Go South 03

After the RTBCs, a last night spent in Cairns before an early morning to once again go to Centenary Lakes and attempt to catch a glimpse of the resident Black Bittern, allegedly seen first thing in the morning.

First bird seen was a Black Bittern look-a-like, a juvenile Nankeen Night Heron. Then I spied some Magpie Geese goslings [??? sp ???] and finally, I saw a bird fly up high into a euc which I thought was a Striated Heron but subsequent examination of the images reveals a Black Bittern. Lifer. My search was overlooked by a Torresian Imperial-Pigeon

Pied [Torresian] Imperial-Pigeon
Ducula bicolor

Magpie Geese Anseranus semipalmata
and three goslings

The first likely bittern-bird I spotted was sulky and sneaked away quick sharp. It "hid" behind a large tree and checked me out surreptitiously. Well, that is what it thought it was doing. No match for the bird hunter though. This is a juvenile bird. I initially thought Striated Heron but have decided it is a Nankeen Night Heron.

Peek-a-boo
Nankeen Night Heron, juvenile
Nycticorax caledonicus

" I need a better look"

But not a Black Bittern. Then suddenly, that NNH flushed again and flew up into the top of a eucalyptus. Certainly NNH do that. They are often found roosting way up in trees. So took a load of pictures and later examination has showed it to be a Black Bittern.

Black Bittern Ixobrychus flavicollis

Stop Press: Jack Smith Lake

I ventured there today. No OBP or BWP. Plenty of wind. And after the rain of last week, water. It is full or though "full" means just a few inches across a lot of it. Even swans were walking at times.

Nankeen Kestrel Falco cenchroides

Go South 02 -- Red-tailed Black-cockatoo

I wasn't too sure about what to do next after getting the car back. So I thought, "Go north". Slowly. I had a look at Cattana Wetlands and then went into Yorkey's Knob to check out the lake at the golf course. As I went slowly down a side street, I heard the unmistakable sound of Red-tailed Black-cockatoos. I stopped and looked up and there were 40 or so RTBC in the trees above the community hall. Took some photos. The females have lots of speckles and yellow/orange panels in their tails. The males have no speckles and red panels. Easy!

female left; male right

female

female

female, male, female

Quite interesting. On my way back past the hall. most of the cockies were on the ground feasting on the nuts that they had been "harvesting" whilst I was investigating the lake.