Wetland gumboot gumshoeing turns up Wagtails

Wetland wading paid off with surprise find of three Eastern Yellow Wagtails this week.

Donned gumboots to get closer to large shorebird (turned out to be Black-tailed Godwit)
and squelched upon unseen and startled wagtails.

Less often met in Townsville Common Conservation Park than around my old stomping ground, Ingham, the species wings down from Russia and northern Japan to escape northern freeze, fattens up for a few months and returns north to breed.

Quick glimpse yesterday of yellow adult led to associated find of two immature birds (probably family) today.  The trio's relative rarity will draw local birders. But Eastern Yellows are common enough across the top of Australia and well down into New South Wales.

And here's the bird that brought the gumboots out, Black-tailed Godwit.