Young Brahminy Kite off nest to less than flier

Quitting home for first time takes nerve for a big bird. This juvenile Brahminy Kite in Cape Pallarenda Conservation Park yesterday perhaps lost confidence after quitting nest up above. Though it showed no sign of panic or fear when I came upon it, not much above head height. No sign of it today. Nor any adult. Hope to see it flying - and, common error, being mistaken for Little Eagle - in next few days.

On the ground yesterday in the park, Double-barred Finches drink at pool below bountiful dripping tap.

Brown-backed Honeyeater - slower to descend to drink a day before. 

Double-barreds on barbed wire

Trying to sneak up on Double-barred Finches (Taeniopygia bichenovii) near coast seems always to end with a barbed wire fence and some distance between us.

One of the smaller finches, Double-barreds appear to magnify any wire they land on. Their subdued colours may be a factor in an illusion.

Looks like this Australian Pratincole (Stiltia isabella) - first seen in cattle country last month and thought perhaps to be carrying an injury - has settled in for the northern 'winter'. 

Hadn't resighted the bird till it flew by the car two days ago. No sign of any injury. Quickly found it again today at edge of fast-drying swampy portion of grazing land.     

And look (hard!) at what popped into view in Tyto yesterday. Picture taken from lookout, 90 metres across lagoon. 

First Australian Little Bittern (Ixobrychus dubius) for 3-4 months. Terrible image the sole return for about 100 hours of scanning scleria. But who's counting?


Reward for less focussed effort came later in day. Casual bike ride around back of wetlands flushed Spotted Nightjar (Eurostopodus argus) from beside track. First sighting for more than three years. Bird too quickly gone for picture.

Finches to the fore

Red-browed Finches (Neochmia temporalis) dwell doubly in the shade in Tyto: overshadowed somewhat by Crimsons, and preferring under-tree areas to sunlit grasses.

Both species enjoy sheltered margins of drying creek pools. Red-browed likes getting down to the muddy bits. And all too often behind some twig.

Crimson Finch (Neochmia phaeton) spends more time surveying things below. Little wonder Crimsons feature more often.

And, mopping up the finches, here's a Double-barred Finch (Taeniopygia bichenovii) feeding on seeds from grasses dying off in middle of dirt road.

Barred Finches finally drop in

Taken four mornings to catch Double-barred Finches (Taeniopygia bichenovii) up close on the fringe of coastal woodland south of Ingham.

Birds spent little time in the open after landing on rutted dirt road.

Safety is a rusty fence.

Awful picture, interesting moment: Crimson Finch (Neochmia phaeton) taking ants on pandanus trunk. Perhaps turmoil in ants' nest and ensuing insect hyperactivity drew finches. Switch from seeds to meat lasted about five minutes.