Santa works magic on glimpse of Paradise present

Isn't Santa just Christmas? Asked North Pole person (PC post!) to magic iffy shot of Buff-breasted Paradise Kingfisher and Ho Ho Ho job's done.

Seems it's once a year deal only. So I've asked for stocking full of post-processing tips. And a flasher monitor. And digiscoping. And ... Too greedy? Well, aren't we all, this time of year?

Always up for gifts of grace from Red-tailed Black Cockatoos. Female incoming above at Cape Pallarenda Conservation Park yesterday.

And another outgoing after feeding on Xmas mix of tree nuts and fallen seeds.

Earlier present from almost same location in the park, Yellow-throated Miner, beside itself after being told no other member of species seen or listed previously at the site.

Get a close up of my throat, it said. See. See why I'm a Yellow-throated.

And how about a side view? (Bit of a bighead, this bird).

Not, however, so big as Tawny Frogmouth, present at Ross River Bush Garden. One of three shifting from night to night to keep everyone guessing next morning.

Also present nearby, Striated Heron poised on lily pad.

Finally, return to Pallarenda for lovely Lovely Fairy-wren. Female needs some of the Santa magic to perfect the picture.

But  she'll have to do, for the present.

Herein heron woes back up from here on in

What's wrong with this picture? Well, not close enough (9 metres, not 6); too high above bird (not eye level); lacks killer moment (no prey capture). Too harsh? Too bad, another almost.

Another image of the Striated Heron moments earlier at the Ross River Bush Gardens.

Then there's the Town Common morning when the  prey's taken - by White-necked Heron. What's wrong? Bird, tolerant enough of camera, not close enough. Prey tantalisingly unclear.

This morning, again in the Town Common, Australian Raven gets stuck into leaf-sac spider's nest. The behaviour seems seasonal and somehow related to breeding. What's wrong? Poor light, wary bird too distant, no eye level (comes the time when backs refuse to lie down and take it any more, and lying on mud amid grass and reeds isn't what it used to be).

Osprey takes off with Long Tom after long weir wait

Long chat with fellow Kiwi today on footbridge across Ross River at Aplin Weir waiting for Osprey to launch from Leichhardt tree down into fish-filled seawater below. Nothing happening. Walk under tree. Nothing. Return to footbridge. Nothing. Try for flight shot of passing tern. Turn back on Osprey ...

... And, yes, Osprey strikes - and whooshes up behind my back, over footbridge, and upriver with Long Tom catch to 'feeding' branch in melaleuca  well upstream. Frustrating. Interesting too. Bird didn't do the usual and change grip to carry fish torpedo fashion with head pointing forward.

Much more active at base of weir this morning, Striated Heron (one of six squabbling over perches and catches of small fish)...

... and Little Egret (one of 11, mostly disdaining to squabble over anything).

Solitary Silver Gull, perhaps feeling outnumbered, found nothing much to eat and had nothing to say.

Closer to home, time for a cleanout.

FOR SALE:
Canon 7D 11, as new, few months old, white/grey import (with Japanese manual)  $700
Canon L 400mm f5.6 nonIS, 7-8 years, little used,  $500
Canon L 100-400 mark1, 7-8y, good cond apart from perished zoom lock band   (elastic velcro strap does  job) $400
Canon 5D3, well used, needs hot shoe repair, possibly replacement head assembly; camera works perfectly otherwise. Prefer swap super short lens, say $1200ish.
Prices set below going rates to discourage unwanted haggling.

Freshwater Crab pops up after week's rain

Look what a week's rain brought out in the Townsville Common. Inland Freshwater Crab, little more than a stone's throw from the coast. Queensland Museum website says Australia has but two species of freshwater crabs. However, JCU research speaks of 6700 world species with thousands of species yet to be scientifically ID'd. Who knows, could be a rarity or two, even in the Common? Barrier Reef  background above not crab's habitat, merely magazine page slipped in for photograph.

Today, scene from Ross River with something thousands of Freshwater Crabs would enjoy, if it weren't for turtles getting there first: barramundi makes floating meal for attendant feeders.

