Birding Bli Bli: Baillon's Crake, Spotless Crake Close Up

Spotless Crake

Today I visited the new artificial wetland at the Parklakes real estate development near Bli Bli. The birding was very good, with excellent, close views of Baillon's Crake and Spotless Crake, among other things. Most of us are concerned about urban sprawl but if it's going to happen, this is the way to go. Congratulations on the developers for creating a first-rate wetlands here.

Spotless Crake

I found the first Spotless Crake within minutes of arriving and saw a total of four, with others heard. The wetlands are a series of connected large ponds with just the right mixture of open water and vegetation such as lilies, sedges and rushes. Hundreds of flowering native shrubs and trees have been planted around the pond edges. All up, an impressive effort.

Baillon's Crake

 It wasn't long before I saw a Baillon's Crake, also close up.  I saw a second Baillon's a short while later.

Baillon's Crake

Parklakes Wetlands

The wetlands have lots of potential

Wandering Whistling-Duck

Other nice birds here included  Wandering Whistling-Duck, Latham's Snipe, Little Grassbird and Buff-banded Rail.

White-breasted Woodswallow

This woodswallow was nearby in the Maroochy River canefields.

Grey Shrike-Thrush

 In the garden at Ninderry, the hot weather is attracting plenty of interest in the bird bath.

Eastern Yellow Robin

Brush Cuckoo

A Brush Cuckoo shows nicely.

Peaceful Dove

 Peaceful Dove is a scarce visitor in the garden.

Black-faced Cuckoo-shrike

 A Dusky Honeyeater is presently visiting flowering shrubs.

Dusky Honeyeater

Eastern Grey Kangaroo

Plenty of Eastern Grey Kangaroos were in evidence during a visit to Toorbul, with quite a few seemingly at home on the tidal flats.