Wednesday, April 17, 2024

Some birds close to my heart of things





Home's where the heart is, close to home's where many of my birds are. Benefit of buying into retirement village surrounded by conservation parks and other wildlife and marine areas. Some sightings lately:


Brahminy Kite, one of pair often seen on local dead trees.



Brolga foraging and flying close to the kites' lookouts.


Australasian Figbird about 100 metres from Brolga's reed patch.

Pheasant Coucal close-up and close to Figbird's perch.

Scaly-breasted Munia (was Spice Finch, then Chestnut-breasted Mannikin) by coastal walkway.

Not quite all in one day's walk, but part of my recent days' walks.

 

 

Saturday, April 6, 2024

Pelican's 'catches' out but cuckoo catches on




Pelican might have done double take, or double miss, at nearby Rowes Bay lagoon as first a small fish executes a teasing jump and then a spectral fish forms from back splash created by passing Little Black Cormorant (obscured by Pelican's head). Typical fisher's tale of the ones that got away.

 

No such bad luck for juvenile Brush Cuckoo about to receive insect prey from parasitised Brown-backed Honeyeater 'parent' in local park recently. So quick was transfer that though I was shooting at 12 frames per second the grab and gulp fell entirely between frames. 

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...