Feet-first attacker finally can't foot it, is fairly defeated

Feet-first attack kicks off fighting flurry between Intermediate Egrets in Townsville Town Common Conservation Park.

But aggressor ended up getting the boot. Couldn't foot it with aggrieved defender.

There's something fishy about descriptions of Ospreys

Three Eastern Ospreys with a fish each. No sharing now, after months of the male keeping female and and advanced juvenile fed in their nest close to the road barely 500m into the Town Common Conservation Park. One of the three should have  slightly brighter eyes, just a wee bit golden say. And one, the male, should have lighter, less darkly streaked and shallower breast banding or bib. The juvenile should have feathers fringed with white. Says so in the books.  But in the real world things not so clearcut. So, three with fish each, two on nest, one flying off, as will they all - likely not too far. Take your pick for the ID task I've left to you.  Or not. Just enjoy another of nature's little puzzles.

 

 

White Ibis snatches, swallows snake in seconds

Surprise sight today of White Ibis snatching snake in Townsville Town Common Conservation Park and swallowing it within about 30 seconds.

 First such catch I've seen. And by far fastest swallow by any bird - similar size or larger.

Sorry about lousy pictures but speed definitely of the essence.

Unsound crows found to wear ravens' gear

 
Those birders in the know
Who hear corvids and crow
Of ability to ID by call
Should take all due care
Or they may fail to hear
What's abundantly clear
Their unsound crows
Wear ravens' gear

Knotted Keelback kicks up stink after road rescue

Bird in the hand worth two in the bush, so what's a snake-in-hand worth? Not two in the grass. Palmful of foul fluids, that's what. Keelback (Freshwater Snake) also gives firm hint about getting knotted after being plucked for its own good off the road in the Town Common, Townsville. Talk about ingratitude.

Also on the road, two of three Lesser Black Whipsnakes writhing together with no apparent purpose. No typical upright coiling tests of strength between males, no pheromone-induced breeding frenzy. The three soon departed the road, leaving behind yet another mystery of nature.

Meanwhile, on the mud at Pandanus viewing area Masked Lapwing enjoys brief respite from aerial blitz by pair of fellow Lapwings. Something about the unwanted bird's dirty face perhaps?

And a Glossy Ibis feeding peacefully in the distance had feathers ruffled by low-diving pair of passing Glossies. The bird's resentment could almost be felt from 50 metres away. 

White-bellied Sea-Eagle behaviour raises questions

Behind this picture today of White-bellied Sea-Eagle family togetherness may hide an altogether different one of a cheating, food-hogging, faithless father and a neglected partner and juvenile. (And this in the same family from which three weeks ago a second juvenile had to be rescued after being pushed or falling from the nest.)

Just an hour before above image was taken the male tucking into unidentified lunch in TownsvilleTown Common Conservation Park was seen carrying large fish or turtle away from Freshwater area. But instead of flying to above nest the bird crossed the wetland and soared on thermal up and over ridge of Many Peaks range. It reappeared minutes later without prey and stooped without luck upon Magpie Geese on distant pool before being lost track of. Seems it later brought another catch to the nest - and ripped into it without any sign of sharing. Or ... or there may be a third breeding pair I'm unaware of and above male may have case for suit against me.

On firmer ground with juvenile from the second known nest site perched on branch  behind Melaleuca viewing area and getting close to launching into first flight. Its more forward sibling took off unseen last week and, as has been their way, has not been seen since.

A notable difference between the two breeding pairs has been the many noisy vocal interchanges I've heard for about three months between the above juvenile's parents and near total silence from the top picture's adults. Perhaps explainable by close proximity of the silent birds' nest to a well-used walking/cycling track. Or not.

Hiding food piece of toast for crafty Torresian Crow

What's this? Toast for brekkie. Must be my lucky day.

And it's soft white toast-cut bread.

Stuff the health bread nonsense. This is the real deal.

OK, that's enough for now. No thieving rellies around. Where to stash plenty for later?

Behind that wee pandanus will do. Not even that nosy photographer can see behind there.

Go back for that other little bit. Tuck it under a few loose leaves. Right. Off now and tell the others there's no food lying around here today. They'll believe anything, cos I'm the craftiest of corvids!
(Torresian Crow, just outside Townsville Town Common Conservation Park, today.)

Hide? They've got a hide calling some hides hides!

Bit of a vent about bad bird hides. Specifically one in Townsville Town Common Conservation Park. But with application to many, many hides. So, the hide. Lots of slots. However, limited angles. No seats. No benches. Ugly and intrusive. No way into the hide without being seen. 

Secondary vent: sprayed and slashed surrounds. Seems Queensland Parks and Wildlife puts cosmetic vistas for casual visitors wanting comfortable looks at hundreds of, say, Magpie Geese, or huge mobs of egrets and herons, ahead of natural habitat (full of troublesome weeds though it may be). But spraying and slashing creates dead zones, pushing the birds away.

Why is Brown Snake black and white?

Puzzling snake seen after failing in attempted cannibalism, Townsville Town Common Conservation Park, this week.

Identified for me as probable subadult Brown Snake. Sighting comes not long after my first look at a black and white Common Tree Snake (formerly Green Tree Snake). Nothing simply black and white about snake colours!

Brown frown comes too close to licking chicken legs

Tried standing still as Brown Snake tracked through samphire in Townsville Town Common yesterday but stepped back as it came within a metre and - still unaware of me as potential threat - turned towards my feet. Yes, I know, some will shudder, and others say 'stupid'. But advantage of surprise was totally with me and danger all in the mind. And the final picture's worth it.

Chiming and charming - Butcherbird esPied

Townsville Common Conservation Park, bund wall, Thursday morning. Probably only Butcherbird in the park and one of two that popped up unexpectly in adjacent Cape Pallarenda Cons. Pk last month.
First of possible series - "Birds in one line'.

Wizard lizard gizzard: Burton's curtains for Keelback

Burton's Snake Lizard found across track yesterday in Townsville Common Park carried big surprise.

The wizard lizard coughed up multifolded Keelback snake longer than its digestive track.

Lizard loses big meal. Keelback loses everything. Fly attends feast.

Snake-bitten frog lives to croak another day

Frog distress calls and sinuous thrashings told the tale even before sighting of Common Tree Snake and Green-striped Burrowing Frog in life and death struggle beside track to Bald Rock in Townsville Town Common Conservation Park today.

Snake held on. Frog swam. Snake dragged frog back into grass. Frog fought. Snake regripped. Frog sensed moment. Snake bit again. Too late. Frog gone.

Snake stood sentinel for many minutes. Frog long gone.

Young Peregrine drops in with peer and grin

What does a peer and grin (of sorts) add up to? Peregrine Falcon, naturally. This juvenile made an  infrequent species appearance in Townsville Town Common Conservation Park today.

First image bit messy. Quick clone job bit tidier but far from full fix.

Peregrines breed less than three kilometres away on Castle Hill, a sandstone outlier looming over the inner city, harbour, inner suburbia and the airport. It also looms over many of the city's Rock Pigeons. And Peregrines love fat feral pigeons.

So why waste much time in the Common, harassed by solitary cheeky White-breasted Woodswallow, and looking down on Peaceful Doves or Rainbow Bee-eaters when flocks of chubby pigeons are closer to home? Lesson juvenile yet to learn.