Sticking up for birds on sticks

Sick of birds on sticks? Too bad. They've got to go somewhere, apart from with atlas listings. And I've vetoed barbed wire and similar artificial perches. But BOS 'savers' do build up after failing to fit into blog themes. Apart, that is, from theme of birds on sticks. Original, huh? Above, Sacred Kingfisher near takeoff, Ross River.

Horsfields Cuckoo in early-morning light, Townsville Town Common Conservation Park.

Forest Kingfishers in light and shade, Town Common.

Nutmeg Mannikin male, Ross River.

Mistloebird male with fig, just metres away from Nutmeg.

Pale-headed Rosella, Bald Rock  area, Town Common.

Striated Pardalote, one of pair beside Old Flinders Highway.

White-browed Robin, in thicket by Town Common entry gate.

A question and some quite interesting bits

Why so many turtle shells under tall trees near wetlands? 

Ask White-bellied Sea Eagles. Quick count below two Leichhardt trees at Mungalla Station came to 16 victims. And the birds have other, more favoured, trees around the wetlands.

Just another Eastern Grey Kangaroo. But the sturdy male is one of just four seen lately along the road towards Wallaman Falls. My first sighting of the species in the Ingham area in 15 years. Perhaps the inland drought has pushed them east.

Another uncommon grey sighting, Slatey Grey Snake, crossing a track near the upper parts of the Wallaman road. Inoffensive and unconcerned by my approach, the 1.2-1.3m snake is the first I've seen in Seaview Range rainforest. Who knows, I may have been the first human the snake has seen? But probably not.

More often seen, though possibly a trifle unsighted itself, Sacred Kingfisher with cracked and dried nictitating membrane stuck in place over right eye. Wasn't hampering bird's darts at grasshoppers in Mungalla hymenachne.

Curtain of silken threads in Tyto on a recent morning marks overnight exodus of small caterpillars from their breeding and feeding places in leaf-ravaged Cheese trees. Some trees lose all green leaf, yet bounce back for more next season. And one day I'll learn the caterpillars' future.

Thought I knew about Black-necked Storks' future when this pair stood around and later sat around on Mungalla nest. Seems they had second thoughts. Birds have since been together fishing, successfully, along Palm Creek most mornings. But no more nesting or breeding behaviour.

Bit of sporty behaviour from Mungalla youngster: low jump from old stock ramp. Can be a long wait between bovine action shots. 

And the water Olympics may be cancelled this Wet for want of the wet stuff. These two should be shoulder high in it at this time of year. Pretty. Dry. Eh? 

Seeing and believing swallowed up

Bit of love and sharing between species? Nope, just an ambiguous picture. Sacred Kingfisher pounced on grasshopper and flew up to cottonwood branch. Rainbow Bee-eater turned casually to eye the newcomer. Grasshopper vanished down kingfisher gullet in a flash. Birds flew off a few seconds later.

Close by, my toothy mate at Mungalla Station begins a leisurely descent to the security of his or her waterhole:  3-3.5m of Saltwater Crocodile menace looks unthreatening. Another case of appearances being deceptive.   

Another breezy day, another shot of male Leaden Flycatcher clinging to a fence. Missing pieces? Bits of steel cloned out. Another picture doing a bit of fibbing.

Sunny skies and happy blues

The Wet blues have given way to blue skies over Tyto, and happy Blue-winged Kookaburra  (Dacelo leachii) with hapless prey.

Bird happily presented sunny profile too.

Not so willing to sit around, nor so lucky with prey, Azure Kingfisher (Ceyx azureus) comes up empty out of dive into creek pool today.  

Sitting still near the Tyto entrance a wee while ago, Sacred Kingfisher (Todiramphus sanctus).
Click pix to enlarge  

Forest Kingfisher finally sits still

Finally found a Forest Kingfisher (Todiramphus macleayii) showing a bit of patience and trust at Tyto this week. Just couldn't encourage the bird to sit on a thinner branch and get into full sunlight (click top pic to enlarge).

The kingfishers are still sharing much of the saturated habitat with a lesser number of Sacreds. Earlier predictions of the Sacreds' disappearance by now have failed to hold up, because the heavy showers keep coming. As the rainfall tapers off, so will the Sacreds.

Interestingly, two Little Kingfishers continue to come and go from the creek system. Their variable presence may be explained partly by changes in conditions at some shaded pool areas. Previously open stretches of water have become overgrown, thus reducing the birds' hunting zones. 

The almost total lack of any Azure Kingfishers sightings in recent weeks may also be explained by the lack of pool water in shadow much of the day. I suspect the birds are choosing to stick to nearby heavier rainforest creek systems.

Painterly kingfisher - politician dragonfly

Still no worthwhile flight picture of a Sacred Kingfisher, in spite of another hour chasing three of them in Tyto today. Consolation prize is the rather painterly image above. Just an ordinary shot, post-processed normally. But the bird is so perfectly groomed it looks to me rather like a fussy watercolour.

Couldn't get near this Little Kingfisher as it worked the edges of a large creek pool today. With luck there'll be plenty of chances to get closer to the newcomer in coming days. The bird's quick-fire dives for tiny fish show that some clarity is emerging near the surface of the silt-laden waters.

Think this dragonfly is Austrogomphus prasinus. Not showing this just to boast of hand-holding 672mm= lens at two metres, nor to attract Duncan's attention to one of his beloved odos. No, no, no. Look closely at that lovable face. Remind you of a notable politician? A. johnhowardus? Or am I seeing things?

Sacreds the devil to catch in flight

Spent an hour today trying to catch Sacred Kingfishers (Toditamphus sanctus) in flight or on sodden open woodland ground as they pounced on small insects and reptiles. No success. Birds proved almost impossible to anticipate and were typically wary when I moved to unobscured positions.

This flight shot is offered as much in frustration as explication. There is something in the bird's bill, possibly a caterpillar, but I couldn't get close enough or steady enough for a satisfying picture. The Sacreds' numbers are building, however, so we'll have another go tomorrow.

Surprisingly, Forest Kingfishers (Todiramphus macleayii) have yet to dominate the pickings from the swampy grasslands and woodlands. But soon they'll be lining up like a blue and white army on fences and in trees and elbowing the Sacreds out of the picture. Six or so Sacreds will give way to 30-50 Forests.

Hard to elbow a Blue-winged Kookaburra (Dacelo leachii) out of the way, though Willie Wagtails often try. Flood or drought, one or two pairs of Blue-wingeds maintain a quiet presence in Tyto's trees. This female allowed me close a few days ago. She completes the present set because there have been no recent sightings of Little Kingfishers, and the sole Azure seen has been but a high-speed blur.