Hobby and Kestrel offer differing views of passion

Hobby lacks intensity enough to describe my daily passion, but Australian Hobby at least offers link between obsession and its targets. This young female speeds after large dragonflies from two favoured vantages at the Pandanus viewing point in the Townsville Common Conservation Park (yes, I know, it's a mouthful).

Bird sitting in place today but no big dragonflies.  Images from past two days, with no catches recorded before high Sun cast underside of bird in darkness.

Sun did better job on back of female Nankeen Kestrel today. Minutes earlier she rejected male, then flew to another tree and allowed him to mount. Brief blurred (too distant) flurry and away he flew. Female allowed slow walkup to close beneath  5m tree.

Another allowing close-ups this morn, Little Bronze Cuckoo. Wasn't, however, willing to 'watch the birdy' and persisted in looking high left and right. These things can drive one cuckoo (sorry: corn for brekkie).

Brown Goshawk courtesy of spangles and angles

Young Brown Goshawk teasing me for couple of weeks launched into view this morning under challenge from territorial Spangled Drongos (chasers lost all interest immediately goshawk flew into tree over road: seems it was then about 10 metres outside their zone).

Near vertical view: an awkward strain handholding lens at this angle.

Managed to back away and support lens against side of tree for better shot.

Also in same area of the Townsville Common at the time, young Australian Hobby. Bit of a morning for raptors. Five other species seen within 500m but not photographed: White-bellied Sea Eagle, Pacific Baza, Brahminy Kite, Black Kite, Whistling Kite.

Kingfisher kindly gives up sitting on the fence

Came upon Red-backed Kingfisher on the barbed wire topping Townsville Airport's perimeter security fence yesterday. Chatted to bird about need to get into natural surroundings. Three shifts later and we were close, bird on lowish limb, me able to move around freely within eight metres.

Sadly, no stepladder to hand, so bird retained upper hand in negotiations about me getting to eye level. Not unusual behaviour from the species (more at home on the other side of the Great Dividing Range) but resident Forests and Sacreds have no time for what they see as naive trustingness.

Young pale morph Brown Falcon recently moved into the Common close to the fenceline, possibly along with adult pair drawn to newly slashed and mown airfield grasslands. Snatched quick images of bird taking off from tree.

Nearby, distant young Australian Hobby shows the posture of a bird that won't allow closer approach. Turning away and pretending an interest in anything other than the target may sometimes allay the suspicions. Not too often, and not in this case.

Black-shouldered Kite catches the eye

Catching the eye this week, Black-shouldered Kite (Elanus axillaris) pauses during long spell of pair bonding above a creek near Ingham.

Here's another kite inspecting possible roost in pandanus along Orient Station road after also doing aerial manoeuvres with its partner.

Also at Orient Station, two looks from and at Australian Hobby (Falco longipennis). Hobby numbers remain higher than formerly.

Three views of changing conditions

Contrasting conditions along road through Orient Station the other morning as cloudy morn gave way to brisk breeze and welcome sun after rains that have delayed the start of this season's sugar cane crush. Black-faced Woodswallow  (Artamus cinereus) pauses during preening upon a post.

Nankeen Kestrel (Falco cenchroides) lights up day and shadowed perch.

Australian Hobby (Falco longipennis) in nature's frame backed by cloudless blue. 

Rare finds among the raptors

Rare find today at Jourama Falls as this Square-tailed Kite (Lophoictinia isura) circled near the camping ground before dropping from sight amid trees on the other side of Waterview Creek. My first sighting of the species for some years. Pity about the picture.

Bit better images of Black-shouldered Kite (Elanus axillaris), in Tyto Wetlands yesterday ...

... and also along Orient Station road.

And little Australian Hobby (Falco longipennis) sitting in middle of back road the other day. Inched up for capture (and trip to vet) when bird flew off without hint of harm (in spite of seeming breast wound). Happy days!      

Death comes with a whoosh

Australian Hobby (Falco longipennis) whooshed over sugar cane road near Ingham today and struck unidentified bird before the Toyota beast could stop and turn (it's not fully trained yet).

Feathers and fresh meat fast flew this way and that and then the Hobby flew thataway.  

Pacific Baza (Aviceda subcristata) slower though equally thorough in grabbing and munching tree frog in Tyto the other day.

Not too much meat on those long legs.

But check out these legs: immature Southern Boobook (Ninox novaeseelandiae) in Tyto on Saturday before being told to leg it by pugnacious Willie Wagtail. 
Click pix to enlarge