High ISO slows high-speed Sunbirds down

Olive-backed Sunbirds light up the understorey with their nest-building comings and goings near the Freshwater hide in the Town Common Conservation Park, Townsville.

Of possible interest photographically pictures taken at very high ISO (25600) and shutter speed (1/8000thsec). Remarkably little 'noise' on sensor for such high settings thanks to Canon 1DX performance. No postprocessing noise reduction used. Need even faster shutter to stop rapid wingbeats.

Tawny Grassbird in Tyto Wetlands (brief return to my old stamping ground - no Grass Owls seen) on Monday easier to freeze in action while hopping along a branch.

Back in the Common today,  Swamp Harrier stirred plenty of fast wingbeats at Melaleuca viewing area as birds feeding below -  already spooked by two White-bellied Sea-Eagles - took off with the wetland predator's arrival.

No feed for the harrier, and nothing for male Dingo crossing the water in front of Jacana hide early this morning. In fact, egrets and ibises nearby barely turned their heads to look. Lacks that lean and hungry look, so perhaps not fullblooded specimen.

Finish on a Peaceful (Dove) note. One of four birds in front of Freshwater hide this morning taking turns to take fast drink and (usually) take off rapidly away from the dangerous area and activity. But this bird chose to puff up a little and show off its subtle colouring.

Ravens too quick for Channel-billed Cuckoos

Channel-billed Cuckoos are back and looking to sneak their eggs into raven and crow nests. The two seen today are possibly birds heard over weekend near Town Common entry gate. Bad news for the biggies, Australian Ravens have already reared early young this season. And the once-dominant Torresian Crow - a later breeder - is less common hereabouts nowadays. But I saw a Pied Currawong - another parasitised species - across town the other day. Near Anderson Park, whose tall gums draw many Channel-billeds seeking night-roosting. Watch out, Currawongs!

And watch out, young Black-shouldered Kite. Bird enjoying bit of preening in the morning sun yesterday found itself under fire from three White-breasted Woodswallows, offended by the Kite daring to sit atop 'their' tree. Kite flinched and flinched again before surrendering the perch. Next time seen, the immature's streaky breast may be as adult white as the Woodswallows'.

Plenty of white on show this morning with White-throated Heron waiting patiently for me to move away from nearby pool so it could get back to feeding. Mud in many pools ankle deep a few days ago is fast drying out.

Which is good news because of a sudden Magpie Geese - missing since our wet week late in May - are returning. None two days ago; 190 yesterday; 600 today. Sorry, hard to capture image of 600, two, plus a few, have to do.

And finally down to one. Nice little male Olive-backed Sunbird. Like the colour? It's done with HDR plugin comes with latest version of Gimp. (You didn't need to know that, but there's some showing off involved).

Sunbird shows off blue glory

Sunny morning and sudden drop in overnight temperature made for a fitting Tyto appearance today by Mr Cool, male Olive-backed Sunbird (Nectarinia jugularis) in all his blue gorget glory. Also fitting, his perching on pandanus, as an old nest dangles from a nearby pandanus.

Also out in force - particularly vocal - today, White-browed Robins (Poecilodryas superciliosa). Another four spotted during the morning.

Other recent Tyto sightings include notably blue Varied Triller (Lalage leucomela). The species usually looks black and white. But early morn light would seem to have provided a glimpse of the male as seen by another bird. Most birds see in a much wider range of colour than us. Notice that the effect is not merely an unwanted blue cast over the image.

Nothing blue about Spangled Drongo (Dicrurus bracteatus), again in bright morning light. Low- angled light has brought out the eye colour, which tends to be lost and quickly dulls as the sun climbs.

Young Brush Cuckoo (Cacomantis variolosus) will soon lose attractive brown tones and turn duller grey.

White-gaped Honeyeater (Lichenostomus unicolor) reveals strong grey eye colour and the gape that inspired its name, though it often looks more creamy yellow than white.

And a touch of violence from a recent morning. Typical brief flurry from Comb-crested Jacanas (Irediparra gallinacea) competing for territory on the main lagoon. Waterboarding comes to mind as descriptive of the technique. Jump upon and submerge the foe. Oddly, the bout doesn't always go to the one most wetted. I suspect one bird loses interest and simply moves on. Pity people couldn't do likewise!

Pitta parents among many in thick(et) of things

Busy time for Noisy Pitta (Pitta versicolor) bringing food to nest too well hidden for me to locate at Jourama Falls. Should be easy, finding nest on ground, usually within rainforest tree buttress, but three lots of parents are outsmarting me.

Did get close to Yellow-breasted Boatbill (Machaerirhynchus flaviventer) in the thick(et) of things at Jourama. Nature's so untidy!

Ditto with mangroves surrounding female Olive-backed Sunbird (Nectarinia jugularis) near Forrest Beach the other day.

And even more tree in the way of meeting with the world's largest moth, female Hercules (Coscinocera hercules), at Jourama this week. Even the camera conspired against me, locking out of focus for lost open-wing sequence. To gauge the moth's size make the leafy image 12" or 30cm diagonally. More gargantuan than herculean.

Uncommon morning starts with uncommon visitor

Uncommonly interesting time yesterday,  starting with uncommon visiting Shining Bronze-Cuckoo (Chalcites lucidus). Species seldom seen in Tyto Wetlands. 

Young White-winged Triller (Lalage sueurii) proved uncommonly content to pose up close.

This Pacific Heron (Ardea pacifica) uncommonly allowed me to walk alongside as it paused between stabbing at prey in the azolla to fluff up in the breeze.  

And female Olive-backed Sunbird (Nectarinia jugularis) put finishing touches to  a nest rather uncommonly dangling openly from pandanus.

To top it all off,  uncommonly long chats with two visiting birders. Thanks guys and birds for a great morning.