Bush Hen & Buff-banded Rails

The Wet Tropics has experienced a huge amount of rain in the last couple of weeks. Up here in Topaz it is a great time of year to see Buff-banded Rails and the smaller and even shyer Bush Hen. They seem to like foraging around in the dank wet grass along the less busy roads on rainy days.  Topaz has a lot of rainy days and is one of the best places to see them. When it is dry and hot they are not nearly so obliging but now is a great time to see them. Later in the year  as we get into spring and early summer we hear Bush Hens all around the house, in the paddocks and even flower beds, but they seem to delight in hiding from us and we no longer see them regularly.