Crimson Finch feed of seed fills need to breed

Female Crimson Finch feeds on roadside grass in Townsville Town Common Conservation Park. One of a few pairs lately showing signs  of impending breeding.

 

Elsewhere, White-throated Honeyeater offers happily uncluttered pose.

And Comb-crested Jacana pauses during brief time away from usual wet surrounds.

 

Young Dollarbird hints at colour to come

Young Dollarbird obliged by sticking to low perch in the Common today. Lots of colour to come, but that'll have to wait till next season as most of the species are likely off north already.

Bit of cloning done to get rid of some pesky twigs.

Too much to clone out, so Yellow Honeyeater cops a tight crop.

Same with White-throated Honeyeater: does provide close look at feather detail.

Lucky to get any detail of Spectacled Monarch, which flittered through tangled understorey for more than 10 minutes before I could get partially clear view.

Wandered around parking area with this Magpie for a few minutes today. They seem unconcerned by constant chatter from me, in spite of doing most of their hunting by listening for prey underground.

Dusky beauty heads honeyeater handful

Dusky Honeyeater (Myzomela obscura) in Tyto Wetlands yesterday (losing out to Brown and Yellow HEs in fight for nearby flowering bottlebrush.

Brown Honeyeater (Lichmera indistincta) on the bottlebrush.

Yellow Honeyeater ready for action (Lichenostomus flavus)

Earlier, White-throated Honeyeater (Melithreptus albogularis) also on bottlebrush.

And White-gaped Honeyeater (Lichenostomus unicolor) not so sweet-loving as it collects Cheese Tree seeds. 
Click pix to enlarge

Lucky strike with Cuckoo-shrike

Seeing few White-bellied Cuckoo-shrikes (Coracina papuensis) at present so got lucky catching one battering unidentified prey - probably a tree cricket - against branch in Tyto Wetlands yesterday. Many insectivores go to some effort to smash wings off their prey. This bird surprised by not bothering to de-wing catch before downing it in one gulp.

Another unlikely catch came today with White-throated Honeyeater (Melithreptus albogularis). Bird persisted in feeding from Euodia flowers in spite of much harassment from a pair of proprietorial Brown-backed Honeyeaters. White-throateds only rarely venture into Tyto, though they are common enough in some town gardens. Less common is the odd upright pose of above bird. Picture best of a bad lot.

Also best of bad series - because taken from distance - shot of Comb-crested Jacana (Irediparra gallinacea) with wings at full upward stretch upon takeoff in Tyto today. Lovely play of light and subtlety of blacks drew me in to this picture.