Junior Bush Stone-curlew survives days of rain

Took my eye off these two Bush Stone-curlew eggs for a wee bit and 'hey presto' they were gone from trim gardens close to my overnight parking spot.

Along with stroppy protective male (presumed).

And less threatening female (presumed).

Five days later (four of them filled with rain) and much noise today close to my studio unit in Rowes Bay, Townsville. So, junior's about six days old.

The commotion possibly marked demise of second youngster. No signs, however, of marauding cat or goanna. Interrogated junior's companions but no answers from them.

Eye to eye with Bush Stone-curlew

Eye to eye with Bush Stone-curlew in Townsville Town Common today. Intrusion over, bird speedily back on top of two eggs on ground nearby.

Eggssssassssperated, that's the word for it

Whaddya mean, I'm all bluff. Lissssten, buddy, I've sssseen off bigger galootssss than you. Lotssss of times. You better clear off while you've sssstill got all your armssss and legssss.

And get away from those eggssss or you're a dead man. You're going? Lucky for you then. And don't come back.  (I-I-I-I won't. Promise (fingers crossed behind back; promise void! MTC))

Nest news good and bad

First, the bad news. Not only no sight or sound of the Lovely Fairy-Wren (Amurus amabilis) but the nest was today one egg light and the surviving egg felt a bit cool. A quad bike had left minor skid marks on the dirt road right beside the nest. But the rider was probably a pig hunter, licit or illicit.

My suspicion is a cuckoo. Soon after reading about cuckoos supposedly carrying eggs to plant in nests I witnessed the end part of more probable behaviour. A Brush Cuckoo (Cacomantus variolosus) flew into view with a small white egg in mouth, landed on a branch, swallowed the egg, and flew off.

Many birds have demonstrated the capacity to distinguish between small numbers. If the preyed-on wrens know two from three, it makes sense that the parasitic predator does also. It would also make sense not to waste food by throwing the host bird's egg(s) away. Wren watch continues tomorrow.

The good news was stumbling upon Large-billed Gerygones (Gerygone magnirostris) and a White-browed Robin (Poecilodryas superciliosa) at their nests, the first about 750mm long dangling over a rainforest creek, the latter in plain view about two metres up in a dying Tulip Tree sapling in Tyto.

There is no thick rainforest in Tyto but the fire trails lead a kilometre or so southwest to a dense 4sq km patch of forest, swamp and riverine jungle, all largely hidden from the highway by stands of pines and conifers and semi-ringed by sugar cane and flood grasses.

Chasing the high-pitched 'zeep' of an Azure Kingfisher (Alcedo azurea), I edged down a steep creek bank, spooked a duck lurking in the dark-shadowed long pool - topped up by unseasonal rains - and found two Large-billed Gerygones flitting about in trees across the water in front of me. One was carrying nest material.

The bird flew toward me to the nest - which dangled with entry hole almost right in front of me - popped the additions in place and headed away for more. Another site to keep an eye on. I left them to it. Cuckoos may not however.Cuckoos also make use of White-browed Robins, which usually build low on horizontal branches in shaded groves. Today's find appears to break every building code. Will try for better picture tomorrow, and see if clambering up nearby tree allows a view into the nest.

More good news, but stop reading if you hold all creatures equally sacred.

Feral pigs (Sus scrofa) began running amok early last year. After months of failed action, the shire got a professional trapper in. Nine shot in one trap at the edge of the main lagoon today brought his kills to more than 80. Tough on the pigs, but left alone they churn and destroy huge areas, and cost cane farmers a lot of cash.

Lovely to see you at long last!

How could it take more than four weeks for me to find a Lovely Fairy Wren (Malurus amibilis) that built a nest and today sat in it at knee height beside a fire trail?

Out in the open? Alongside the tangled lantana most likely to sustain wrens? Very close to the tree against which day after day I've propped my bike? Three metres from where I passed to and fro? Staying still long enough to melt into the background is a discipline I lack.

The female had almost to fly through my legs today to finally catch my attention. At which point I was less than five metres from the totally unobscured nest.

But it took close to a hour before another close encounter led my eye to the nest. Inside, two tiny part-speckled eggs with a faint pink hue. Thanking the wren for her help, I left and will return on most days ahead to observe from a distance.

One early thought after seeing the barely disguised nest is its vulnerability to Horsfield's Bronze-Cuckoo (Chrysococcyx basalis), the most common small cuckoo in the wetlands. Within the past fortnight I've spotted several Horsfields close by. So long as the sitting bird shows no unease at my sneak peeks I'll monitor the eggs. Could get interesting.

As a related aside, I've lately seen two pairs of Horsfield's feeding their (presumed) own singleton juveniles. First noticed such feeding twice last year. This may be a more effective strategy than absolute parasitism?