Black-tailed Native-hen at Yandina Creek, Sunshine Coast

Black-tailed Native-hen

This afternoon I found three Black-tailed Native-hens in flooded grassland on River Road, Yandina Creek, on the Sunshine Coast.

Black-tailed Native-hen

The birds were wary at first but gradually they appeared to loose their fear of me. They were at a spot where I recently found other good birds including Australian Painted Snipe and a large flock of Red-kneed Dotterel - see here. The dotterels had been at this site for several weeks but today, just 2 could be found.

Black-tailed Native-hen

Late last year I found a single Black-tailed Native-hen in the Sunshine Coast hinterland at Ewen Maddock Dam (see here).  The species is normally very rare in south-east Queensland but a few have turned up recently at other sites, mainly in the Lockyer Valley. They are part of a move by several inland bird species to coastal areas in eastern Australia in recent months.

Black-tailed Native-hen

The native-hens are in an area of excellent grassland-wetland habitat close to the Maroochy River. I have attempted to alert the authorities of the need to purchase some of this privately owned land to protect it as a reserve (see here) but unfortunately without success.

Purple Swamphen

The native-hens were associating loosely with some of the large numbers of Purple Swamphen about.

Buff-banded Rail

A single Buff-banded Rail put in an appearance.

Australian Hobby

An Australian Hobby perched on a roadside telegraph wire.

Dusky Honeyeater

Also today a Dusky Honeyeater showed nicely in my Ninderry garden.

Dusky Honeyeater