Brown Goshawk springs from the shadows

Taken more than three years to capture Brown Goshawk up close in Townsville, but action in Cape Pallarenda Conservation Park yesterday made up for that. First spied bird on ground in dark shadows. Flew to acacia, in dark shadow. Vanished into, yep, more shadow. Follow. Nothing. Circle back. More nothing. Movement ahead. Suddenly, bird on open branch in bright light! Better yet, flying toward me ...

To another open branch, close above. Great. But ... always a but. There's something clinging to the bird's mandibles. Good luck scoring bird; bad luck finding messy eater.

Unlike Sulphur-crested Cockatoos. At times messy mischief-makers, they show more delicacy when intent on feeding. Bird above one of 38 chomping on weeds and seeds sprung up beside the Ross River since the banks were flooded and heavily silted last year.

Chance to stand among them and grab a few flight shots.

Not at all interested in daytime flights, Tawny Frogmouth family, just downriver in the Bush Gardens.  All four bit more restless than usual.

Unlike solitary member of species in Cape Pallarenda. Hiding in full view. The birds have notch in eyelid that allows them to look out without seeming able to.

You're telling birds to live in holes like this?

Think it's tough finding a home these days? Well picture a world where millions of prime sites are destroyed daily. So eight visiting Sulphur-crested Cockatoos get excited by burned-out trunk a self-respecting bird wouldn't have pooped in years ago.

Didn't take long for the raucous inspectors to recognise an unlivable hole and move on.

At almost same time five Red-tailed Black cockatoos show interest in Moreton Bay Ash just 40 metres away. A few tentative  nibbles at the bone-hard wood ends any hopes of enlarging holes. The five fly to top of another ash to crunch on nutritious nuts.

Close by, male Black-necked Stork, having found right site, makes way, sneakily, to northeast with another delivery of grass to line nest (usually wide platform).

Just up the road, Australian Raven selects somewhat scratchier lining for typical large messy bowl of twigs, near top of another big ash.

Making itself at home - but almost certainly not looking to nest - Northern Fantail goes quietly about its business.But not quietly enough. Gentle 'chuff chuff' gives it away. Not a common visitor to the Common, I'm told.

Cockatoos find oranges appealing

Talking to a small flock of Sulphur-crested Cockatoo (Cacatua galerita) yesterday and all agreed small oranges are much nicer than large ones. Tyto's only wild orange tree comes with fruit handily sized for Cockies' toes and bills, though takeaways are problematic.


Unhappy food footnote: immature Pale-vented Bush-hen of earlier post paid mortal price for naive walking on tracks. Found legs, small pieces of carcase and some feathers on track yesterday. Consumer unknown. 
Click pix to enlarge