Darter stabs and nabs vacant title - Jabberoo!

Australasian Darter comes up from Freshwater pool in Townsville Town Common Park this week with Tilapia securely impaled. Taking no chances, bird took fish out of water (and out of my sight) to swallow the catch. Since Black-necked Storks are no longer Jabirus the name, or something like it, seems a good fit.

Same morning and not far away, Australian Pelican makes a diving splash and grab. Another Tilapia down the hatch. First time I've seen a Pelican make such a nonstop move and perhaps creating a risk of the bird somersaulting over a bill full of water. That would be a picture to treasure!

Jacana puts best foot forward on the river

Few birds better at putting a best foot forward than Comb-crested Jacana. And few look better than this one in morning sunshine at Ross River Bush Garden, Townsville.

Just up the river, Australasian Darter soaks up the sun.

Close by, Little Bronze-cuckoo pauses in its hunt for hairy caterpillars.

And an Australian Reed-warbler makes a rare appearance outside its bulrush habitat.

Limping back into action

Broken toe on mend so took trial walk into Tyto today. Slowly in, slowly out, and slow birding in between. So we must do with some holdovers, starting with White-browed Robin (Poecilodryas superciliosa) pausing during morning 'wash' among condensation-soaked leaves of Bleeding Heart.

Another Tyto robin standing out attractively.

And here's a female Red-tailed Black-Cockatoo (Calyptorhynchus banksii) with fruiting Leichhardt trees as backdrop. Fittingly, because group of five birds were feeding greedily on fallen fruit at the time in Tyto.

Also feeding, Australasian Darter (Anhinga novehollandiae) a few weeks back in Mungalla Station. Fish looks a bit too big? No problem. Flick of head, gulp, gulp, and fish was gone.

Horsfield's Bushlark (Mirafra javanica) on Orient Station fence seemed unsure of final destination for prey, carrying it along fenceline with several stopovers. Lost track of bird. Perhaps feeding a youngster somewhere. Image also contains evidence of being 'squared up' in processing. See it?

Bits of a big backlog

One of White-bellied Sea-Eagle (Haliaeetus leucogaster) pair resident in area but averse to closeups.

Unlike Australian Pelican (Pelecanus conspicillatus), till recently at home in Tyto.

Or Royal Spoonbill (Platalea regia), also in Tyto, but facing end to creek pickings as pools dry up. 

Or Australasian Darter (Anhinga novehollandiae), at ease near Tyto hide.

Getting sneakily technical with wee Grebe

Sneaky way to sneak up on Australasian Grebe (Tachybaptus novaehollandiae) in Tyto this week: (tech alert!) attach Kenko 2X converter to 100-400mm F5.6 lens. So what? So Kenko somehow tricks Canon 7D to retain some autofocus, which it won't allow with Canon 1.4X converter, let alone 2X. Image quality suffers a bit, but even at ISO1600 above picture not bad (tech ends). 

Nothing technical about Australasian Darter (Anhinga novehollandiae) closeup. Bird surfaced in small Tyto pool but wouldn't risk emerging fully to fly off, so ducked and dived for several minutes until I walked away.

Long-distance noisy 400mm shot of Nankeen Kestrel (Falco cenchroides) on fallen tree near Orient Station this week was to be paired with 2X image, but bird put breakfast ahead of posing.   

Soft image high-angled Black-shouldered Kite (Elanus axillaris), near Orient Station, also put food first and took off before tripod could be deployed for steadier picture.

Sacred Kingfisher (Todiramphus sanctus), in Tyto, sits still, too far away for sharper detail. No 2X at hand at time, but nothing technical fixes things if the bird is simply too far off.   
Click pix to enlarge