canberrabirds

Lewin's Rail v. Spotless Crake

To: "'Philip Veerman'" <>, "'Roger Curnow'" <>, "'cogs'" <>
Subject: Lewin's Rail v. Spotless Crake
From: "Geoffrey Dabb" <>
Date: Mon, 19 Oct 2009 18:23:59 +1100

Harvey Perkins reported it, his attention being directed to it by a sandwich-munching colleague.  Since then Steve H reported one from Kellys.  The Cth Park one was feasting on an abundance of earthworms, attracted in turn by a leaking water pipe.  The LR disappeared when the leak was fixed.

 

From: Philip Veerman [
Sent: Monday, 19 October 2009 6:01 PM
To: 'Roger Curnow'; 'cogs'
Subject: RE: [canberrabirds] Lewin's Rail v. Spotless Crake

 

Roger,

 

On that, a hard one. Especially as both of these are not anything close to common (so not much to say on the basis of probability). Both of them do have an undertail pattern but similar in both (barred), so that would not distinguish between them, apart from that maybe pattern being hard to see in flight. I'd call it a UFO or as you say: put it in the too hard basket. Maybe others may find it. The one Lewin's Rail we had at Commonwealth park in Canberra a few years ago (that I think from memory Jenny Bounds first reported) stayed around for weeks and many people got to see it and is the only one of them I have ever encountered.  

 

Philip Veerman

24 Castley Circuit

Kambah  ACT  2902

 

02 - 62314041

-----Original Message-----
From: Roger Curnow [
Sent: Monday, 19 October 2009 4:52 PM
To: cogs
Subject: [canberrabirds] Lewin's Rail v. Spotless Crake

Hi All

 

Today at the West Belconnen Pond a bird flew up from some reeds about a metre in front of me, flew maybe 20 metres across water and then landed in reeds on an island. I could see it there; but not clearly. It seemed grey rather than brown and i would have said it had no undertail pattern. It flew like a bird rather than like a quail, though its initial burst out of the reeds was quail-like, there was no whirring of wings.

 

Should I claim Lewin's Rail do you think ? Spotless Crake ? or put it in the too hard basket.

If i see it again under similar circumstances,
                                                                   ( i will be looking )

is there anything in their jizz to differentiate the species.

 

roger curnow

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