Splotchy sighting breaks fairywren drought

Low bird numbers in Townsville Town Common Conservation Park most of the year. So I was happy that when a Red-backed Fairywren bobbed up the other day it at least stuck around long enough to get sharp shots of its charming splotchiness. First of the species in more than 10 long surveys in the park. Of course, three others turned up, briefly, elsewhere in the same morning. 

Quality results from versatile 200-800 lens

Finally got my hands on Canon 200-800mm lens after 3-month wait. Just what I'd hoped for: not far short of 100-500 image quality at 500, equal to plastic 800 prime's performance. Extra bonus, which won't be everyday use, short minimum focus distance, allowing for limited semi-macro shooting.

 

So, ignored gusts battering at me and tottered along Townsville breakwater the other morning. No great reward for the experience but OK pictures of Darter and Reef Heron.

Yesterday, snuck up on Black-necked Stork pair in Rowes Bay Sustainability Centre Wetlands and luckily wound back frantically to catch female turning in flight towards me. Missed male capture of fish but got wee part of his water-dance sequence.

And Straw-necked Ibis near crash gate 8 in the Town Common allowed me to wander in close enough about a week ago to capture some of its glorious colour. 

Pretty, and pretty good for a lens that didn't come close to breaking the bank, I reckon.

Some birds close to my heart of things

Home's where the heart is, close to home's where many of my birds are. Benefit of buying into retirement village surrounded by conservation parks and other wildlife and marine areas. Some sightings lately:

Brahminy Kite, one of pair often seen on local dead trees.

Brolga foraging and flying close to the kites' lookouts.

Australasian Figbird about 100 metres from Brolga's reed patch.

Pheasant Coucal close-up and close to Figbird's perch.

Scaly-breasted Munia (was Spice Finch, then Chestnut-breasted Mannikin) by coastal walkway.

Not quite all in one day's walk, but part of my recent days' walks.

 

 

Pelican's 'catches' out but cuckoo catches on

Pelican might have done double take, or double miss, at nearby Rowes Bay lagoon as first a small fish executes a teasing jump and then a spectral fish forms from back splash created by passing Little Black Cormorant (obscured by Pelican's head). Typical fisher's tale of the ones that got away.

 

No such bad luck for juvenile Brush Cuckoo about to receive insect prey from parasitised Brown-backed Honeyeater 'parent' in local park recently. So quick was transfer that though I was shooting at 12 frames per second the grab and gulp fell entirely between frames. 

Head up for dragonfly, head off for fish head . . .

One moment it's dragonfly trying to dance on White-bellied Sea-Eagle's head, the next it's all go for fisher's discarded fish head rolling in the light surf at Cape Pallarenda, Townsville, this morning.

Head off to rip into one's snatch of the day. 

Gull cometh the raw prawn with me

 Silver Gull with Banana Prawn, Cape Pallarenda, Townsville, Feb 2024

Gulls lively during high tide surge

Surging high tide spilling into temporary lagoon at Cape Pellaranda  this morning provided some easy pickings for Silver Gulls that usually hang around for scraps from Townsville beach-casters. And action aplenty for bird photographer!

Rainbow Lorikeets brighten January gloom

Dismal outside. Still catching up on sleep after Cyclone Kirrily knocked power out and neighbour's generator roared for near two days and nights. No posts all month. But sun did shine earlier in January. Mostly one morning, on raucous Rainbow Lorikeets in now mildly tattered gum. So, some colourful cheer to spite today's wet gloom and forecast of worse to come for rest of week.  

Here's to Galahs as Santas and tricky Osprey captures

If there was to be a Santa among birds, my vote goes to the Galah. Pretty, fun-loving, colourful - what's not to like? And this bird wandered my way at Pallarenda just in time for Xmas greetings to faithful blog followers.

Also at  windblown Pallarenda this week, Eastern Osprey seeming to be taking fish from the surf. Looks that way, doesn't it?

Truth is fish was taken in clearer water away from surf and bird merely chose to fly off low over breaking waves to some unseen feeding post out of my sight.

Here's the bird waiting patiently for glimpse of the eventual catch. 

Merry Xmas and happy birding in 2024 to all!

Black-necked Stork turns black-hearted

Ooh, look! Kindly young Black-necked Stork sees eel struggling in mud and carefully picks it out for revival on bank.

Checks vitals by vigorous palpitation with bill all along eel: thus comes the jab in Jabiru.

Caring love has no bounds, bird decides eel needs to be washed down. Sacrifices smoothness of gullet to help eel feel better: would better be called Black-throated Stork.

Oh dear! It's forgotten to cough eel up. Maybe better called Black-hearted Stork!

Town Common Friday 8/12/23.