Black-necked Stork lively on lagoon

Lively male Black-necked Stork highlight of another splosh across Rowes Bay Lagoon this morning. 

Little Egret flew off quickly when first approached, but tolerated much closer approach soon after.

Which seemed to give White-faced Heron confidence to stick around in same smallish pool.

Dollarbird not inclined to pose on a perch but in flying up and away made a shining departure.

 

Sunbird shows off helluva hover cover

All very well being clever enough to fly but no Australian bird has yet truly mastered doing it on the spot. Top marks though for Olive-backed Sunbird at Rowes Bay Sustainability Wetlands today doing a helluva hover cover - shown by camera settings of f7.1 1/800 ISO1600 (not expecting flight picture). Tribute also to Canon R5 stabilisation.

More time and thus more fitting shutter speed for Dollarbird, one of six in action over Townsville Town Common the other morning.

Plenty of White-breasted Woodswallows in the air at same time. 

Elsewhere, Plumed Whistling Duck ready with flaps up for landing near Mundy Creek lagoon recently.  

Takes a Sheila to show Aussie birders Satin rarity

Oooh, look! What's that shiny black and white bird? It's so smooth and black on back and head. Could it be a rarely seen Satin Flycatcher in the Common today. Yes, it could. And it took a visitor from Wiltshire way, Sheila Ashley, to see it first. Proving that one good turn deserves another, she and husband Paul were being shown around by Len and Chris Ezzy. I tagged along. Lucky all of us.

Not so much luck involved in seeing a few other species commonly seen lately. Rose-crowned Fruitdove seems content to stay forever close to favourite feed trees near Freshwater hide.

Which is close to where immature Australian Raven was today tucking into fish, without parents or sibling trying to cadge a bite.

Not so many Sharp-tailed Sandpipers at Pandanus viewing area today, but caught some showing off in recent times.

Male Barking Owl certainly not one to show off, but every now and then he glowers for the camera.

More glow than glower from Nankeen Night Heron, missing today from Melaleuca hideout but almost whitewashed me nearby just the other day.

Much noisier and more easily spotted, adult Dollarbird one of four calling and shifting position often this morning near Payet Tower.

But no sign today of immature Spectacled Monarch, above with, I think, Crane Fly.

Crimson Finches seldom fail to turn up, nor did they today.

And one of highlights for Sheila and Paul, apart from the Satin of course, male Great Bowerbird busy, busy, busy about his bower. Happy too, crest-risen, as opposed to crestfallen.

What a pity we're too far northeast for Satin Bowerbird and Satin Flycatcher in one day. That'd just be greedy though, eh?

Dollarbird launches into feeding flurry

Watch out, insects, here I come!

Young Dollarbird sets off after aerial prey. Bird was one of four in feeding flurry with several other species near Townsville Common gate yesterday.

All the Dollarbirds showed the dull plumage of immaturity, with more colour to come before they head off to Papua New Guinea about April.

Fiendishly difficult trying for flight pictures as the birds zigzgged the sky chasing their invisible (to me) food. One fuzzy image from hundreds of shutter clicks.

Also hunting in the air yesterday, Nankeen Kestrel, clutching small catch.

Willie Wagtail takes reverse approach: on ground for catch, toss it up, ready for final swallow.

Merry Xmas and Happy New Year from some Townsville Common friends

Crimson Finch, Golden-headed Cisticola, Dollarbird, Red-tailed Black Cockatoo, Black Swan, Pelican and Royal Spoonbill, Red-backed Fairy-wren, and one of two unexplained recent arrivals.

Cassowary surprise on Mt Fox road

Out into drought country today for look at Ingham's modern(-ish) volcano, Mt Fox.

Road up the range runs through patches of rainforest. What else runs through rainforest? Big birds with big built-in helmets. Young male Cassowary feeding on seeds (and ignoring sweet lemons on ground nearby). Tried for close-up, but passing truck spooked bird.

What sits on dead branches above rainforest and dry-country trees alike? Rollers, or Dollarbirds (because of their big wing windows). Couldn't cash in on flight pictures because bird took off and didn't return.

And what soars majestically above Mt Fox? One of the six Wedgetail Eagles on view during the morning. (But missed any pictures of less common Varied Sitellas high in trees at base of Fox.)

Bonus rainforest bird (from last trip to Wallaman Falls), Superb Fruit-Dove, heard but unseen today near Cassowary area. 

Wetlands going to the dogs

Pity to wipe smiles off faces of Tyto visitors. But some just don't pay attention to signs forbidding them entry. Pair (mum and son) skidded to stop yesterday and slunk off at shout of 'Get home!' (wherever that is). Bad dogs? Nope. Bad owners.

More welcome drop-in visitor, immature Dollarbird (Eurystomus orientalis), taking break on way to warmer winter quarters in the islands.

Comb-crested Jacana lost three of four eggs over the weekend. Nest platform awash for three days but floating higher yesterday (above). Today, last egg gone. Water python? Maybe. Water rat? Maybe. Eggs sunk? Unlikely. Eggs shifted by Jacana? Does happen. But bird almost keening loss today (below).
                           

Shining Flycatchers still on x? eggs: incubation should be nearing end.

And here's another six-year first sighting for me: Brolgas (Grus rubicunda) on the ground (though some overfly most years).