Peregrination speeds from kestrel to ibis

Peregrine Falcon wafts easily on breeze below Bald Rock in Town Common Cons. Pk, Townsville, today. Nothing like so purposeless when first seen, as black blur hurtling at Nankeen Kestrel low over the flats near the rock. Last-second side slip saw Kestrel safe. Falcon's return attack lacked resolve.

Surprise came bit later when falcon flew from dead White Ibis at edge of mangroves. Stayed within sight of the corpse but showed no sign of speedy return to it. Dead bird probably explains circling presence and minor aggression among six Whistling Kites in the general area. At no time, however, did any of them land or even fly low close to the ibis. Falcon had plucked some of neck. No clear cause of death.

Other raptors in broader area this morning: two White-bellied Sea-Eagles, Wedge-tailed Eagle, Brown Goshawk, Swamp Harrier, Black Kite.

Hobby and Kestrel offer differing views of passion

Hobby lacks intensity enough to describe my daily passion, but Australian Hobby at least offers link between obsession and its targets. This young female speeds after large dragonflies from two favoured vantages at the Pandanus viewing point in the Townsville Common Conservation Park (yes, I know, it's a mouthful).

Bird sitting in place today but no big dragonflies.  Images from past two days, with no catches recorded before high Sun cast underside of bird in darkness.

Sun did better job on back of female Nankeen Kestrel today. Minutes earlier she rejected male, then flew to another tree and allowed him to mount. Brief blurred (too distant) flurry and away he flew. Female allowed slow walkup to close beneath  5m tree.

Another allowing close-ups this morn, Little Bronze Cuckoo. Wasn't, however, willing to 'watch the birdy' and persisted in looking high left and right. These things can drive one cuckoo (sorry: corn for brekkie).

Raptors ruffled and unruffled

Striking contrast between raptors from recent morning surveys: Nankeen Kestrel neat, unruffled ...

... White-bellied Sea-eagle, less than unruffled, though not ruffled by my close presence ...

... and female Eastern Osprey showing splendid spread of feathers on return to nest tree.

Next morning Baza bonus:

Three views of changing conditions

Contrasting conditions along road through Orient Station the other morning as cloudy morn gave way to brisk breeze and welcome sun after rains that have delayed the start of this season's sugar cane crush. Black-faced Woodswallow  (Artamus cinereus) pauses during preening upon a post.

Nankeen Kestrel (Falco cenchroides) lights up day and shadowed perch.

Australian Hobby (Falco longipennis) in nature's frame backed by cloudless blue. 

Getting sneakily technical with wee Grebe

Sneaky way to sneak up on Australasian Grebe (Tachybaptus novaehollandiae) in Tyto this week: (tech alert!) attach Kenko 2X converter to 100-400mm F5.6 lens. So what? So Kenko somehow tricks Canon 7D to retain some autofocus, which it won't allow with Canon 1.4X converter, let alone 2X. Image quality suffers a bit, but even at ISO1600 above picture not bad (tech ends). 

Nothing technical about Australasian Darter (Anhinga novehollandiae) closeup. Bird surfaced in small Tyto pool but wouldn't risk emerging fully to fly off, so ducked and dived for several minutes until I walked away.

Long-distance noisy 400mm shot of Nankeen Kestrel (Falco cenchroides) on fallen tree near Orient Station this week was to be paired with 2X image, but bird put breakfast ahead of posing.   

Soft image high-angled Black-shouldered Kite (Elanus axillaris), near Orient Station, also put food first and took off before tripod could be deployed for steadier picture.

Sacred Kingfisher (Todiramphus sanctus), in Tyto, sits still, too far away for sharper detail. No 2X at hand at time, but nothing technical fixes things if the bird is simply too far off.   
Click pix to enlarge

Red-backed Kingfisher drops in

Red-backed Kingfisher (Todiramphus pyrrhopygius) seldom shows up around locally, preferring a drier, quieter life inland.

But bird above has become attached to a fallen tree in a coastal paddock which appears to offer plenty of small prey.

Have not, as yet, been able to get close enough, even when perch shifts to post.

Nankeen Kestrel (Falco cenchroides), on same fenceline, proved a little more obliging the other day.
Click pix to enlarge