Eagle eyes and stork stalk finds birds but not nests

Bit of a slog through chest-high grass hiding many fallen trees along former sand road running north-south from near Jacana hide in Town Common Cons. Pk, Townsville, today hunting for possible White-bellied Sea-Eagle nest. Found one bird.

Think now birds are maybe using tree only as night-roost and day-perch. The pair have had two nests in dead tree close to cycle/walk track collapse in past three years.

Better photographic result today from ongoing effort to find nest of Black-necked Storks somewhere close to samphire flats at northeast of the Common, behind Pallarenda suburbia. Got lucky enough to just fit bird into full frame shot. But of the nest? No luck whatsoever.

Great Egrets lead way with aerial action

Bit of an eye on the sky lately, with Great Egrets latest caught up in the air, above Townsville today.

And another dropping in on reeds - and a hidden Intermediate Egret - in the Town Common Cons. Park.

Smaller target, Horsfields (Australasian) Bushlark in flight yesterday.

Plenty of White-breasted Woodswallows in the skies recently.

But not so many sightings of immature White-bellied Sea-eagle.

And a final fluid mover, Water Rat uncommonly hunting in daylight, in the Common yesterday.

Good news, good sense put sparkle into the day

Just the thing to brighten our Covid-19 days. Sparkly treasure from the not so sparkly Common Crow butterfly.

Down in the mouth? Cheer up. Good news is burrowing frog got to live another day when tree snake lost grip of things.

Woe is the Bush Stone-curlew's lot? Course not. Sun's shining and that's a happy look. Unhappy stare can curl the toes and turn the unwary to stone.

Are you washing your hands and staying socially distanced? White-bellied Sea-Eagle knows what's good for it.

As does Intermediate Egret. Wouldn't come within 10 metres, let alone two, in the Common this morning.

Don't be a goose. Play it safe, is the way to go. 'Coz we've got a long way to go yet.

Who needs fireworks when nature's such a blast?

Nine o'clock and pre-midnight fireworks for families boom in the background. What can compete?

Too far from poles to dream of auroras, no lightning storms expected. Never fear, nature's here. Day or two early, but fireworks prep began months ago. So, here's Double Happy at the common.

And there's the pot of gold spot at right of picture. I've plenty so have left it all in place for others.

So, 2018. Sometimes it crawled along but suddenly it's ending with dash and splash, just as turtle poised on Ross River stump's about to do. Turtles beside the bank, banks' good names turned horribly turtle!

Lesson from the Common yesterday: big and powerful needs to watch it. Sneaky Black Kite spooks mighty White-bellied Sea-eagle. Panicky plunge from power perch. Mighty eagles? Hmm, a few nations to choose from. Course, Australia fears only All Black Kiwis!

And wouldn't it be wonderful if our leaders' motives carried at least some semblance of the transparency offered by Nankeen Kestrel.

Or the resolution and steadiness of purpose into buffeting headwinds of White-breasted Woodswallow at Cape Pallarenda today.

Meantime, I'll stick to my Hobby even if it means feathers (birds') must fly and bit of blood (often mine) must be shed.

Finally, seeing New Year in, junior Brush Turkey. The only youngster I've seen in two years' birding at Cape Pallarenda, BT paradise. An omen of sorts? Who knows. Here's to 2019 anyway.

Little Egret, Red-capped Plovers fight for last bites

Last days of 2017, last days of action on, around and over the last two pools as Townsville Common wetland hardens under baking sunny days - which may last past January. So, bit of pressure for last of prey, as above with Little Egret flexing muscles and wings and things to see off fleeing rival.

And junior Red-capped Plover letting older bird know who's stud of the mud.

Red-necked Stint sticks to stints picking up prey and avoids those picking fights.

Black-necked Stork won't be walking across Payets pool with any more tilapia until next year's Wet (if it comes - no sure thing for Townsville). Even the hardy pest fish species are dying in the deoxygenated water.

But there's still prey enough in the air on and just above the water to keep Gull-billed Tern coming back every day.

And there'll always be the birds to keep me there day after day, wet or dry. Here's to 2018 and more Peregrine Falcons, White-bellied Sea-eagles and Whistling Kites, and . . .

Trust me, it's not always this easy

What's great about this Great Crested Tern (Thalasseus bergii) is the trust allowed.

Walked in close and enjoyed a long chat, at Dungeness.

Also trusting, White-bellied Sea-Eagle (Haliaeetus leucogaster) sits tight, near Orient 
Station.

Even more trusting than usual, Sharp-tailed Sandpiper (Calidris acuminata), near Ingham.

Trust me, Comb-crested Jacana (Irediparra gallinacea) usually more wary; on Tyto lagoon.

Trusting for even better in 2013, Happy New Year!

On the wing, and under it

One of fluctuating hundreds of Wandering Whistling-Ducks (Dendrocygna arcuata) on the main lagoon these days takes a turn near the Tyto lookout. Plenty of Plumed Whistlers too, but usually clustered on grassy banks of new lagoons near the info centre.

Young White-bellied Sea-Eagle (Haliaeetus leucogaster) about to make brief touchdown near the lookout. Interesting that one- to two-year? bird caused no alarm among the many birds on the water, very different from reaction mature eagles usually provoke. But perhaps there’s something about eagles’ in-flight behaviour that signals either malign or benign intent.     

Nothing much malign about Spotted (Turtle-) Dove (Streptopelia chinensis), showing delicate colouring on rail in the morning sun. Not universally loved because regarded as pushy import (1860-1920), at least the mostly suburban species no longer is tagged an STD.    

Click pix to enlarge  

Sea-Eagle catch carries catches

All go for immature White-bellied Sea-Eagle (Haliaeetus leucogaster) above coastal cattle country today.

First, male Magpie-lark (Grallina cyanoleuca) rises in David v Goliath attack.

Pint-size Peewee gets to see the mighty talons.

Point made and points taken, moving on.

What's that, down there?

Oops, sorry madam. 

Female Black-necked Stork (Ephippiorhynchus asiaticus) gets in a flap.

But she's not the target.

Got you this time.

Off to down the catch.

First, must fight off thieving Black Kite (Milvus migrans).


All inside ten minutes of second- or third-year bird's morning.