Yellow Wagtail rewards hours seated on Common mud

Finally! Eastern Yellow Wagtail sees things my way and comes close enough for decent image.

But all water is fast vanishing from main pool in front of Payets Tower, Town Common Conservation Park, Townsville. And the wagtail vanished a day or two later.

Couldn't con uncommon Little Curlews into coming near, particularly when a solitary bird drew another three to the site. All four went about same time as wagtail.

Sitting on wet grass early in the morning or the drying mud later in the day brought other rewards however, including wary Australian Pratincole venturing within handy range.

Pied Stilt more interested in food than photographer.

As also Horsfields Bronze-Cuckoo. Three active in the paperbarks near the hide over the past 10 days. Not so often on the ground.

Can usually count on a few Brown-backed Honeyeaters to be drinking at a small deeper pool nearer the hide.

The Black-fronted Dotterels have been the consistent stayers. First to appear as the mud began to appear. Almost certainly they'll be the last to leave.

Red-capped Plover hot-foots it

What's this, hot-footing it down my favourite country road today? 

Red-capped Plover (Charadrius ruficapillus) ran away down unsealed road and back towards car before taking off. First I've seen in the grazing area, though not an uncommon inland visitor.


Also of note, great increase in numbers of Australasian Pipits on the road, possibly a hint that other grassland species may soon be back.


In the meantime, four holdovers from the roadside.

Brown Falcon (Falco berigora)

Horsfield's Bronze-Cuckoo (Chalcites basalis)

Australian Pratincole (Stiltia isabella)

Crimson Finch (Neochmia phaeton). Best I've got outside of Tyto.
Click pix to enlarge   

Double-barreds on barbed wire

Trying to sneak up on Double-barred Finches (Taeniopygia bichenovii) near coast seems always to end with a barbed wire fence and some distance between us.

One of the smaller finches, Double-barreds appear to magnify any wire they land on. Their subdued colours may be a factor in an illusion.

Looks like this Australian Pratincole (Stiltia isabella) - first seen in cattle country last month and thought perhaps to be carrying an injury - has settled in for the northern 'winter'. 

Hadn't resighted the bird till it flew by the car two days ago. No sign of any injury. Quickly found it again today at edge of fast-drying swampy portion of grazing land.     

And look (hard!) at what popped into view in Tyto yesterday. Picture taken from lookout, 90 metres across lagoon. 

First Australian Little Bittern (Ixobrychus dubius) for 3-4 months. Terrible image the sole return for about 100 hours of scanning scleria. But who's counting?


Reward for less focussed effort came later in day. Casual bike ride around back of wetlands flushed Spotted Nightjar (Eurostopodus argus) from beside track. First sighting for more than three years. Bird too quickly gone for picture.

Junior Lapwing steps forward

Almost missed seeing young Masked Lapwing (Vanellus miles) beside cattle road near coast yesterday.

Screaming parent gave game away. Birds settled down when car stopped.

Used passenger-side window as camera support. Sprawled from driver's seat and fought cramp and aching knee. The things we do ...

Earlier, came upon Lemon-bellied Flycatcher (Microeca flavigaster) in coastal woodland. Species used to turn up in Tyto, but largely absent for past four years.

Unhappy first sighting near Ingham (for me) of Australian Pratincole (Stiltia isabella) on cattle road. Bird ran along road. Behaviour, drooping right wing indicate fracture. Water, food and cover enough for short-term survival.