On the water front ...

Week's showers reflooded Tyto reedbeds and brought Wood Sandpiper (Tringa glareola) in yesterday: first small wader for many months.

Same reeds, less peaceful some days ago: Intermediate Egrets (Ardea intermedia) squabble over territory.

Intermediates have enviable strike rate, but no luck this time.

Comb-crested Jacana (Irediparra gallinacea) looks for slower-moving prey. 

And Pacific Heron (Ardea pacifica) stands above the fray.
Click pix to enlarge

Day out for Night-Heron

There's a Nankeen Night-Heron (Nycticorax caledonicus) breeding hotspot just 10kms away at Cattle Creek, but few show out in Tyto.

Bird above revealed itself today as I watched Royal Spoonbills, Intermediate and Great Egrets and a White-faced Heron (Egretta novaehollandiae) feasting on life in a fast-drying creek pool.

Also active in Tyto lately, Pacific Heron (Ardea pacifica).
Click pix to enlarge

Heron on post shows off for my post

White-faced Heron stands up and begs picture be taken at Tyto. The birds can develop some trust in people, but I've never found any around Ingham to have done so. In a past life as a mad golfer in New Zealand have almost brushed against the herons on footbridge handrails. Even this bird didn't let me closer than 20 metres.

Another bird not at all keen on people, even those who admire its delicate colouring, is the Pacific Heron. Not so strange really, I suppose, since the birds mostly prefer their own company and are more likely to be found wading quietly alone through open wetlands. No sign at all for months of their small lookalike, the Pied Heron. 

Herons divided, and a big dipper

Eastern Great Egret (Ardea modesta, above and under) and Intermediate Egret (Ardea intermedia) present no ID problems when seen together. But when they've all been away for some months and return as isolated birds doubts can creep in.

Size apart, two differences are the extreme angularity of the Great's neck and the gape, extending behind the eye (whereas it stops under Intermediate eye, below).

No problem in Tyto last few days. Both species dotted about the lagoons, competing for the spoils as two dry weeks herald good times among previuosly flooded grasses and reeds.    

Pacific Heron (Ardea pacifica) and equally shy White-faced Heron (Egretta novaehollandiae) also popping in most days, though less likely to stay once disturbed.

Also standing out, male Black-necked Stork (Phippiorhynchuse asiaticus) taking up one of several great gulps of water. As one of the stars on show, this must be the Big Dipper!

Modem fixed for now. No thanks to Telstra help desk. Old trick. Unplug. Wrap. Cool for 24 hours in fridge. Hey presto!