Random August sightings

Like much of this year, August was more about having my camera handy whenever we were out and about - no specific outings seeking birds. Still, ample good shots of some favourites in some familiar places.

In the scrub parkside at Bangalow while enjoying the company of our visiting family from the UK this grey fantail offered a curious peek as it alighted on a dead hanging vine frond. The white highlights on the head and tail are clear from this photo.

Also present were a pair of magpie larks enjoying a dip in the creek. The first two below are wading deeper for a wash; the second photo showing one of them enjoying that dip; the third photo the scrubbed up & sparkling clean pee-wee after the dip!

And the final photo from Bangalow was this pied currawong appearing to offer a "curtsy" in gratidue for being noticed balancing on the back of the park bench. The powerful beak and cautious yellow eyes a feature as always.

The remainder of this post are photos from around Shaws Bay and Shelly Beach foreshore.

First three are welcome further sightings of a couple of sacred kingfishers. The early afternoon sun provides very good views of the striking plumage. A common perch on rocks providing a view across the low-tide waters for any hint of movement to be swooped on.

The next several photos are individually labelled and were taken at various points along the wall.

Figbird among the dead branches

Young pied butcherbird about to devour a crab

Masked lapwing strutting along the beach

A darter drying out in the sun

Slightly different angle

 

Little pied cormorant dried out and ready to dive again

The next four photos are a selection of subperb fairy wrens enjoying the sun and offering some nice peeks, as they often do, to highlight their small stature ... "brown" they may be, but delicately beautiful and fragile for sure!

Next up is a pair of crows smooching in a pandanus palm. The second photo was one of them that loitered a little longer for a single portrait. The front on view of the beak from the underside is a little scary, especially with those white eyes having me in clear sight!

And finally a pale-yellow robin standing upright on a tree root showing off its prize black beetle from a successful hunt. Time watching well spent.