Fairy Martin quester away with fairies, leg smartin'

Thought I'd chase better pictures of Fairy Martins collecting mud for nests in nearby culverts at Town Common Conservation Park, Townsville, this morning.

And probably would have. Until clumsy bicycle dismount ended in bloody mess. Bloody as in gaping fold of skin open below left calf. Running (limping actually) repairs with hanky and plastic bag. Find some lost US Marines on wrong side of airport fence. But no first aid kit. Also, no sense of direction!

Cycle home for rough and ready cleanup. Nearest Sunday morn open surgery in CBD - conveniently under library which wanted three books back tomorrow. Job done. 

The real job took bit longer. Some rather painful local injections. Doc prods for numbness. Begins painless stitching. Stitches. And stitches. Still stitching. Tissue-paper skin keeps giving way. Think he is fussier than me. How does it look, he asks. Lying on my stomach and barely able to twist head to see wound, I reply 'Great', fearing we might soon be into skin grafting. After all, what's to worry about a hole at the back of the leg?

Well, infection, that's what. Cue scrip for seven days of microbiome disaster. Although maybe that's better than an infected lower leg rotting away and falling off. And the left is my good leg. Finally, lots and lots of wrapping up and down leg. Which must stay dry, dry, dry before inspection next Friday. The 13th. How's that for a cheerful omen! And keep leg elevated while staying off it as much as possible. Tried that, have you? But will do my best. 

Meanwhile I offer those who've got through above mini-med-drama a couple of better pictures. Scant reward, I know, but best I can do. 

Young Brush Cuckoo, lacking tail because steel gate rail is in the way.

Golden-headed Cisticola, conveniently perched close by where the Martins were taking mud.

    

Happy brush with Black-faced Monarch

Caught briefest glimpse of Black-faced Monarch in the Common two weeks ago but took till this morn to confirm sighting. Bird's breakfast capture bit of a bonus.

Ditto with White-throated Honeyeater and juvenile Brush Cuckoo. Lucky to get almost clear view of the juvenile and even luckier with food transfer.

But pairing of Barking Owls just down the road seems to have lasted only two days. One bird for a week became two together on Saturday and again yesterday. Back to one this morn. Sitting in trees almost over the top of the dust and noise of the park road possibly didn't appeal to the presumed female (left in pic).

And here's a mystery (sort of) guest. Huh, that's just a Tussock Moth caterpillar, cry you one and all. Yep, but many lack scientific identification. This may be one such. Caterpillar crawled into view of Troopy's seat cover. Probably from off my shirt. Week-long search turned up no more caterpillars, nor any (flightless) females. Night mothing with torch-lit white sheet to find males might be necessary.

Quick quiz follows quirk quitted

Have listened to all the gnashing of teeth over rash decision to strive for full-frame perfection and not postprocess images. So, back to the past. In truth, the decision created unforeseen conflicts with workflow and upset archaic chronological filing system.

Bit of catchup follows (can you name them all?):

 Jabiru, Brush Cuckoo, Peaceful Dove, Cotton Pigmy-goose, Grey-headed Robin, Golden Bowerbird 

Brushing up on two cuckoos

On a post, but not railing at sunny shot of Fan-tailed Cuckoo (Cacomantis flabelliformis) in Tyto today.

And for those interested in the differences between species, views of Fan-tailed 
and Brush Cuckoo (Cacomantis variolosus).
Click pix to enlarge

Olive-backed Oriole heads tidy-up

Super Wet set in last night, bit of flooding around Ingham today. More on way. Time to tidy up held over pictures, headed by maturing Olive-backed Oriole (Oriolus sagittatus), showing plumage changing about the head.

Sought better images of Silvereye (Zosterops lateralis) for months, but the birds stayed high in the trees before quitting the wetlands altogether. 

Still a few Brush Cuckoos (Cacomantis variolosus) in Tyto, mostly heard rather than seen lately.

And plenty of Pied Imperial-Pigeons (Ducula bicolor) in the area, though more often in small flocks overhead than perched in rain trees.
Click pix to enlarge

Oriental too fast for Cuckoo chaser

Quest for in-flight pictures of Oriental Cuckoo (Cuculus optatus) got a wee lift yesterday when the above bird flew into view and sat briefly high in a tree some 30 metres away. But it took off so suddenly I was caught out  changing camera settings. The species' hawklike shape in flight makes it unmistakable. At rest it offers hints of several other cuckoos, though mainly smaller species.     

This immature Fan-tailed Cuckoo (Cacomantis flabelliformis) showed out last week amid the many Brush Cuckoos (Cacomantis variolosus) seen in numbers for several weeks. 

Here's an immature Brush showing some tail spread in a somewhat messy setting at Tyto today. Pity the Oriental is never so obliging!

Wren it all starts coming together

Blue sky backs Red-backed Fairy-wren (Malurus melanocephalus) poised on Pandanus in Tyto today. Fine, coolish start led to a few coolish pictures, cuckoos prominent.

Two Little Bronze-Cuckoos (Chalcites minutillus) 

Finally, Brush Cuckoo (Cacomantis variolosus)