Tawny Frogmouth nears end of sitting down on the job

Male Tawny Frogmouth casual look at things from vantage point in Cape Pallarenda Conservation Park. Been sitting all month, on daytime duty. Female should be close by, to take over the night shift. But search of the area has turned up nothing. Should be seeing her sometime soon, all going well. 

Coming and going, going, gone (still)

Coming and going: Red-tailed Black Cockatoos.

Going: Pheasant Coucal on way across scorched trunk.

Gone (still): Tawny Frogmouth goes ... still.

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.

Bushlark hunt thankless tale of bogeys and birdies

Can be thankless job trying to help travelling birders find that one species they're chasing. Some bogey birds seem always to be there yesterday and tomorrow for those desperate to see them and ever here today for those trying to help. Thus, Horsfields Bushlark amid samphire this morning beside road to Bald Rock in the Townsville Common. One of six for me, yet seemingly a species unsighted in three mornings by English visitors.

Also in the same patch - and worthier image - Australian Pipit ruffling plumage after skiff of rain whizzed by.

Tawny Frogmouths come high on some lists of must-sees. Female in small paperbark in Pallarenda Conservation Park yesterday watches unseen, often with male partner, as visitors come and go. But no guarantee that two directed to the site today will have seen the bird/s.

More generally many would love to capture Rainbow Bee-eaters - in all their splendour. Finding the birds isn't the problem. Finding them in exactly the right place (low down, close up, in focus, cleanly backgrounded) not so simple. Above image close as I've come for several months. Two out of four ain't bad.

Budget time brings out the bigmouths

Budget time brings out the bigmouths - and they don't come much bigger than that of Tawny Frogmouth.

Lucky me this week, $75 from my loving Guvmint (Messrs Slomo and Spincrap) and daytime sighting of frogmouth in the open.

So $50 outlaid on The Australian Bird Guide (CSIRO Publishing) flies back speedily, with interest.
And if you're interested, the new guide is pretty good value. Not perfect (what, or who, is?) but weightier in words, art and intent than older rivals. Too weighted toward rarities and distant islands for my liking. Little on nests and noises (where Morecombe shines). Is there to be an app? I don't know. If buying, check print consistency. Variable print pages among early sellers.

Night screamers on display by day

Mad screams at night, hissy fits by day. you could accuse Bush Stone-Curlews (Thick-knees) (Burhinus grallarius) of being drama queens. But there's every excuse for male's threat display and hissing at Tyto this week: female in background is on two eggs. Pair on third clutch - all laid close to cars coming and going in parking zone four metres away - and not deterred by me poking nose in from time to time.

Another noisy night-timer usually with less to say during the day, Tawny Frogmouth (Podargus strigoides), on twiggy tree in area burnt off recently close to Orient Station eastern boundary fence. Bird stuck to branch until I was three metres away. It flew into nearest taller tree, opened eyes wider, and ignored me from then on. Meanwhile and surely coincidentally, probable partner began series of remarkable pig-like grunts from unburnt woodland on other side of the fence. Target for another day.