Monday, January 23, 2017

Wandering Whistling Ducks waltz in

Five hundred Wandering Whistling Ducks waltzed about on the water at the Melaleuca viewing spot in the Townsville Town Common this morning

That's 492 more than the total for several weeks, when a family of two plus six persisted on the Borrow Pits - the only pools of any size - even after the young were mature enough to fly off.

But Magpie Geese numbers are falling off. Seems many of the birds that rushed in after recent rains have moved off the open pools and into the wide expanses of flooded grasses, or even to pastures greener (or tastier). Above bird appeared to join some ducks just for the company.


Got a bit closer to this pair over the weekend. Big bump on bonce reveals male in front.








2 comments:

Mostly.Nature said...

Excellent photos of the ducks landing.
Three wandered all the way down to Tassie a few years ago. Doubt I'll see them again anytime soon.

Tyto Tony said...

Who knows? My 500 became 0 the next day and 300 today

Head up for dragonfly, head off for fish head . . .

One moment it's dragonfly trying to dance on White-bellied Sea-Eagle's head, the next it's all go for fisher's discarded fis...