Painted Snipe sets off magic mangrove morning

Well, well, well, look who's standing around on a part-flooded track in the mangroves southeast of Ingham today. My rare friend from a flooded paddock in Orient Station last month, a male Australian Painted Snipe (Rostratula australis). 

And not just standing there, but throwing in a little bit of feather twirling before taking off.  

But look, look, look, almost on top of us both, the target species of the morning, a Mangrove Robin (Peneonanthe pulverulenta). Big bonus, sitting on nest and hopping off now and then to grab a quick feed.

And listen, listen, listen, and look at these lovely singers nearby, Striated Pardalotes (Pardalotus striatus), lerp-eating residents of the coastal gums.

Quite a morning.

Painted Snipe pops up after 17 years

Taken 17 years but today an Australian Painted Snipe (Rostratula australis) finally popped up in front of me.

A male, the bird was feeding busily at the edge of a flooded claypan/hymenachne paddock beside the road through Orient Station, southeast of Ingham.

Species is on the all-embracing Hinchinbrook area list, but I've no idea how long ago regular sightings were being made to justify it as a 'common seasonal' visitor.

But will it be there tomorrow? Perhaps with a female? We'll see...