The other day two strange little, big footed birds came tumbling down the steps outside my kitchen window at Blackheath. When I described them to my partner he said, ‘Oh yes, I’m sure I’ve seen them too, down by the duck pond.‘ We live close by the pond , but still… a couple of hundred metres is a fair way for unaccompanied chicks of any kind.
It turns out they were buff- banded rails and probably not chicks at all, just a bit wobbly on steps. Well no wonder with those feet! They live in reed beds. I was very excited, because the duck pond was renovated about 12 months ago, and planted with native reeds and rushes.
The renovation was a huge undertaking. The pond had to be drained, and years of silt and rubbish removed. The old island constructed of logs and rubber tyres was removed.
INITIAL WORK UNDERWAY.
This was the plan for the update. The arrows indicate the edge planting.
Hundreds of small plants were put in to form a better habitat for water birds. I seem to remember that volunteers helped. Those are native wood ducks sitting among the new greenery. Note the new, more naturalistic island on the left.
Twelve months later and after a very wet 2024 spring…just look at the growth.
I love the colour of the rushes om the waterline . The plant is an Australian native variety of Juncus.
At the first opportunity I walked down to the pond on a mission to verify that we really do have rails . To my great excitement, one popped out of cover for a brief moment and into some old tree-fern fronds. No mistaking it! Somehow I was reminded of the American Roadrunner, immortalized in cartoons. It certainly moved as fast. 😍
ROADRUNNER…SURELY A COUSIN OF OUR LITTLE AUSSIE.
On a worrying note, there now only seems to be one bird.
UPDATE – When I went down the following day I spotted my young friend feeding on the little island, in company with several wood ducks. It eventually flew off and disappeared into the rushes.
Foraging.
Here is a wonderful photo taken by a lady called Sue, for the Birds in Backyards site. She took a sequence of shots when the rail was doing a little dance at Sydney’s Olympic Park. The markings are so varied.
The island has matured beautifully.
It’s early days, but I do hope these birds will thrive. Mind you, whatever the outcome the duck pond restoration has been a huge success.
FOR MORE ON BUFF BANDED RAILS, CLICK HERE.
