Big stork stalks closer

Immature Black-necked Stork (Ephippiorhynchus asiaticus) surprised me by stalking slightly towards me rather than away as I watched from the other side of a shallow pool in Tyto yesterday, but drew the line at about 30 metres. The birds usually respond to intruders by quietly altering course and easing off into the distance. If followed they fly off (below, from earlier in week - perhaps the same bird, though 2-3 immatures drop in at times).

Another big bird Australian Pelican (Pelecanus conspicillatus) circles above main lagoon. It's one of a pair temporarily in the wetlands after recent rains lifted the main lagoon by about 15cm. (Which has also brought in more Whiskered Terns).

And a Magpie Goose (Anseranas semipalmata), one of many coming daily to the wetlands and returning to surrounding areas before sunset. (A popular night roost during the now-finished cane crush was atop the loaded bins of the cane trains).

Questions on young bowerbird

Seems Great Bowerbird (Ptilonorhynchus nuchalis) males start young. Here's an immature (note yellow gape) bird with an advanced structure near the Tyto carpark. Very active and noisy at his work today and yesterday, though yet to bring in much decoration.

Two initial thoughts occur: can such an obviously young bird attract females? will any mature male nearby attack the bird or bower? More to come, in time ...

One bad tern deserves another

More exercises in trying for decent flight shots. Both eyes open, one eye shut, 9-point auto focus, centre point focus, manual focus. The spirited Whiskered Terns (Chlidonias hybrida) seem willing, in zig-zaggy fashion, the camera technique is weak.

And off they went

Golden Plover gilds wader watch

Pacific Golden Plover (Pluvialis fulva) only wader of rare note in or near Tyto through year to date. Not so hard to find up and down the coast, but this solo bird popped into view on Wednesday just beyond the wetlands' westernmost point, on regreening burnt grass alongside young sugar cane. (I was looking for quail.) Plover unfortunately took lead from two Masked Lapwings it was with and would not settle close enough for better pictures.

Then, 100mm of rain overnight and following day. No sign of bird since.

But two more common wader species have dropped in on newly flooded areas. Bit like buses. None for a while and then three turn up! (New Scientist explained why buses do this. Nothing to do with birds in threes.) Anyway, Sharp-tailed Sandpiper (Calidris acuminata) trio above could pass as triplets.

Wood Sandpipers (Tringa glareola) not so strikingly alike. Striking enough merely to have three of the often solitary birds so close together. One bird has been the regular daily ration for most of the month. Below, a closeup look at a Wood, taken at a nearby treatment pond.

White-browed Robin win and loss

Three hours (spread over two days) of stalking juvenile White-browed Robin (Poecilodryas superciliosa) brought some reward today in Tyto. Junior's natural inclination to hide behind clusters of twigs or under umbrellas of shady foliage was only part of the problem.

The parents never took prey and headed straight back to the juvenile. Rather, they perched and pounced several times before taking a circumspect route back to the ever-shifting offspring.

They are also fast on the swallow. Caught quick shot of parent taking a caterpillar. Two shots later in the same high-speed burst, the bird was up and away with caterpillar gulped down.

Final musing: Most White-browed Robin nests contain two eggs, and in due course two fledglings. But after the birds quit the nest it's hard to find more than one juvenile, though both parents can be seen. Perhaps the parents don't return enough of their catches to sustain both young?