Mistletoebirds out and about

Caught male Mistletoebird (Dicaeum hirundinaceum) more or less in the open yesterday near Tyto lookout. Angle does justice to breast colour but misses the glorious dark blues on the back.

Female, from an earlier day, possibly seeking webs for one of the species' soft 'baby bootee' nests.  
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Crimson leads the red brigade

A few bright reds stood out from all the green under plenty of cloud in Tyto today. Male Crimson Finch (Neochmia phaeton) busy outside the hide, looking for nest positions after two false starts under the eaves. Bird checked former nest hole in paperbark trunk, taken over by black ants. Eviction unlikely, but fingers crossed.

Male Mistletoebird (Dicaeum hirundinaceum) jigged about in favourite habitat without  ever dancing clear of it.

Comb-crested Jacana (Irediparra gallinacea) also seemed to be going out of its way to hide behind reeds, grasses and flowers as it picked a path across the lily pads.

Finally, in keeping with colour theme, holdover picture of Brown Honeyeater (Lichmera indistincta) amid bottlebrush flowers they cannot get enough of.
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Listen, Mistletoebirds glisten

Lots of noise from Mistletoebirds (Dicaeum hirundinaceum) in Tyto these days, but seldom any birds sitting close to the ground. 

Came upon this one yesterday while riding around the main lagoon. Bird kept moving so no chance to get off bike and take steadier pictures. But at least they show glistening colours of adult male.  

Female Rufous Whistler (Pachycephala rufiventris) gets set for bit of green breakfast. Bird took insect from upper foliage, lost it twice and finally snatched it up out of grass and leaf litter.

And here's a Rufous-throated Honeyeater (Conopophila rufogularis) looking for an evening morsel in overcast gloom.


Picture taken in area usually parched at this time of year. But La Nina is taking hold. Latest rains have pushed main lagoon to capacity. If reed bed shallows do not dry out wader counts will be low this 'dry' season. And fewer water birds will gather on Tyto lagoons, given plenty of water everywhere in the area.
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Honeyeaters not half tricky

Chasing after Yellow Honeyeaters (Lichenostomus flavus) lately brought a half decent image (or, if you prefer, a decent half image). The task appears simple when the birds begin breeding (about two months ago). Not so. The cup nests are all secreted high in outer leafy branches. Once building stops, the birds near the nest more or less vanish. And in several weeks I saw just one fledgling at close range.

Even trickier to get pictures of Dusky Honeyeaters (Myzomela obscura). They disappear for months before their somewhat squeaky high calls - often in mistletoes - announce a return. From where, I know not. 'Sedentary. Locally nomadic,' say the guide books. About now is their prime breeding time. Can't recall ever seeing signs of such in Tyto. And above bird looks immature.

And so to Mistletoebird (Dicaeum hirundinaceum), a female. Plentiful for some months, they have become harder to find recently as the dry season takes hold. It's likely the pickings are sweeter and life cooler at slightly greater altitude in the nearby ranges.

Staying faithful to its territory - and completing this set of 'birds on sticks' - Little Shrike-Thrush (Colluricincla megarhyncha). One day the trees are full of them. The next, no sight and little sound. Odd, considering they use a wider range of calls than any other species in Tyto. But it would be boring if nature became too predictable, wouldn't it?

Kite flies at head of Tyto tidy-up

Going away for a few days next week, so time to tidy up some Tyto holdovers. First up, Black-shouldered Kite (Elanus axillaris) with, possibly, breakfast of juvenile Buff-banded Rail, atop the 'Osprey nest tree'. And the same kite below.

Olive-backed Oriole (Oriolus sagittatus) has a hungry look.

Mistletoebird (Dicaeum hirundinaceum) emerges from deep within preferred habitat.

White-bellied Cucko-shrike (Coracina papuensis) sits up in the morning sunlight.

And a Willie Wagtail to finish off with.

April Fool's Day, plus drongo

Didn't get a pinch and a punch for the first of the month, but did catch a bird or two trying to make an April Fool drongo of me in Tyto today. Not, however, the Spangled Drongo above. It was on best behaviour, though not quite at the species' spangliest.

First up, a Shining Bronze-Cuckoo making a rare appearance and almost passing itself off as a Little Bronze. But the immature bird, quiet (as are all cuckoos at present) and rather plain, carried a telltale bright green sheen on its back (precisely: wing coverts). They are slightly larger than Littles, but I've found the species' shade of bright green is a surer identifier. Sorry, no picture.

Further along the track, much activity and several high-pitched calls as a minor wave of small birds, including Sunbirds, Dusky, Yellow, and Brown Honeyeaters, Varied Trillers, Rufous Whistlers, and Red-browed Finches came through - with a surprise higher in trees: first Mistletoebird for months, but sounding squeakily Sunbirdish. Surprise in part, too, from total absence of the species recently in spite of mistletoe flowering aplenty. Again, no picture.

Then, worst trick of all: Grey Goshawk glided briefly across my line of sight at bird hide, vanished into nearby paperbark, emerged obscured soon after, vanished again, popped up distantly twice more during the morning, and never offered any chance for a picture.

But the cuckoo and Mistletoebird did mean a flying start on the April count. March brought 97 species, against 89 for February and 109 for January. I'll expect 120 this month. And a nerdish observation. The difference between the March and February figures would suggest some effect from the floods. But the 10 per cent margin could be wholly explained by the fewer days: 28-31. The 109-89 Jan-Feb difference was, however, largely seasonal.

Birds in my face, under my feet

Female Rufous Whistler (Pachycephala rufiventris) flew so close to me I'd have missed this picture with other than my 28-300mm Tamron macro. Since I have no other lens, I got a picture.

Target until the whistler turned up was a juvenile Mistletoebird (Dicaeum hirundinaceum). The bird's feeding added to the colour of its vivid gape. But it stayed just out of range and light enough for a good shot.

No success with the camera at my favourite rainforest creek either. However, after joking earlier about taking years to find an Azure Kingfisher's dirt-tunnel nest, a bird popped out right under my nose (or feet) today.

Where was it? Two metres from where I watched and shot Large-billed Gerygones building their long dangling nest over the centre of a creek pool!

Over more than four weeks and at least 20 visits to the site - and many sightings of Azures - I saw no behaviour to suggest a pair of the birds had a nest virtually beneath my feet.

The water level has risen more than 600mm after recent rain. There's no easy crossing to the opposite bank. The tunnel entrance will be in shadow, severely backlit for much of the day, and eight metres off - too far for my in-camera flash.

But a bit of sit and watch is obviously called for. Keep you posted.