Birds - treasures at little cost in times good and bad

Times are tough all round these days so free things that bring joy must be treasured. And what gives more joy and costs so little as time with nature's colourful wonders, birds. Today, a few recent sightings.  Enjoy! Above, Black-necked Stork, with fish, Melaleuca viewing area, Town Common Conservation Park, Townsville.

Young Blue-faced Honeyeater looking to give bottlebrush a licking, Town Common.

Crimson Finches (male, top; female above) take short break from seed-seeking, Town Common.

Purple Swamphen (Pukeko to Kiwis) stands out in fast-drying habitat at Ross River dam borrow pits.

Orange-footed Scrubfowl at home amid leaf litter in Cape Pellarenda Conservation Park.

Magpie family trio out and about and obligingly almost underfoot at Cape Pellarenda.

Rainbow Bee-eater perches near nest tunnel at side of road, Town Common, Townsville.

Brushing up on some backyard bottlers

Black-faced Woodswallow (Artamus cinereus) on bottlebrush snatches spider (for nestlings occupying prime spot in fruiting palm frond) in my caravan park 'backyard'.

Rainbow Lorikeet (Trichoglossus haematodus) shows no interest in spiders, but plenty in backyard bottlebrush nectar.

Anything that interests Rainbows interests Scaly-breasted Lorikeet (Trichoglossus chlorolepidotus).

Likewise, Blue-faced Honeyeater (Entomyzon cyanotis), which often prefers to rise above the raucous antics of the lorikeets.