Cockatoo laps up water going to waste

Sulphur-crested Cockatoos can be clever but not-so-clever human left this supposedly self-closing tap slightly open in Cape Pallarenda Conservation Park this week. Despite BOM's reluctance to declare El Nino upon us signs are we'll regret wasting water this year and well into 2024. Did I close tap? Yes. Yes. And good to see some in Australia catching on to moves abroad to let grass brown off. Save water. And fuel for mowers. Win-win.    

Goshdarnit-aint-that-somethin purty

Cutesy doesn't always cut it. But sometimes ... Zebra Finch male will never know just what a goshdarnit-aint-that-somethin' pose he struck out Woodstock way.

And she's pretty purty, too.

So too, though less chocboxy, male Mistletoebird, caught in seldom-seen foray close to the ground avidly gobbling small lime-green dodder berries in Cape Pallarenda Park.

Red-backed Fairywren adds his black magic to the beauty parade

Lovely day for rare find of four Lovely Fairies

Lovely morning for a lovely walk and lovely find of four Lovely Fairy-wrens rarely ever seen in Cape Pallarenda Conservation Park, Townsville.

Also perfect timing just ahead of a planned Queensland Parks and Wildlife burnoff of upper slopes about 300 metres north of the birds' location. Slow burn from top down unlikely to threaten any part of birds' habitat, but who knows?

Two of the four clearly adult male and female. But sketchy info on immature birds little help deciding whether third bird -  clearly male - is immature, or adult going to eclipse plumage. My guess: immature, because eclipse seems unlikely in what must be family group. Fourth bird not clearly seen, but  may be immature female.

Also colourfully enhancing the park, Cooktown Orchid, probably long ago fixed on tree amidst about 12 buildings dating back to the park's quarantine station past.

Other birds today: Orange-footed Scrubfowl and Laughing Kookaburra.

And a recent find beside a track: placid 2-metre Carpet Python.