Wet mud's turning dry and firm in the Townsville Town Common wetlands as El Nino starts taking charge for now, and many months to come. The conservation park will look even drier this and next year because last year's high water levels carried through early in 2023 and killed off much para grass and other weeds.
Bonus for birdwatchers has been ease of scanning broad areas of flattened dead stalks and more readily seeing several regular migratory species standing out more than usual. I'm hopeful conditions continue to attract late migrants such as Yellow Wagtails, due in 2-3 weeks. We'll see!
Most prized of recent weeks has been a Banded Lapwing, usually drier country bird.
Latham's Snipe were, on schedule first seen early in August.
Curlew Sandpiper (downcurved bill) found recently tucked away in groups of Sharp-tailed Sandpipers.
Ditto Red-necked Stints. And Red-kneed Dotterel.
Pacific Golden Plovers as content on pasture as wetland mud.
Australian Pratincole often on dry-country coastal roads.
And Australia Pipit another bird happy mostly on dry and cracked habitat. But also very good to birders as it attracts migratory Wagtails. Fingers crossed for November-December!
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