Wandering Whistling Ducks waltz in

Five hundred Wandering Whistling Ducks waltzed about on the water at the Melaleuca viewing spot in the Townsville Town Common this morning

That's 492 more than the total for several weeks, when a family of two plus six persisted on the Borrow Pits - the only pools of any size - even after the young were mature enough to fly off.

But Magpie Geese numbers are falling off. Seems many of the birds that rushed in after recent rains have moved off the open pools and into the wide expanses of flooded grasses, or even to pastures greener (or tastier). Above bird appeared to join some ducks just for the company.

Got a bit closer to this pair over the weekend. Big bump on bonce reveals male in front.

Sharper resolution the 2010 resolution

Never rains but ... 2009 ended in sodden start of big Wet, and more sodding modem tears. Might be time to replace Telstra's blue lemon. Anyway, quick mop-up of holdovers.

Carpenter Bee (Xylocopa aruana?) shows off huge eye as it settles, mostly still, on prolific low-growing local weed, name unknown to me.

Wandering Whistling Ducks (Dendrocygna arcuata) also settle mostly still on still morning last month. Not many ducks to be seen today with the lagoon up 30cm-plus in five days.

Just before the rain, caught this Azure Kingfisher (Ceyx azureus) swinging above drying pool along a rainforest creek. Probably be September before any thought of getting dry-footed into same spot.

No problems getting to see White-browed Robin (Poecilodryas superciliosa). Not so easy catching them with caterpillars in sharp focus. Resolution for 2010 is sharper (lens) resolution!

So, final soft shot, of Rainbow Bee-eaters (Merops ornatus). Immature on left not sharing prey with companion, though it looks otherwise.