing hot, lacking our sensitive taste buds.)

Young Bazas stretching out before first flights

Severe thunder storm shaking Townsville overnight did no damage to thriving Pacific Baza family of four in centre of Pallarenda park. Latest pictures reveal youngsters giving their wings thorough workouts from time to time. 

Here's hoping for some shots as birds soon get ready to depart nest. But, how soon? And when . . . ?   

Munching on mantids, preying on the praying

Munching on mantids, it's what Pacific Bazas do. Putting it another way, preying on Praying Mantises makes their mornings. Specially when most of the mantid is destined for young birds high in a nest.

Where's the nest? High above my head in a suburban park. Near the seaside. Nothing strange about that. Bazas appear right at home along the tropical North Queensland coast.

But it's not all juicy green mantids. Green tree frogs, not quite so well disguised, make an equally juicy target, though not quite so deliciously squishy.

 All up, great diet! Meaty greens, relatively low fat. Just the thing to keep youngsters growing and tireless parents going. And that's a must. As the Baza's call has it: Eee-chew, Eee-chew.  

Cormorant shuffles off mortal coil in python's coils

Water Python coiled around Little Black Cormorant beside pool in Townsville Town Common (03/11/24). Snake probably took bird in the water and dragged it up bank before being sighted as it was getting into the serious business of swallowing prey.

Roughly 30 minutes later, job done and snake, which had allowed myself and friend Wes Graffin to stay within touching distance, was fully alert and capable of swift movement, sliding quickly into para grass cover when touched lightly by hand.

 

And a bonus near same spot later in morning, Lesser Black Whipsnake gliding over part of drying lagoon. 

 

Latham's Snipe lands picture perfectly

Been spending more time lately stalking birds around edges of drying lagoons in the Townsville Town Common. But nothing will come close to sharp pic of Latham's Snipe splashing down at Melaleuca viewing area. Rare instance of absolutely everything going right for just the one frame in a high speed burst. Best pic ever for me. I don't enter comps, but if I did . . .

Nothing too much wrong with one or three others this month, starting with Bar-shouldered Dove.

Rufous-throated Honeyeater out in the open has some merit.

And couple of Radjah Shelducks up close rewarded a patient approach. Now to just wait patiently for several years for something to come close to the Latham's! 

 

Look sharp at Sharpies but beware wild goose chase

Look sharp! Look, Sharpies! Sharp-tailed Sandpipers that is. But wait, look sharpish! What am I looking for? Uncommon Pectoral Sandpiper. Sharp cutoff in breast streaking. Touch of yellow at base of bill. Look hard. Nothing. And thus fail to notice uncommon Curlew Sandpiper right under my nose. Broad white rump, black downcurved bill. There for all to see. Or all those not on narrow focus wild goose chase. See how you go.

Elsewhere lately, finally caught up with a Latham's Snipe a month or two after the first migratory arrivals from the Northern Hemisphere.

It was mixing with a few Sharpies, which are always more obliging when it comes to hanging about for bird photographers. If only Pectorals were as obliging . . .

Bowerbird finds females hard to impress

Great Bowerbird busy showing off crest and various bower treasures to passing females at Rowes Bay site in Townsville on a recent sunny morning.

But they proved impervious to both his charm and his motley charms. Hard to please some birds!

 

Left him moping about, probably wondering what else he needs to win them over.