Calm cormorant tolerates clumsy clamberer

Clambered clumsily over clammy mid-tide rocks to rock up close to tolerant Pied Cormorant near my near-to-seaside retirement unit the other morning. Just the two of us, both waiting for some signs of passing fish. No luck. So, Cormorant took off gracefully, having caught nothing. I bumbled back to coastal walkway, thankfully having caught a few decent frames. Nothing venture . . .

Uncommon visitors at front door, park

Didn't need to travel far for pictures of relatively uncommon visitors to Rowes Bay. Three Pied Butcherbirds turned up just a few metres from my retirement village studio front door the other day.

Quick grab for camera and managed to get pictures of young adult on grass and juvenile on wood chips. One or other of the birds has been serenading locals with ringing musical notes for months after first being seen nearby about six months ago. More typical habitat is less populated country not far west of Townsville.

Another less common sighting, female Pacific Emerald-Dove, in Townsville Town Common Conservation Park this week. Only my second in six years haunting the park.