Closing in on Red-backed Fairy-wren

More images in the quest for one that does full justice to the male Red-backed Fairy-wren (Malurus melanocephalus). Getting better, but . . .

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Catch and catch again

Rainbow Bee-eater (Merops ornatus) plays catch and catch again. Too far off and lousy angle, but typical handling of tricky prey by many bird species.

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Bittern in the light: owl in the night

Four Black Bitterns (Ixobrychus flavicollis) in Tyto today but no image to match the above, taken from the highway at a temporary pool near Ingham the other morning.

Another image standing around for a bit, Intermediate Egret (Ardea intermedia), atop a Leichhardt tree.

And a little night visitor to the caravan park a while back, young Barking Owl (Ninox connivens) waits for parent to bring in some dinner.

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Keeping track of some little things

A few images from Tyto tracks, starting with young Willie Wagtail (Rhipidura leucophrys) yesterday calling for the cleanup squad.

Rock Dove (Columba livia) looks a little lost near entrance today. Leg band dated 2010 carries ID ending in 579013.

Dragonfly (Orthetrum villosovittatum) perches over temporary pool beside entry track.

Small Carpet Snake (Morelia spilota) on mown track gives an ant a lift, and the lens a threatening stare.

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On the wing, and under it

One of fluctuating hundreds of Wandering Whistling-Ducks (Dendrocygna arcuata) on the main lagoon these days takes a turn near the Tyto lookout. Plenty of Plumed Whistlers too, but usually clustered on grassy banks of new lagoons near the info centre.

Young White-bellied Sea-Eagle (Haliaeetus leucogaster) about to make brief touchdown near the lookout. Interesting that one- to two-year? bird caused no alarm among the many birds on the water, very different from reaction mature eagles usually provoke. But perhaps there’s something about eagles’ in-flight behaviour that signals either malign or benign intent.     

Nothing much malign about Spotted (Turtle-) Dove (Streptopelia chinensis), showing delicate colouring on rail in the morning sun. Not universally loved because regarded as pushy import (1860-1920), at least the mostly suburban species no longer is tagged an STD.    

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