Kookaburra's alighting weighs heavy on Leadens

Sun's shining, sky's blue, Laughing Kookaburra's sitting pretty - till it's time to move on.

Move that goes down like lead balloon with territorial pair of Leaden Flycatchers. Male proves more aggressive of the two.

But flying up an angry storm, though prompting a flinch or two, fails to do the desired. Kookaburra stolidly fixed to branch, flycatchers vanish to sulk unseen. Also unseen, probable nest somewhere near. 

Cape Pallarenda Conservation Park this morning.

 

Greedy Guts snags Magpies' nag prize

Greed is good! Got this straight from insatiable young Australian Blackbacked Magpie bending female parent's ear nonstop along road entrance to Townsville Town Common Conservation Park yesterday.

Insistent and persistent, calls came in spite of junior finding plenty of small prey for itself in the several minutes of hounding mother and thus scoring more than half her finds. Even more telling in greed is good episode, a slightly larger sibling tried demanding a share and was totally out-whinged, sidling off ignored and alone. 

But even the best of Mums must have time - and food - to herself. Sharp look at junior and off she flew. Maybe to give Dad an earful about leaving her with Greedy Guts.

Magpie footedness sightings still 1-1.

Muddy Dingo at least welcome kind of dirty dog

Muddy Dingo not part of this morning's plan, but at least it's a welcome dirty dog in the Town Common.

Unlike those who torched stolen ute last week - almost exactly where today's dog got muddy. 

Up the road at Cape Pallarenda things went more to plan. Found target Tawny Frogmouth pair, though one too obscured to photograph.

Bonus was curvy Yellow-spotted Monitor on bend of road. Good deed done by shooing it clear because you never know when dirty dogs might drive by. 

Ravens show gulls mouthful and get earful

Two immature Australian Ravens fossicking prey from under sand and within seaweed at Cape Pallarenda, Townsville, this morning drew persistent begging from young Silver Gull discontented with lack of service from parents. 

One of parents responded by giving junior and ravens an earful. Ravens responded by giving junior no heed. 

Magpie footedness progress report: Right 1  Left 1 

 

Getting started on the right foot for 2022

Footedness. Left only. Or right only. Some bird species have it. Think parrots, cockatoos and the like. Munching on food held almost always in preferred toes.  Songsters not so much. Australian Magpies are super songsters. Resounding Aussies. No surprise - these past few years - since Northern Hemisphere (whose Magpies are non-songbird corvids) acceptance that all songbirds originated from ancient Oz. But is our Magpie footed? 

Well, as they say, one swallow etc, but before above caterpillar was swallowed our Black-backed Magpie exhibited fussy footedness. Too much grass sticking to caterpillar snatched from newly mown parkland at Cape Pallarenda, Townsville. Bit of shaking didn't do the trick. Time to put the boot in. Down comes right foot. Clears the grass. Second later, caterpillar's history.

Is it footedness? Perhaps maybe. Interesting start to 2022 anyway.