Yandina Creek Wetland Survey December 2019

Great Egret & Yellow-billed Spoonbill

The latest BirdLife Australia survey of Yandina Creek Wetland for Unitywater was undertaken on Saturday December 21 by myself, Steve Grainger and Russell McGregor. We had an excellent morning with plenty of good birds about. The morning started off well with two Baillon's Crakes feeding in the newly flooded southern half of the site. This species was once regular at the wetland but this is just the second sighting since the site's northern half was restored. Two Spotless Crakes were recorded later in the same spot.

Baillon's Crake

A Lewin's Rail scurried across the track and a couple of Buff-banded Rails were seen. Large numbers of Grey Teal were again present and a small group of Pink-eared Ducks - a very rare species on the Sunshine Coast - was among them.

Grey Teal & Pink-eared Duck

Migratory shorebirds were in reasonable numbers with Sharp-tailed Sandpiper, Marsh Sandpiper, Black-tailed Godwit and Latham's Snipe recorded.

Marsh Sandpiper, Grey Teal & Pied Stilt

Large numbers of Australian Pelican were present, feeding on what presumably were commensurate numbers of fish.

Australian Pelican

The normally scarce Glossy Ibis was in good numbers and a couple of Yellow-billed Spoonbills joined the sizeable rafts of Royal Spoonbill. Great Egret was plentiful.

Glossy Ibis 

Royal Spoonbill

Other nice birds included Little Grassbird, Nankeen Night-Heron and White-throated Needletail. Olive-backed Oriole was among the bushbirds seen.

Nankeen Night-Heron

Olive-backed Oriole 

Black-necked Storks were again on show, this time two pairs feeding in the shallows in widely flung parts of the site. It was pleasing to see a Water Rat splashing about with another couple almost certainly feeding in the shallows.

Black-necked Stork

Recent surveys have departed from the old format of short transects done by multiple groups. There are several reasons for this. Some of the old transects are now impassable due to the sustained inundation of the wetland, which wasn't a problem in the early days but is now. Much of the taller grass along the main perimeter track has drowned, allowing easier observation over the wetland, so double-counting from the old transects would increasingly be likely to distort data. It's necessary to wade into the wetland in gum boots off the tracks, which is not everyone's cup of tea. A comprehensive survey can be done comfortably now by a small group in a few hours. As reported after the September survey, the reopening of some more floodgates on Yandina Creek has allowed part of the southern half of the site to be flooded for the first time in several years. More water has accumulated in that area since then. Ebird list.