Rod Gardner reports on good sightings of crakes and rails in the Sydney
area. Someone should mention (and noone has, so I will) what must be one of
the better crake/rail discovery stories for quite a while in the Melbourne
area.
Two weeks ago, John Barkla led a Sunday BOCA outing to the Western
Treatment Plant at Werribee. At one stage, John positioned the large group
opposite a well-known (and greatly loved!) reed bed about 1 km towards the
coast from the ford across Little River. In the space of 15 minutes or so,
and without leaving stationary cars, (it was pouring rain at the time!) the
assembled group got excellent views of buff-banded rail (2), Lewins rail
(2), Spotless crakes (1 or 2) and several Spotted crakes.
This was the first time most of us had seen the four possible (for
Melbourne) saltwater crakes/rails in the one location, and almost
contemporaneously. Conditions were ideal -- lots of muddy bank due to a
very low tide and a dull/rainy overcast day.
Pretty good effort John! The icing on the cake, on a generally great day,
were the freckled ducks (up to 5) that John subsequently discovered for the
same group on Lake Borrie.
Harry Clarke
School of Business
Faculty of Law and Management
Room 433, Donald Whitehead Building
La Trobe University, Bundoora, 3083. Australia.
Phone: 03-9479-1732
Fax: 03-9479-1654
E-mail
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