Getting old and taking things lying down

The old back won't take lying down efforts to capture small shorebirds at eye level but is willing to allow me lying back with big lens propped on elbow or raised knee. The birds learn to ignore the chatty creature in the long grass. So, mud, messy gumboots and floundering mishaps at Pandanus viewing area, Town Common, Townsville. And the birds . . .

Red-kneed Dotterels (top, adult; above, post-juvenile and juvenile)

Pied Stilt with long legs forward for gentle landing.

Two for one offering from Sharp-tailed Sandpiper.

Plenty of preening keeps Glossy Ibis looking its colourful best.

And, courtesy of Sue Rutherford, I'm caught lumbering out of swampy long grass on another day and in another part of the Common. The gear changes, the ugly mug remains the same.

Two glossy legs good, four grossy legs bad

Glossies and grossies: too few of the first; too many of the second. Four Glossy Ibis recently dropped in on the Townsville Common and showed a taste - with two later arrivals - for life around the pools at Payets Tower and Melaleuca viewing area.

First quartet displayed uniform breeding plumage.

Later two offer more contrast, with one bird less colourful.

Less attractive - but lovable enough as curly-tailed piglets - feral pigs.

Pig count topped bird count at Melaleuca one morning last week. Perhaps if the damage they wreak came close to Parks and Wildlife's state HQ more resources would be found to deal with them.

Glossy Ibis does Xmas turkey impressions

What to serve up on Christmas Eve? How about Glossy Ibis (Plegadis falcinellus) doing turkey impressions.  

No reindeer visible lately so Yellow-billed Spoonbill (Platalea flavipes)

and Brolga (Grus rubicunda) will have to do as potential sled-pullers.

Coming back down to ground, Eastern Yellow Robin (Eopsaltria australis) lights up any forest scene.

And cooing over all, Pied Imperial-Pigeon (Ducula bicolor).

Bonus poem (after fun minutes two morns ago in Tyto):

Birdhide  footbridge  handrail
treesnake handheld  overarm
outswing  paperbark  highrise
                                  farewell

May all be of good cheer this and every season.