Fish rounds on hungry egret

Last spin for fish rounding out action after being snatched by busy Intermediate Egret from waters of lagoon in Palmetum Botanical Gardens, Townsville.

Good news, good sense put sparkle into the day

Just the thing to brighten our Covid-19 days. Sparkly treasure from the not so sparkly Common Crow butterfly.

Down in the mouth? Cheer up. Good news is burrowing frog got to live another day when tree snake lost grip of things.

Woe is the Bush Stone-curlew's lot? Course not. Sun's shining and that's a happy look. Unhappy stare can curl the toes and turn the unwary to stone.

Are you washing your hands and staying socially distanced? White-bellied Sea-Eagle knows what's good for it.

As does Intermediate Egret. Wouldn't come within 10 metres, let alone two, in the Common this morning.

Don't be a goose. Play it safe, is the way to go. 'Coz we've got a long way to go yet.

Take a butcher's at this colourful lot

But it's brown, why's it called a Black Butcherbird? I'm glad you asked. In North Queensland - but not too far north - Cracticus quoyi race rufescens comes with either black or rufous young, in the same nest sometimes. The rufous birds change to black in their second year (note black emerging on bird's left wing. They'll also stick around and help their parents feed the next generation.

But it's brown, why's it called a Grey Teal? I'm sorry you asked, because I've no idea. Possibly because calling it brown would confuse it with Chestnut Teal. The species confuse themselves and others by hybridizing sometimes.

But it's black, why isn't it called the Yellow-streaked-necked-male Bittern? Ha! They get it right sometimes, though the female isn't really very black.

Don't ask me how the Darter managed to escape the colour determinists, though it did get saddled with the tag Snake-bird, which, I'm pleased to say, nobody has ever used in my experience. I'd much rather go for Very Twisty Neck Bird, but that's a bit colourless.

And there's obviously too much white everywhere and it's such a boring colour anyway the colour must come from a really really exciting name, such as Intermediate Egret. Not Great or Little or Reef. All too dull, dull, dull. Intermediate, now that's a name with zing. Like a Bill Shorten zinger! Talk about colourful. But actually something in this picture does bring him to mind ...

Mungalla days not all about Yellow Wagtails

More chasing Yellow Wagtails at Mungalla for the last week, without notable capture of the species in the camera.

But it's not all about the flighty migrants. Rainbow Bee-eaters are breeding in their sand tunnels and watching for food passing on the wing.

A Royal Spoonbill pauses in the mopping up of prey in a fast-drying pool of mud and dying water hyacincth.

One Intermediate Egret shows out from scores of others atop nearby trees and drops in to feed.

An Australian Pipit has the hunt for food down pat.

White-breasted Woodswallow takes up higher vantage point.

One of the hundreds of sources of Pipit pedestals enjoys an extended scratch in an ear (probably not uncommon behaviour but something new to me).

Nearby, tight-coiled Carpet Python rests motionless, unconcerned as camera closes to within a metre.

Not so still, Gould's Monitor caught away from boltholes and trees to climb considers its situation:  cautious walk away proves the right answer.

Bittern in the light: owl in the night

Four Black Bitterns (Ixobrychus flavicollis) in Tyto today but no image to match the above, taken from the highway at a temporary pool near Ingham the other morning.

Another image standing around for a bit, Intermediate Egret (Ardea intermedia), atop a Leichhardt tree.

And a little night visitor to the caravan park a while back, young Barking Owl (Ninox connivens) waits for parent to bring in some dinner.

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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.  
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Bigger fish catch on

Commented a bit back that Intermediate Egrets (Ardea intermedia) usually take very small fish. Naturally, along comes an exception.

Poised motionless for some time before jumping into action.

Quick return to Yasi debris tossed to lagoon margin by shire cleanup team.

Near head-first positioning of fish, ready for fast swallow.

More distant, and a Little Pied Cormorant (Microcarba melanoleucos)  matches the egret's catch size. 


Footnote: Fishing world full of ones that got away, but only rarely would such stories be told in the bird world! 
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Many a catch to prey pictures

Hard work catching up with the few Black-faced Cuckoo-shrikes (Coracina novaehollandiae) in Tyto this past month.

So bit of luck getting shot of one about to swallow insect.

Not so lucky, Eastern Great Egret (Ardea modesta). Lightning jab into the water comes up empty. 

Intermediate Egrets (Ardea intermedia) catch more fish than Greats, but mostly so tiny they are usually swallowed in a flash.  
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Looking into the background

Easy enough when chasing birds to see little else, even when it's occupying almost all the frame. So, Intermediate Egret (Ardea intermedia) in Tyto the other day took my attention, but background of ruffled, leaden water makes the picture.

And Grey Teal (Anas gracilis) - an uncommon visitor - looks almost twice as attractive accompanied by reflection and wake.

On the other hand, messy background doesn't do much for an Australian White Ibis (Threskiornis molucca), though it hints at problems photographers face in obtaining uncluttered images.
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Crocodile sticks to shallows

'More and better another day.' I hoped!  So here's another look at my Macknade wetland 'friend'.

It's a little better. But Saltwater Crocodile (Crocodylus porosus) still too far away - and today wouldn't get out of the shallows. We'll keep trying ...

Meantime, two Intermediate Egrets (Ardea intermedia) scratched up from a recent Tyto walk. 

Click pix to enlarge