RE: Baillon's Crake

I have yet to see any crakes in the south west near Perth this season.  We
did not have a particularly wet winter, but the level of many lakes is
still too high, while a couple are actually too low.  I have visited a
couple of sites that I would have expected to see Spotless Crake this early
in the season given the water level.  Crakes (especially Spotless) are much
easier to find from late December on in the south west.  There were still
quite a lot of Spotless Crakes at the end of May this year but the lakes
were yet to fill.

A recent visit to Penguin Island was the first time (out of about 8) that I
have failed to see Buff-banded Rail. However, I have seen a pair with young
at Alfred Cove so they are around.  I suspect that the rails are resident
in the south west, while crakes leave when the water levels get too high.