Cormorant shuffles off mortal coil in python's coils

Water Python coiled around Little Black Cormorant beside pool in Townsville Town Common (03/11/24). Snake probably took bird in the water and dragged it up bank before being sighted as it was getting into the serious business of swallowing prey.

Roughly 30 minutes later, job done and snake, which had allowed myself and friend Wes Graffin to stay within touching distance, was fully alert and capable of swift movement, sliding quickly into para grass cover when touched lightly by hand.

 

And a bonus near same spot later in morning, Lesser Black Whipsnake gliding over part of drying lagoon. 

 

White-browed Robins repay patience

Targets for birders in Tyto include White-browed Robin (Poecilodryas superciliosa). Impatient group the other day quit quickly. Ten minutes later the bird above flitted here, there and everywhere among trees near the lookout knoll.

More bustling activity by the bird and its partner yesterday - and hungry calls - led to this sturdy juvenile.

Stick around long enough and the birds pop up, and occasionally almost accept the intrusion.

Thus, another crack at capturing magic of Little Black Cormorant (Phalacrocorax sulcirostris) eye colour.

 Finally, another eye. Common Tree Snake (Dendrelaphis punctulata) stretches out along top strand of fence wire in morning sun this week.     
Click pix to enlarge  

Eyes out for Little Black Cormorant

Fluked capture of Little Black Cormorant's (Phalacrocorax sulcirostris) brilliant eye colour yesterday.

Today, got much closer to one bird for long time. Wouldn't you know it, colour nothing to write home about. Sometimes it's breeding stage, sometimes angle of light and lens. 

So, I've written it up here anyway. And I'm not writing off hopes of better to come.

Also wishing a few more Australian Pelicans (Pelecanus conspicillatus) might cruise by Tyto. Closer to the camera.

And that the Australasian Darters (Anhinga novehollandiae) would get down from the heights of Leichhardt trees. 
Click pix to enlarge     

Cor, cormorants and blurry bittern

Interesting bits later, the one decent picture first. Little Pied Cormorant (Microcarba melanoleucos) in solo pose near a Tyto lagoon. Little Pieds stand alone, in contrast to Little Black Cormorants (Phalacrocorax sulcirostris). Any fish the solitary hunter Pied takes brings no threat of theft from a fishing companion.

But Little Blacks hunt in packs. The advantage appears to be a 'herding' of fish ahead of the swift swimming pack. The disadvantage is an instant challenge against any bird that takes a fish too large to be immediately swallowed. Side note: 50-60 Little Blacks in Tyto overnight the only large group of the species to spend much time in the wetlands in six years or more.

Worst for last. Australian Little Bittern (Ixobrychus dubius) disappears across scleria in Tyto today. Male, but you'll have to take my word for it. My only flight picture in six years. Saw male and female yesterday, without even bad picture. Tomorrow ...

Three morsels of food for thought

Food for thought in three Tyto encounters. Above, perhaps evidence of a successful underground strike - skink? frog? grasshopper? - by this Common Tree Snake (Dendralaphis punctulata). Spotted the snake half hidden within a wide crack during a recent evening outing. It re-emerged looking rather pleased with itself, almost to be described as licking its lips! Anthropomorphosis, anyone?

Little Black Cormorant (Phalacrocorax sulcirostris) comes up with a catch courtesy of an unknown predator that must have lost this fish after taking a severe bite from it. Though no more than knee deep and roughly 50 x 25 metres, the minor pool near Tyto's main lagoon could be carrying large eels, barramundi and turtles. Croc? A very long-odds maybe.

Red-browed Finch (Neochmia temporalis) clutches an African Tulip Tree (Spathodea campanulata) seed envelope. A pair of the birds spent several minutes picking up, carrying about and then discarding envelopes. Doubt if the birds are equipped to free the seed from the envelope. Haven't seen such interest previously. In fact, only Scaly-breasted Lorikeets (Trichoglossus chlorolepidotus) show a taste for the seeds. But they feed direct from split and drying pods, which hold hundreds of envelopes in three stacks.