Little spot with little-seen Little Kingfisher

Found a quiet little spot to spend a little time lately with little-seen local Little Kingfisher. Seems to lack a partner, so all pictures presumed to be same bird.

Sharing the kingfisher's fishing hole, Striated Heron, one of a pair in the same Three Mile Creek, Townsville, mangroves.

And a Shining Flycatcher female, also possibly without partner, though this bird shows up infrequently and males generally keep more to the shadows.

Juvenile Mynas drop in for the New Year

In with the new, two juvenile Common Myna (Sturnus tristis) both prematurely out of nest and picked up from driveway outside my caravan this week.

Yes, I know, the birds top many hate lists. But a bird's a bird.

And which species has brought about the rise of Mynas and other unloved creatures? Anyway, here's to getting a few things right for 2015, starting with .............? Your choice!

No New Year resolution from me, merely a reflection that sometimes beauty's in the bigger picture. Though it's a pity the Greenshanks didn't stay in pool above.

But every now and then a bird pops out of nowhere and completes the picture. 

Thus, Striated Heron (Butorides striata) at first unnoticed along a mangrove creek, later caught closer as it stalked beside the water. Happy New Year!

Heron numbers ramping up

Striated Heron (Butorides striata) numbers building around popular Dungeness boat ramp, where the hefty Herbert River sweeps into the Hinchinbrook Channel.

Two latest newcomers left largely fending for themselves. There's the traditional way...

... or, not yet so brazen as to steal from fishers' bait buckets, but learning to look cute and hungry up close.
Click pix to enlarge