Kingfisher catch one in a 1000

One picture's worth  a 1000 words? Well, here's one worth 1,000,000. It's taken roughly 1000 failures to nail a Forest Kingfisher creating splash on Ross River at Aplins Weir, Townsville, and emerging in sharpish focus with catch, albeit ill-defined.

Here's one of six birds sporadically trying their luck yesterday from high perches in paperbarks edging the riverbank close to the weir wall. Forest Kingfishers don't in my experience dive deeply, preferring to splosh on fish. Most dives are aborted without strike and anyway aim for insects above the surface rather than fish under it.

They don't  often let their guard slip enough for close approaches. So preening sequence of bird in front of Payets Tower in the Townsville Town Common Conservation Park last week came after slow stalk towards busy bird.

Also from Town Common, early morning bird greeting those with eyes to see just before entrance to the park. Eyes to see? Sounds ever so slightly critical? There is a point to the pointedness: birds may be everywhere around us, if we really look and really listen. Enjoy!

 

Flying start after being grounded by flu

Back on the road after the past 10 days 'flu' by. Just in time this morn to see perched Blue-winged Kookaburra fly down to road through the Town Common. Seems would-be prey got away.

White-bellied Sea Eagle would have larger prey in mind from vantage point overlooking flooded grassland. Bird's view not quite so clear as shown: bit of cloning removed messy foliage.

Forest Kingfisher also looks neater after major pruning by cloning away bits of dead tree. Pity one can't clone flu from the scene. And, yes, had my jab.

Stroppy Willie disturbs the peace

I'm having a pretty good morning snatching stuff from above the water at Payets Tower when this bleeding stroppy Willie Wagtail turns up and gives me the old shirtfront.

Mad? I was flamin' hopping, I'll tell you. First off, it's my patch. The bird's a bloody blow-in. Room for both of us, I said. No, little bastard wanted the lot.

Then ... then it went for my throat. What could I do? Bigger than me. And trouble. Always trouble with black and whites. Aggressive? I'll say. They'll all have you, quick as that.

All peace and quiet over the pool one minute. Next thing, whammo-bammo, they're into you. I'm thinking of packing it in and heading back into the forest. But these dragonflies go down a treat, so guess I'll stay and see if Uncle Blue-wing mightn't give Warring Willie a whack or two for me. Family's gotta stick together, I say.

Challenges vary from Kingfishers to Lapwings

Slightly faster limp into Tyto today in vain search for Little Kingfisher. Seems March sighting may have been bird's first and last look for fish along creek. No big rain means no big flood into grasses means no fish breeding in grasses means no Little Kingfishers feeding on fish trapped in creeks. But did come upon Forest Kingfisher (Todiramphus macleayii) midway through morning bath. Not an easy species to sneak up on even when they are everywhere. The wetlands rings to their shrills at present as they squabble over feeding territories.

No fighting among Crimson Finch (Neochmia phaeton). But even they were mostly hiding away this morning. This bird's from earlier in the week. Taken at just beyond minimum focus distance for the 600mm lens. Closeup is cropped only, no colour adjustment or sharpening.

Not too difficult getting close to threatening Masked Lapwing (Vanellus miles) along Orient Road the other day. Bird didn't want me near four eggs on ground. It should have thought about that before laying almost on the road. We'll see how they're getting on next week.

Easy as falling off a log - or on one

Some days bird photography comes easy as falling off a log - or falling into focus on one. So, Brown Quail (Coturnix ypsilophora).

Forest Kingfisher (Todiramphus macleayii)

Red-backed Fairy-wren (Malurus melanocephalus)

White-bellied Cuckoo-shrike (Coracina papuensis)

Spangled Drongo (Dicrurus bracteatus)

All at Mungalla Station last few weeks.

Kingfishers bring splashes of colour

Splash of colour at Mungalla Station as Sacred Kingfisher (Todiramphus sanctus) dries off after diving into morning ablutions.

Same perch, hungrier eye looks for breakfast.

At Tyto, Forest Kingfisher (Todiramphus macleayii) lights up wooden  handrail.

And Little Kingfisher (Ceyx pusilla) shines in sun

and cloud on favourite creek possie.

Pallid Cuckoo scores on football ground

Uncommon visitor to the Tyto precinct, Pallid Cuckoo (Cacomantis pallidus) drops in for  hairy caterpillars on the football ground yesterday. Bird found the rugby posts a splendid vantage point. No thoughts of offering the prey a sporting chance.

Most other birds sticking to the trees, which are being added to lately through various small plantings about the wetlands. There'll be more Leichhardt trees for Eastern Great Egret (Ardea modesta) to overtop after locals get in to plant seedlings provided by the shire this Sunday.

Elsewhere, Grey Fantail (Rhipidura albiscapa) takes a bough (geddit?).

As does Northern Fantail (Rhipidura rufiventris).

And Forest Kingfisher (Todiramphus macleayii).

Finally, sunning at front lagoons,Little Pied Cormorant (Microcarba melanoleucos).

Adorning our Structures

Drizzle dribbles off the caravan, grey gloom continues, laptop chores sort of done ... time to cook up stew of leftovers, but with grandiose theme: Adorning our Structures

Brown Goshawk (Accipiter fasciatus): Broadwater Forest Park rail

Forest Kingfisher (Todiramphus macleayii): Tyto Wetlands elevated walkway

Zitting Cisticola (Cisticola juncidis): Orient Station fence

Striated Heron (Butorides striata): Dungeness rail

Great Crested Tern (Thalasseus bergii): Dungeness rail

Red-backed Fairy-wren (Malurus melanocephalus): Orient Station fence
Click pix to enlarge