News from Mount Isa
- Rex Whitehead
- Mar 3
- 3 min read
Rex Whitehead | Guest Contributor
It's been very wet in the Mount Isa region this year. But, at time of writing (mid-February 2026), this was nothing like what was received further east of us. They had some serious flooding.
In Mount Isa we had 425 mm rain from the start of December 2025 to 10 February 2026: and, it looked like there would be more to come [Editor’s note: this proved to be very true – see below]. Lake Moondarra’s water level rose to the extent that it covered all the mud flats where the migratory waders fed: thus they moved elsewhere. There was a small number at the Sewage Treatment Plant though.
With all the lovely rain we had received from 01 December 2025 till 10 February 2026, the local birds must have decided it was a good time to start breeding. White-plumed Honeyeaters successfully bred in our Mango tree.
Out in the field, I noticed plenty of Lapwing and Dotterel chicks around, and I saw Rufous Songlarks carrying nesting material. Both the Red-backed and Sacred Kingfishers were also quite active; and I came across a Willy Wagtail sitting on its beautiful nest.
Swinhoe's Snipe is a regular visitor here, and I've seen up to four of them. I'm not sure of their sex as both sexes are similar. However, one could be an immature female, which would make sense: there being a pair present.
We also had some very welcome, unusual arrivals. For example, two Pied Herons arrived early in the year. That's only the second time I have seen a Pied Heron here.
Then we were graced with the arrival of two male Australian Painted-snipe: Endangered, and such a joy to behold. One only stayed for about a week, while the other was here for three weeks. I couldn’t stop myself from taking photos. I must have hundreds of images of them now: some very close, from only about four metres away.
I also got an exceptional photo of one of them displaying, with wings outspread, while it was being harassed by a Magpie-lark (aka Pee-wee).
I haven't seen any more Australian Painted-snipes since those two, so I guess they’ve moved on. Matt, from “Australian Painted-snipe Tracking”, heard about it, so I was able to send him some images of it for their records.
Another uncommon bird arrived in the form of a Common Sandpiper which I've only seen here once before. The name is misleading, as they aren't very common in Australia. This is only the second time I have seen one here. It was still present on the morning of 11 February 2026.
Editor’s note: Rex’s prediction above of more rain in Mount Isa was spot-on. So much more rain followed that by end February 2026, Mount Isa had received the highest February rainfall on record.
