Young Bazas stretching out before first flights

Severe thunder storm shaking Townsville overnight did no damage to thriving Pacific Baza family of four in centre of Pallarenda park. Latest pictures reveal youngsters giving their wings thorough workouts from time to time. 

Here's hoping for some shots as birds soon get ready to depart nest. But, how soon? And when . . . ?   

Some 'pals' from Pallarenda

Keep coming across one or two 'pals' at Pallarenda while checking on progress of breeding Tawny Frogmouths lately in the conservation park. First up, young Australian Raven, one of four immatures noising and nosing about the place today.

Immature Black-backed Magpie, one of three mostly sticking close to one or other of parents.

Alone, but happy to accept relatively close company of tailing photographers, Pacific Baza.

Not quite so confiding, Channel-billed Cuckoo making welcome descent tree tops and allowing briefest of clear views.

Not totally clear but impressive enough, Red-tailed Black Cockatoo landing on Casuarina near beach today.

Quieter today than full screechy overhead yesterday, Sulphur-crested Cockatoo.

Nothing to say from these two Tawny Frogmouths of course. Older image, taken before the two quit nest about 10 days ago to go walkabout in nest tree. Question is, why male back on nest in last three days. Could there be a new egg? Wait and see. 

Canna finda betta bitta batta Barra?

Australian Magpie tackles battered catch of the day, Pallarenda, Townsville 

Groping to explain Whistling Kite's missing Groper

Groping for words to go with pictures of Whistling Kite homing in on fish thrown up on sand at Pallarenda in gusting break during the 10 days and 1.5 metres of rain in Townsville.

Caught bird coming in to land beside what appears to be small Groper. But didn't notice the fish when taking pictures. Nor when Kite fed on portions of entrails (oh, all right, guts). Nor when it flew and Silver Gull dropped in to grab a bite. So didn't think too much of it when unable to pinpoint where the birds had landed. I'd missed little photographic catch-of-the-day.

Did better with mating dragonflies flying over pool in the Pallarenda parking area. So what? Well, it's a minor macro miracle, using 600mm from 5m to roughly manually focus on flying insects and thus enable very quick autofocus.

Another capture of note recently. Nothing to be proud of about the image but Little Egret's taking of Eastern Striped Skink isn't something seen too often. Water rising quickly into its habitat probably led to skink's demise.

 

Ill wind blow for Frigatebirds, bonus for birders

Short break in Townsville's persistent monsoon low downpours (or, lowdown pours) allowed quick outing just up the road this morning to look for Lesser Frigatebirds, making unaccustomed showings along coastlines as they escape harsh weather out on the Grreat Barrier Reef.

Found 15 floating effortlessly over Pallarenda township and foredune. Only 3-4 males amid the birds, but probably not much to read into the imbalance. Though the males all somehow avoided being photographed.

Also a bit uncommon near the road into Pallarenda, Plumed Whistling Duck.

And, close by, solitary Royal Spoonbill.

More rain expected tonight, adding to about 1.2 metres over the past eight days. Feel some guilt out and birding as thousands - mostly on city's south side of Ross River - are evacuated or in danger of being flooded out. But that's the random luck of major weather events. And I drew short straws in Ingham with cyclones and/or floods in '07, '09 and '11.

Here's to sunnier days.