Little Kingfisher manipulated in case for freeware

Long time since I've bored anyone about my arguments for freeware. But sparked by generously informative Feathers and Photos exercise lately on post-processing workflows here's my no-cents (can't get cheaper than that!) worth. One caveat: I make no claim freeware will better pro combos of apps, but say it can come close and at big savings in time and money. So, recent pic, above, Little Kingfisher, full frame, Canon Raw.

Little Kingfisher, cropped, adjusted for brightness, colour saturation, shadow, contrast and sharpened - about two minutes in DPP4, Canon freeware.

Little Kingfisher, most of background tidied up by simply cloning much of background - Gimp clone tool (because DPP4 clone tool is simply useless).

Then, couple more little touches in Gimp - to white hot spot (select spot with lasso tool and cool it down a bit) and bill (lasso, and make tiny bit sharper). More could easily be done without ever getting into more complex time-weighty techniques. And, yes, many claim Gimp is too this, that and t'other. But let the pictures speak for themselves. 

Crimson Finches cope with problem child

Male Crimson Finch had only one thing on his mind this morning - instead of maybe six or more. Where was his youngster fresh fluttered from the nest near Payets Tower in the Townsville Town Common Conservation Park?

Question of why only one would have to take care of itself. He had to find and take care - with his partner - of young bird scrambling clumsily through the guinea grass. 

The parents whizzed here, there, everywhere. Junior clambered and started low 'chirp-chirping''. Which did the trick. Well, mostly. Parents turned up - but without food! Then off the three went to sort out some breakfast. Should not prove problem for parents usually coping with many more hungry mouths. 

Sunbird shows off helluva hover cover

All very well being clever enough to fly but no Australian bird has yet truly mastered doing it on the spot. Top marks though for Olive-backed Sunbird at Rowes Bay Sustainability Wetlands today doing a helluva hover cover - shown by camera settings of f7.1 1/800 ISO1600 (not expecting flight picture). Tribute also to Canon R5 stabilisation.

More time and thus more fitting shutter speed for Dollarbird, one of six in action over Townsville Town Common the other morning.

Plenty of White-breasted Woodswallows in the air at same time. 

Elsewhere, Plumed Whistling Duck ready with flaps up for landing near Mundy Creek lagoon recently.  

Kookaburra's alighting weighs heavy on Leadens

Sun's shining, sky's blue, Laughing Kookaburra's sitting pretty - till it's time to move on.

Move that goes down like lead balloon with territorial pair of Leaden Flycatchers. Male proves more aggressive of the two.

But flying up an angry storm, though prompting a flinch or two, fails to do the desired. Kookaburra stolidly fixed to branch, flycatchers vanish to sulk unseen. Also unseen, probable nest somewhere near. 

Cape Pallarenda Conservation Park this morning.

 

Greedy Guts snags Magpies' nag prize

Greed is good! Got this straight from insatiable young Australian Blackbacked Magpie bending female parent's ear nonstop along road entrance to Townsville Town Common Conservation Park yesterday.

Insistent and persistent, calls came in spite of junior finding plenty of small prey for itself in the several minutes of hounding mother and thus scoring more than half her finds. Even more telling in greed is good episode, a slightly larger sibling tried demanding a share and was totally out-whinged, sidling off ignored and alone. 

But even the best of Mums must have time - and food - to herself. Sharp look at junior and off she flew. Maybe to give Dad an earful about leaving her with Greedy Guts.

Magpie footedness sightings still 1-1.

Muddy Dingo at least welcome kind of dirty dog

Muddy Dingo not part of this morning's plan, but at least it's a welcome dirty dog in the Town Common.

Unlike those who torched stolen ute last week - almost exactly where today's dog got muddy. 

Up the road at Cape Pallarenda things went more to plan. Found target Tawny Frogmouth pair, though one too obscured to photograph.

Bonus was curvy Yellow-spotted Monitor on bend of road. Good deed done by shooing it clear because you never know when dirty dogs might drive by. 

Ravens show gulls mouthful and get earful

Two immature Australian Ravens fossicking prey from under sand and within seaweed at Cape Pallarenda, Townsville, this morning drew persistent begging from young Silver Gull discontented with lack of service from parents. 

One of parents responded by giving junior and ravens an earful. Ravens responded by giving junior no heed. 

Magpie footedness progress report: Right 1  Left 1 

 

Getting started on the right foot for 2022

Footedness. Left only. Or right only. Some bird species have it. Think parrots, cockatoos and the like. Munching on food held almost always in preferred toes.  Songsters not so much. Australian Magpies are super songsters. Resounding Aussies. No surprise - these past few years - since Northern Hemisphere (whose Magpies are non-songbird corvids) acceptance that all songbirds originated from ancient Oz. But is our Magpie footed? 

Well, as they say, one swallow etc, but before above caterpillar was swallowed our Black-backed Magpie exhibited fussy footedness. Too much grass sticking to caterpillar snatched from newly mown parkland at Cape Pallarenda, Townsville. Bit of shaking didn't do the trick. Time to put the boot in. Down comes right foot. Clears the grass. Second later, caterpillar's history.

Is it footedness? Perhaps maybe. Interesting start to 2022 anyway. 

 

Season's Greetings

 

Some 'pals' from Pallarenda

Keep coming across one or two 'pals' at Pallarenda while checking on progress of breeding Tawny Frogmouths lately in the conservation park. First up, young Australian Raven, one of four immatures noising and nosing about the place today.

Immature Black-backed Magpie, one of three mostly sticking close to one or other of parents.

Alone, but happy to accept relatively close company of tailing photographers, Pacific Baza.

Not quite so confiding, Channel-billed Cuckoo making welcome descent tree tops and allowing briefest of clear views.

Not totally clear but impressive enough, Red-tailed Black Cockatoo landing on Casuarina near beach today.

Quieter today than full screechy overhead yesterday, Sulphur-crested Cockatoo.

Nothing to say from these two Tawny Frogmouths of course. Older image, taken before the two quit nest about 10 days ago to go walkabout in nest tree. Question is, why male back on nest in last three days. Could there be a new egg? Wait and see.