More to mangroves than honeyeaters

Giant Mudskippers are big on taste - bathed in clean water for a few days - so they say. Dried and served for breakfast, they'd then become mud's kippers, I suppose. But what do I know? Only this week did I discover that 'St Peter's Fish' is the dreaded scourge of our waterways, the Tilapia. Idle thoughts while chasing Mangrove Honeyeaters along the banks of the Ross River mouth, Townsville, recently.

Silver Gull probably not too interested in name of small silver fish it chanced upon nearby.

Whimbrel came along to stalk same stretch of sand soon after. Too late. It's not only worms that go to the early bird.

Grey-tailed Tattler more at home chasing after sand worms but bridge breakwater makes safe high-tide refuge.

Also brief base out in the open for Bar-shouldered Dove before a return to the mangroves.

No Mangrove Honeyeaters (previous post)? Later . . .







 

Striated Heron heads highlights

Did a quick tour of the beaches and other wetland spots today. A few more waders showing out, but Striated (Mangrove) Heron (Butorides striata) near Dungeness boat ramp the standout. Couldn't get through the mangroves for any low angle shots.

Not about to fling myself upon the sand and mud at Taylors Beach for a better look at this Common Greenshank (Tringa nebularia) struggling to swallow a much larger than usual catch. After more than 30 tries the fish went down.

Didn't quite get this Pied Oystercatcher (Haematopus longirostris) in sharp focus, though the feet almost make the grade.

And Whimbrel (Numenius phaeopus) flashed by with wing nicely lit. Pity about the head.

Finally, I'll sneak in this Gull-billed Tern (Gelochelidon nilotica), a holdout from earlier in the week at a private inland treatment pond area, but often seen at the beaches.