Nearby today, more threat than treat for wandering crabs, Striated Heron in tree overlooking Gleeson's Weir.

Also along riverbank today, resident Muscovy ducks, large and small. Just the one little 'un, possible because of dogs running free along the walkways. Adding insult to etc, dogs seen scoffing bread intended for the ducks.

And a wee cutie to finish: skink on top of its world.

Eagle's dead duck comes with strings . . .

White-bellied Sea-Eagle (Haliaeetus leucogaster) crosses sky the other day trailing a dead duck and long string of creeper. Catch looks less than fresh, a problem because ducks may dabble in death as ponds shrink and oxygen-depleted water carries toxic blooms and nasties such as botulism in the mud. Even the strongest of scavenger stomachs succumbs to Clostridia botulinum.

So, fresh is best, as Silver Gulls (Chroicocephalus novaehollandiae) at Dungeness boat ramp today will attest. Unsuccessful fisherman rewarded waiting locals with leftover bait fish. 

Striated Heron (Butorides striata) misses out against gulls (but dined well with later boldness at the fisherman's feet).       

Treecreeper rainforest highlight

Quick trip to high rainforest near Wallaman Falls yesterday found only this White-throated Treecreeper (Cormobates leucophaea) close to the camera. Then the clouds rolled in and the rain poured down.

No greater luck in the quest for Victoria's Riflebirds earlier in the month, when this wary Eastern (Common) Bearded Dragon (Pogona barbata) caught the eye.

More frustration today in Tyto with several sightings of Black Bitterns (Ixobrychus flavicollis), but only one distant bird standing still for a second.

Here's a sharper image of a more co-operative bird, Striated Heron (Butorides striata) sitting deep in mangroves near the coast.
Click pix to enlarge

Pick of the day, pic of the year

Final Tyto stroll for 2010 found one Crimson Finch (Neochmia phaeton) standing out among the usual plenty. Sometimes the bird is only part of the picture. 

Too much to expect hyperactive Red-backed Fairy-wren (Malurus melanocephalus) to adopt artistic pose. Sprayed sedge an unwanted species.

Much easier to catch Rufous-throated Honeyeater (Conopophila rufogularis) in front of hide. Nest nearing completion.

Female Rufous Whistler (Pachycephala rufiventris) stayed in paperbark just long enough for quick shot.


Finally, two images to wrap up the year:

Brown-backed Honeyeater (Ramsayornis modestus) in paperbark by Tyto hide.

And my picture of 2010, Striated Heron (Butorides striata) with muddy catch near a coastal boat ramp.   
Click pix to enlarge

Two heads not always better than one

Two heads may often be better than one but not usually in bird pictures. Bush Thick-knees (Burhinus grallarius) above look well matched, but all too seldom do the heads show equal appeal. Nothing remarkable in the observation. It comes simply because a few pair pictures have cropped up.

Here's two Pied Oystercatchers (Haematopus longirostris) at Lucinda yesterday. One's almost sharp! Plenty of terns and various shore birds out on the sand bars. None close enough to camera (which came close to disaster when I became stuck in clinging mud).

Trip to coast in part to check on Striated Heron (Butorides striata) nesting by Dungeness boat ramp. Three juveniles in nest tree wouldn't gather for group portrait, so two had to do.

Back at Tyto, Wandering Whistling-Ducks (Dendrocygna arcuata) look to be enjoying bit of morning splash and dash. Some creatures appear to enjoy life more than others. Appearances, of course, are deceptive.  
Click pix to enlarge

Heron's swallow follows 'mud in your eye!'

'Here's mud in your eye' perfect toast to Striated Heron (Butorides striata) yesterday on tidal mud where Herbert River meets Hinchinbrook Channel east of Ingham. Bird waited without movement for more than five minutes close to water-filled hole in mud.

Sudden strike came too fast for me.

'Whole lotta shakin' goin' on!' (with nictitating membrane protecting eye).

Mud mostly gone, time for the swallow.

Big gulp. Fish gone. 

Time to move on. Field guide does say birds can become tame near boat ramps. Not usually quite so forward as this one! 
Click pix to enlarge