Black-throated Finches feel right at home among weeds?

Black-throated Finches no-shows today along the natural beauty of Sachs Creek in Oak Valley southwest of Townsville but showed up fully at home amid rampant weeds and many seeding grasses between nearby old and new highways.

Here's the irony: disappearance of some finch species inland has been put down to, among other things, war won against Rubber Vine (Cryptostegia grandiflora) and Chinee Apple (Ziziphus mauritiana). What's running riot near Townsville, specially through the Ross River Dam catchment? Yep, the terrible twosome. But they offer small birds great protection.

Back in Oak Valley, Blue-winged Kookaburra  pauses between minor scuffles with others of same species.

Pale-headed Rosella too gentle to scuffle. One of seven seen this morning.

And Brown Falcon stretches wings before drifting off over the tree tops to a more secure vantage spot.

Stork carries grass first, babies arrive later

Biggest grassbird ever in the Town Common?  But most hide in the grass not behind it in the air. Male Black-necked Stork (Jabiru) heading nestwards this morning. Breeding soon, I expect. The nest? Best guess, somewhere just north of golf course, perhaps where mangroves meet the trees. Local pilots possibly know. (They may also know whether resident Ospreys sometimes sitting on nest are just fooling around or have decided on two clutches within a year.)

Also in the air today, White-necked Heron, Three seen, but outnumbered elsewhere on the flood grasses by White-faced Herons (14 seen together yesterday morning).

Also snapped yesterday. young Brown Falcon, presumably one of a pair seen at some distance today.

Kingfisher kindly gives up sitting on the fence

Came upon Red-backed Kingfisher on the barbed wire topping Townsville Airport's perimeter security fence yesterday. Chatted to bird about need to get into natural surroundings. Three shifts later and we were close, bird on lowish limb, me able to move around freely within eight metres.

Sadly, no stepladder to hand, so bird retained upper hand in negotiations about me getting to eye level. Not unusual behaviour from the species (more at home on the other side of the Great Dividing Range) but resident Forests and Sacreds have no time for what they see as naive trustingness.

Young pale morph Brown Falcon recently moved into the Common close to the fenceline, possibly along with adult pair drawn to newly slashed and mown airfield grasslands. Snatched quick images of bird taking off from tree.

Nearby, distant young Australian Hobby shows the posture of a bird that won't allow closer approach. Turning away and pretending an interest in anything other than the target may sometimes allay the suspicions. Not too often, and not in this case.

Falcon small dark and handsome

Small, dark and handsome! What could be better to spot yesterday atop bit of cane trash than dark morph Brown Falcon (Falco berigora)?

Something so beautiful is worth another two looks.

And another up for 'raptorousness', Black-shouldered Kite (Elanus axillaris), atop dead tree, enhanced by blue-sky morning.

Brown Falcon, Osprey take a closer look

Big brown bonus of followup search for Painted Snipe (previous post) came with one of Orient Station's resident Brown Falcon (Falco berigora) pair taking up position on handy post.

And showing off every shade of brown on takeoff. This bird may be female because somewhat larger then light-coloured mate, seen, but less often within camera range.

Another raptor dropping in, Eastern Osprey (Pandion cristatus) making one of several passes overhead during my recent walk out along the Lucinda sandspit.

The bird really did seem interested in me, though hard to mistake camera and lens for something fishy. And Ospreys are rather picky about their food (nothing dead, thank you!).  

Are you lookin' at me?

Are you lookin' at me?

Are you lookin' at me?

Ok, you're not lookin' at me
Brown Falcon (Falco berigora) at Orient Station.

Casting light on Brown Falcon morphs

Brown Falcon (Falco berigora) comes in dark and light morphs. Midrange bird above seen close to Orient Station road today.

Dark bird pictured on post recently. 

Light bird is often found on the ground near sugar cane. 

Kingfisher, Falcons pose for post

Still chasing 'the' picture of Red-backed Kingfisher (Todiramphus pyrrhopygius) lately resident near Orient Station, southeast of Ingham.

Must make do in meantime with recent willingness of bird to pose for a post.

Brown Falcons (Falco berigora) along same road also share liking for posts.

Too bad so much barbed wire gets into the scene.

And why can't they simply sit still in midair?  
Click pix to enlarge  

Mangrove Robins make the morning

Set off for a morning looking for an uncommon grasslander, Zitting Cisticola, yesterday - and ended up finding even more uncommon coast dweller, Mangrove Robin (Peneonanthe pulverulenta). A noisy, active pair, to be precise. 

Another slice of luck close to the mangroves and unusually low in a eucalypt, bright little Striated Pardalote (Pardalotus striatus).

Also in the area, Brown Falcon (Falco berigora), though image above from an earlier drive through the grazing land leading to the mangroves.
Click pix to enlarge