There's Bushlarks and there's bush larks

Here's a Horsfield's Bushlark. Often seen these days on the bund between Freshwater and Bald Rock in the Townsville Town Common Conservation Park. Note it's a Bushlark, not bush-lark, nor bush lark. There are eight other subspecies but Horsfield's is nominate (first classified). It wasn't always thus: for years it was a Singing Bushlark. But taxonomy rules. Anyway, onwards. 

Many visitors to the park, probably in truth most, don't seek Bushlarks so much as bush larks. These include hoonish driving on the much potholed corrugated metal road and predictable damage to vehicles and trees. Fast-food container and other rubbish disposal along the road. Guy in utes with dogs (forbidden), looking for pigs to hunt (forbidden). Multiple visits for no apparent reason (if not forbidden, maybe unsavoury). Explains big collection of X-rated old vids found under a prickly pandanus a while back. 

But carrying larks to a real carry-on began last Saturday night (I believe: following is my guess at start of events). Bloke and young lady enter park late (automatic front gate out of action lately). Ignore parking bay and drive down walking track to Payets Tower bird hide. Good time up in tower. Comes downfall. Buckets of rain. 4WD on flooded grass. Gets bogged. Call help. Sit out night. Help arrives in morning. Older bloke with 4WD and big dog (forbidden). Mother of young lady in small car. Tow-out begins. Tight angles. Tension between mum and bogged bloke. Newly arrived birders watch on. Tree loses bit of bark. Blokes bark a bit. Dog silent. Young lady silent. Mum not. Nor bogged bloke. Finally, tow success. Another bush lark gone wrong.

Better sticking to Bushlarks, I say.

Breeding and bathing boom for Brown-backeds

Breeding and bathing is booming for Brown-backed Honeyeaters in Townsville Town Common Conservation Park this year and no more so than in the past three months. Seems conditions throughout the year - particularly those relating to the present high water levels - have suited them above major honeyeater rivals, Browns, and lesser competition from such as Yellow, White-throated, Rufous and Black-chinned species.

Brown-backeds have barely built, bred, raised and farewelled one set of young before they're building again nearby and beginning over again. Which effort calls for great amounts of foraging - almost entirely for insects - and, perhaps somehow related, much more time bathing than rival species. 

Interestingly in 12 years of birding in Tyto Wetlands at Ingham I never saw such a breeding boom and its consequent surge in numbers and reduction in sightings of other honeyeaters. Rather, the species would vanish at times, returning, usually, when paperbarks burst into flower. 2023? We must wait and see.

    

  

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.