Male Riflebird finally in shot

Mature male Victoria's Riflebird (Ptiloris victoriae) - species described as moderately or fairly common in tropical Queensland rainforest above about 500m - showed up briefly (clutching a fig) near Wallaman Falls yesterday: hope my next eight years bring more than one bad picture!

Meanwhile, most Metallic Starlings (Aplornis metallica) have departed north after breeding. Their clustered nests are falling in ruin from rain trees throughout the area. Plenty of this species in the years ahead.
Click pix to enlarge  

Male Riflebird finally in shot

Mature male Victoria's Riflebird (Ptiloris victoriae) - species described as moderately or fairly common in tropical Queensland rainforest above about 500m - showed up briefly (clutching a fig) near Wallaman Falls yesterday: hope my next eight years bring more than one bad picture!

Meanwhile, most Metallic Starlings (Aplornis metallica) have departed north after breeding. Their clustered nests are falling in ruin from rain trees throughout the area. Plenty of this species in thhe years ahead.
Click pix to enlarge  

Run of barred luck

Tootled off to Wallaman Falls today looking for better image of Barred Cuckoo-shrike (Coracina lineata). Didn't see any and then rain set in, so we're stuck with earlier effort. 

Similar story with young Dollarbird (Eurystomus orientalis) in Tyto.

Better luck with this White-gaped Honeyeater (Lichenostomus unicolor) - in Tyto before the Wet really set in.
Click pix to enlarge  

Menage a trois - tres bon!

Magpie Geese (Anseranas semipalmata) probably speak little French yet mostly live menage a trois (excuse my ...). And for the best of reasons. Safety in numbers. One to go lookout. Or play the old broken wing trick.

Surprised family yesterday at some water treatment pools. Dad (big bump on head), mum and (sooo cute) goslings headed for cover, aunty played dying decoy.

Not perfect, but c'est la vie!   
Click pix to enlarge  

White Brain Jelly jolly fun(gus)

Lots of rain so lots of fungi. This one took  my eye a wee while back at Jourama Falls and the name clinched it ... White Brain Jelly Fungus (Tremella fuciformis). I quote: This fungus is found growing out of dead wood. The fruiting body is gelatinous when fresh, it shrinks as it dries and may even become leathery. It is contorted, lobed and translucent white, slimy when moist to 10 cm diameter; spores are borne over the entire surface of the lobes.
Click pix to enlarge  

Pale-yellow Robin drops in

Pair of Pale-yellow Robin (Tregellasia capito race nana) recently turned up at Jourama Falls, more or less at sea level and well below their usual highland rainforest habitat. 

Not so uncommon in creekside forest near the falls, Pied Monarch (Arses kaupi).

Macleay's Honeyeater (Xanthotis macleayanus) isn't so keen on cluster figs but has a taste for insects among the fruit in the camping area.
Click pix to enlarge  

Azures no sure thing

Pair of  Azure Kingfishers (Ceyx azureus) busy around one wide creek pond in Tyto lately. Finally snuck up one one bird yesterday, though didn't get quite close enough.

Forest Kingfisher (Todiramphus macleayii) also hard to walk up on, so this bird was unusually tolerant but didn't respond to request to show off back colours. 
Click pix to enlarge  

Water, water everywhere . . .

Brown Cuckoo-Dove (Macropygia amboinensis) drops in for a peck-about by roadside puddles near Wallaman Falls.

Pied Oystercatchers (Haematopus longirostris) on the wing above waves lapping the sands at Lucinda near the 5km sugar-loading jetty.

Immature Black-necked Stork (Ephippiorhynchus asiaticus) at edge of temporary pool by the highway near Ingham.

White-browed Crake (Amaurornis cinerea) takes a stylish turn on the main lagoon at Tyto ...

... and another takes a watery victim. 
Click pix to enlarge  

Frilled Lizard risks too many thrills

Frilled Lizard (Chlamydosaurus kingii) sits it out on Tyto track on Saturday, soaking up the sunshine and - as usual when caught off guard - refusing to run away. Unless touched. Then, they scoot off. Delay may help explain decline through much of former eastern Australian range.  

St Andrew's Cross Spider (Argiope keyserlingi) not too keen on being touched either. The orb-weaver is harmless (to humans). Not so to moths and butterflies. And the small male doesn't take too many chances!

Damselfly (Ischnura heterosticta) glitters nicely in morning light the other day. Bit too small for big lens, but worth a second look.
Click pix to enlarge  

Lemon-bellied Flycatcher sitting pretty

Lemon-bellied Flycatcher (Microeca flavigaster) sitting sunny and pretty (sunnily and prettily, if you prefer) at Jourama Falls in February. Probably doing same today, but yesterday's downpour (180mm) means about 2m of water over fords. The Troopy would be swept away. Good news though: highways open, some sunshine. 
Click pix to enlarge