Darter catches the early sunlight and the eye

Struck gold early today with female Australian Darter displaying in the early morning sunlight at Aplins Weir on the Ross River, Townsville.

Male Cotton  Pygmy-goose finished second in the beauty stakes.

And male Little Bronze-cuckoo fittingly came an attractive third, after some cosmetic help.

Who's the prettiest boy ... then?

Few prettier sights in Tyto than male Crimson Finch (Neochmia phaeton) in prime plumage.

Splendid up close.

Rainbow Lorikeet (Trichoglossus haematodus) offers colourful challenge.

Intermediate Egret (Ardea intermedia) looks lovely in early morning light.

Male Cotton Pygmy-goose (Nettapus coromandelianus) floats in subtle beauty.  
Click pix to enlarge

Cotton-pickin' Darter darts into Cotton pic!

Sneaking up for distant shot of Cotton Pygmy-goose pair (Nettapus coromandelianus) in Tyto yesterday unaware Australasian Darter (Anhinga novehollandiae) has intruded itself into the picture. May even have spooked the birds.

Not too many Cottons ever on Tyto waters. Even less often in the air on clear days, showing off their colour.
Click pix to enlarge

Cotton allows closer approach

Closer look at female Cotton Pygmy-goose (Nettapus coromandelianus). Male gone.

Female today remarkably unflighty.

Allowed me to walk to lagoon edge, about 20 metres from it feeding alone.

Updates: Comb-crested Jacana still on four eggs. Seems juvenile Jacana quads reduced to three in one family, two in the other. Shining Flycatchers still on x? eggs.

And here's a six-year first: yabby (Cherax spp) on a walking track. But no sign of Dodos ...

Too close to gorgeous

Came upon this male Olive-backed Sunbird (Nectarinia jugularis) up a bit too close for 300mm lens and 1.4x converter yesterday.

So images are rather soft. And tongue was too quick. But gorgeous is gorgeous. Right?

Also found Cotton Pygmy-goose (Nettapus coromandelianus) twosome (male, left, chasing female) - seldom seen singly in Tyto; rarer still paired - feeding and squabbling among themselves and two Green Pygmy-geese (Nettapus pulchellus).

Easy at a distance (and more so in poor light) to confuse Cottons (front) and Greens (rear). Safest guide often pattern on birds' flanks.

And here's a surprise. Not! Birds Cottons turned up day after I advised visitors of their rarity in the wetlands. Almost enough to make one talk of lack of Dodos, in hope they'll magic into being just to prove one wrong!

Updates: Comb-crested Jacana still on four eggs. Shining Flycatchers still on ? eggs.

Cotton Pygmy-goose comes and goes

Few species on main lagoon past two days. Lucky to have solo Cotton Pygmy-goose (Nettapus coromandelianus) show up. Even when Green Pygmy-geese were dotted about the place, Cottons seldom dropped in. The Greens left when the Wet set in. Yesterday, the above distant Cotton fed on floating weed and munched upon the swamp lilies. Gone today.

Which left Comb-crested Jacanas (Irediparra gallinacea) and a couple of Darters as the only birds visible on the lagoon. Elsewhere, Magpie Geese, a few ducks and cormorants, and a Black-necked Stork stood out.

But...But did hear at two sites Little Bitterns grunting quietly. Also, aurally evident, White-browed and Spotless Crakes, Little and Azure Kingfishers, and Little Bronze-cuckoos (above, from sunnier days). Here's hoping for sunnier sightings up this way soon!