Flights and frights of kites see off Sea-eagle

Immature White-bellied Sea-eagle stirred more spirited response than bargained for after swooping mixed mob of egrets and ibises on part-flooded airport grassland in Townsville today. Suddenly found itself under attack from first five Whistling Kites, then pair of Black Kites.

Minutes of defending itself often while flying upsidedown didn't hold much appeal and the much bigger bird sideslipped away to more peaceful air when the kites flew off, mission accomplished.

Elsewhere today, male Magpie Lark in Pallarenda Cons. Park hopped up on rail, revealing loss of left foot. Bird appeared to be coping well - as they often seem to under such disadvantage.

Also disadvantaged, earlier in the week, Squatter Pigeon found itself on Lake Ross dam side wall rocks with nowhere suitable to squat in hiding. After some uncertainty it chose to fly off.

In somewhat similar circumstance but very different habitat, Barking Owl in Town Common Cons. Park chose after taking early fright not to take flight.

After many a suspicious stare and glare the bird accepted my presence close by - and some minor harassment from smaller birds. It even settled to unconcerned preening as I said my thanks and goodbyes.

Young Friarbird chooses to get a hand-up

Hard to thumb a lift if you've no fingers, but no youngster should be left standing in the middle of the road through Townsville Common.

Surprise this afternoon though when very young Helmeted Friarbird chose to leap aboard for hand-up.

No thanks from parents, but they did stop swooping after safe place found for junior.

Hibiscus Harlequin females flashest

Here's a bug. A Hibiscus Harlequin Bug. On a Coastal Hibiscus at Freshwater in the Townsville Common. And unlike birds, bug females get the flashest colours.

But he doesn't look too bad either. Much more on bugs here:

Back to birds. Sharp-tailed Sandpipers prominent at Pandanus viewing area.

And Black-necked Stork showing out from hundreds of Pelicans, Herons and
Egrets and Stilts at Melaleuca viewing area.

Slurpee time for Magpie Geese pigging out

It's slurpee time for the Magpie Geese in the Townsville Common - thanks to the unstinting industry of the feral pigs ploughing into Bulkuru sedge (water chestnut) for the tubers relished by both species.

Birds swooped down in recent early morning chills to follow up the snorting good work by about six sturdy pigs, five of which logged off at 7.15am today.

Not interested in tubers but enjoying fringe benefits, Yellow-billed Spoonbills,  two photobombed by Masked Lapwing.

White-necked Herons another bird turning up to snap up anything showing life on the mud.

Nearby, solitary Red-kneed Dotterel joined scores of sedentary Black-fronted Dotterels on an area abandoned by the tuber brigades.

Ballad of the bold Brolga seeing off the Birder

Brolga family out for wander
Spy a birder over yonder

No worries, says the mister,
I'll  soon see off this blister.

Up he comes with low hisses
But fearsomeness he misses.

Worry not, says birder man,
Now with pictures in the can

You can forget hokey heroic
And stalk back to mum and chick.

Townsville Common early today





 

Takes time to gather in Koel family

Three Koels frequenting Townsville Common entry area refused requests to gather for family portrait and it's taken some time to get them together even singly. Above, male, less often seen than female (below).

Seen least often, juvenile. Probably raised by Torresian Crows, but not seen until being fed by Mum.

Well able to feed itself, juvenile Brown Honeyeater hard at it yesterday morning.

Nearby a few days ago, Rainbow Lorikeet tucks into last of Rose Gum florets.

Dollarbird launches into feeding flurry

Watch out, insects, here I come!

Young Dollarbird sets off after aerial prey. Bird was one of four in feeding flurry with several other species near Townsville Common gate yesterday.

All the Dollarbirds showed the dull plumage of immaturity, with more colour to come before they head off to Papua New Guinea about April.

Fiendishly difficult trying for flight pictures as the birds zigzgged the sky chasing their invisible (to me) food. One fuzzy image from hundreds of shutter clicks.

Also hunting in the air yesterday, Nankeen Kestrel, clutching small catch.

Willie Wagtail takes reverse approach: on ground for catch, toss it up, ready for final swallow.

Who's a pretty sweet little bird then?

Mistletoebirds would be said to have a pretty sweet tooth - if they had teeth. Not much that's sweet about our native figs, you say? Tasteless, mostly, right?

Right. But that's not just water on the underside of the figs. It can at times be intensely sweet, a nectar rivalling artificial sugars.

Pretty sweet? I'll say! 

Reality of the fish that got away just old crap

Plenty of fishing stories boil down to little more than boring old crap, as Black-winged Stilt feeding today in shallows near Payets Tower might attest. Might, if it had bought into above inadvertent illusion.

'Fish' turns out to be boring old crap stuck on the mud. Just another story about the one that got away.

Whited-faced Heron (same site, two days ago) comes up with dinkum catch. Not a fish, but anything living in or near the water is fair fare.

Brolgas don't come up with many fish but like getting stuck into the mud. And muddy water. Many these days showing necks stained brown by the now fast-evaporating water.

Getting a bit dry on slightly higher ground.

Higher still, Brahminy Kite (once often miscalled Fish Eagle) circles the Payet Pool. Species can tell few fishing stories as it's more likely to be seeking to hook insects or frogs from sedges and reeds.

Whistling Kites also show little fishing ability, though a few (ditto Black Kites) learn to watch for and snatch dying fish as they rise gasping to the surface of stagnating waters.