Limping back into action

Broken toe on mend so took trial walk into Tyto today. Slowly in, slowly out, and slow birding in between. So we must do with some holdovers, starting with White-browed Robin (Poecilodryas superciliosa) pausing during morning 'wash' among condensation-soaked leaves of Bleeding Heart.

Another Tyto robin standing out attractively.

And here's a female Red-tailed Black-Cockatoo (Calyptorhynchus banksii) with fruiting Leichhardt trees as backdrop. Fittingly, because group of five birds were feeding greedily on fallen fruit at the time in Tyto.

Also feeding, Australasian Darter (Anhinga novehollandiae) a few weeks back in Mungalla Station. Fish looks a bit too big? No problem. Flick of head, gulp, gulp, and fish was gone.

Horsfield's Bushlark (Mirafra javanica) on Orient Station fence seemed unsure of final destination for prey, carrying it along fenceline with several stopovers. Lost track of bird. Perhaps feeding a youngster somewhere. Image also contains evidence of being 'squared up' in processing. See it?

White-browed Robin luck only for the local

Why be expert when being lucky works so well sometimes? Chasing White-browed Robin (Poecilodryas superciliosa) in Tyto yesterday, with handheld 600mm lens, mistakenly ended shooting on pre-set aperture f11 rather than manual f11. Result was shutter speed of 1/30 instead of 1/800 (with fill flash, -1).

Miraculously one of three images proved almost tack sharp in spite of snail-speed shutter. But wait, there's more luck. For another hour or more tried to find a robin for two birders from Sydney. Not a peep or even the briefest of glimpses. Of course after they'd reluctantly been forced to quit the hunt another three birds showed themselves, without offering anything like so attractive a setting. Sorry, Nancy and Dirk!

Did get Fan-tailed Cuckoo (Cacomantis flabelliformis) in super setting. Too far off and so a big crop, but all else is bang on (after minor twig removal).

Reverse case with Restless Flycatcher (Myiagra inquieta). Almost certainly the only one of its species in the wetlands, the bird stayed so close underfoot the 600 couldn't focus and all efforts to get in-flight shots failed totally. 

Just a glimpse of paradise

Much tromping about in the Jourama Falls creek forest lately chasing Buff-breasted Paradise-Kingfisher (Tanysiptera sylvia) after seeing breeding pair and an immature bird but only above image of male to display. The remains of twin white tail streamers are obscured. 

Better tale and tail with White-browed Robin (Poecilodryas superciliosa) in the same forest another day.

And also recently with  Yellow-spotted Honeyeater (Meliphaga notata).

Mystery colours Grey Whistler races

Bit of a mystery bird, the Grey Whistler (Pachycephala simplex). Two races, simplex, plainish and confined to Northern Territory, and peninsulae, with lemon underbelly and located in northeast Queensland.

But there's no hint of lemon in most Grey Whistlers around Ingham, such  as the above at Jourama Falls yesterday.

As to grey, it's easy to see why alternative name - little-used, though more appropriate - is Brown Whistler.

Elsewhere at Jourama, no mystery about White-browed Robin (Poecilodryas superciliosa), which, unlike Grey Whistler, seldom stays silent for very long.

Pied Monarch looks part as king of the clowns

Finding Nemo made a star of a Clown Fish and Happy Feet did likewise for a dancing Penguin, so how about a major role for an aerial Pierrot, the Pied Monarch (Arses kaupi)? Looks the part for laughs, surely?

On the other hand, every bird has its serious side, though playing a part in this 'Jourama Party'.

Some players carry suggestion of a daunting character, as with White-browed Robin (Poecilodryas superciliosa). Not really so very supercilious, I reckon.

Pity the Dusky Honeyeater (Myzomela obscura), obscurely coloured and split now even from fellow honeyeaters as merely a myzomela.

But one can count on Macleay's Honeyeater (Xanthotis macleayanus) to turn seriousness on its head and come out smiling.

Finding birds at the double

Caught up with this Latham's Snipe (Gallinago hardwickii) by the roadside the other day.

Found myself under observation before spell was broken and bird zig-zagged off

Also got two characteristic views of White-browed Robin (Poecilodryas superciliosa), at Jourama Falls yesterday.

And this Lewin's Honeyeater (Meliphaga lewinii) at Wallaman Falls uncharacteristically paused long enough for another lucky double.