Bird question for AlanJG
 

Hi Alan

My friend Jo Hopkins who lives at Yungaburra has spied for the last 3 mornings a bird she's never seen before. Its sitting on a branch in Petersen Creek, has webbed feet, dark colour with buff front, bill with a hook on end, about 30cm in height, perches in an upright position (like a penguin ) . She says it appears fearless, any idea what it is?

Sounds like a Little Black or Little Pied Cormorant. Great Cormorant have also been seen there but they are much more flighty and have yellow on their faces. The first two have no yellow at the base of the bill.

There is a Pacific Baza nestling at the Curtain Fig being fed green tree frogs and phasmids by its two parents.

Thanks for that Alan, knew you'd know. Seems we have a record year for giant green tree frogs down here, a few years ago they were nowhere to be seen.

Cheers

Pat

I agree with Little Pied Cormorant. It's really look like penguin.

Yes when they tuck their chins in they do bear a resemblance.

The creek is flowing a banker at the moment.

Platypus are showing at all sorts of strange times of the day in fast flowing dirty water. Tree-kangaroos are being seen most days and the long-eared bats are still using the shelter shed at Frawley's Pool. Lots of insect and bird activity.