December 2019 - Various

"Honeyeater Imagineered."
Photo of our Australasian songbird, noted for its long brush-like tongue for feeding on nectar, given some brush work in Topaz Studio 2. Telbarion 031 filter. Nikon 850 and Tamron 150-600mm lens. Suburban Townsville, early morning.
"Jabiru at Sunset."
At the moment there's very little left of anything in the swamps on the Townsville Common Conservation Park. So pickings are slim for the bird life crowded into a remaining watery patch last evening. November is our driest month. With December comes the promise of more rain. This dark-eyed male Jabiru (females' eyes are distinctively yellow) toughs it out with Plovers, Ibis and Egrets. Also known as a Black-necked Stork, it is Australia's only example of the stork family. (Nikon D850, Tamron 150-600mm lens at 600mm, edited in Aurora HDR, Luminar 4 and Photoshop CC 2020.)
"Honeyeater Preening."
A honeyeater grips a few feathers and then uses its brusk-like tongue to clean some plumage. (Suburban Townsville, Nikon D850 in Program exposure mode, Tamron 150-600mm at 600mm, edited in Aurora HDR and Photoshop CC 2020.)
"Brahminy Kite Flanked by Gulls."
Photographed yesterday over Rowes Bay, Townsville, with Magnetic Island on the horizon. It was a windy day, with strong onshore breezes. The whitecaps are a clue. As is the uniform gliding (versus varied flapping) configuration of the birds’ wings. (Camera: Nikon D850, Program Exposure mode AE, ISO 1600, 1/1600sec, f/20. Lens: Tamron 150-600mm f/5.0-6.3 at 380mm. Handheld. Editors: Aurora HDR, Photoshop CC 2020, Luminar 4 for sky composite, Nik Color Efex Pro 4.)

Mannikin Intimidating Honeyeater.
Mannikins can be quite bold with bigger birds. Especially if their mates are around I've noticed.